Black Adam Clearly Establishes the DCEU Snyderverse and Gunnverse As One Canon
DC Movie fans are eager to learn if and how Black Adam opens new door to a fresh start for the DC Extended Universe. It's something that the creative team behind Black Adam – led by Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson – has been touting since the beginning of production on Black Adam, with The Rock openly stating that entire hierarchy of power in the DCEU would be changing after Black Adam arrived.
Well, it's certainly true that Black Adam is a character that brings a whole new power dynamic to the DC movie franchise; however, what some fans may not know is that the film also manages to bring some much-needed balance to the DC movie franchise, by clearly establishing that Black Adam and the JSA characters clearly play in the same sandbox as those characters from the "Snyderverse" and "Gunnverse" eras of DC movies, like Zack Snyder's Justice League and The Suicide Squad!
Black Adam's DCEU Connections Explained (SPOILERS)
Black Adam makes it clear from the start that the mystical DC antihero arrives in present day Kahndaq after Zack Snyder's Justice League has been clearly established as a world power. Superman (Henry Cavill), Batman (Ben Affleck), Wonder Woman (Gal Gadot), Aquaman (Jason Momoa) and Flash (Ezra Miller) are all referenced – most notably in a scene where Black Adam (The Rock) battles Hawkman (Aldis Hodge) in the bedroom of young Amon Tomaz (Bodhi Sabongui). Amon's room his decorated in Justice League merch – including Supemran, Wonder Woman, Flash and Aquaman posters, and a Batman figurine. With some winking humor, Black Adam and Hawkman manage to wreck the momnuments to each of these other characters. Take that how you will. There's also the massive end credits cameo by Henry Cavill's Superman, which undeniably puts Black Adam in the same canon as Man of Steel.
Elements of James Gunn's The Suicide Squad and its Peacemaker TV spinoff are found in Black Adam as well. The overarching frame is Viola Davis' cameo return as Amanda Waller, who is now shown to be a liaison to the Justice Society, as she is in direct contact with Hawkman (via hologram) throughout the movie.
During the end of the second act, Teth-Adam resolves to transform back into his human form and surrender to the JSA. Adam is taken into custody by Amana Waller's forces – led by none other than Emilia Harcourt (Jennifer Holland). Harcourt is the A.R.G.U.S. operative that helped out (and ultimately turned on Waller) during the The Suicide Squad, and as a punishment she was assigned to be Peacemaker's handler, and helped him prevent an alien invasion.
One DCEU
In short, Black Adam deftly and swiftly make the declaration that there is on DCEU going forward, and that fan arguments about "Snyderverse" vs "Gunnverse" won't get fueled by this new entry. Before Black Adam, The Suicide Squad films only tangentially referenced the Snyder films and vice versa, with neither side fully committing to a shared canon. Black Adam, on the other hand, leaves no ambiguity for debate.
Black Adam is now in theaters.