Black Adam Star Reveals Reaction to Big Reshoots With Viola Davis’ Amanda Waller

Black Adam hit theatres last month, and the new DC movie features a lot of new franchise faces as well as the return of some fan favorites. In addition to Henry Cavill making a cameo appearance as Superman, the movie also saw Viola Davis return to the role of Amanda Waller who she previously played in Suicide Squad, The Suicide Squad, and Peacemaker. Davis’ role in Black Adam was revealed during San Diego Comic-Con this summer, and it turns out she was added to the production quite late. Aldis Hodge (Hawkman) recently spoke with The Hollywood Reporter and revealed when Davis got involved with Black Adam.

“So when we first shot the movie, [Viola Davis] wasn’t in it at all, we all had completely different scenes. But when we did reshoots, I saw her name on the script, and I said, ‘Oh shit!’” Hodge shared. “I worked with Viola when I was 12 or 14 years old on a show called City of Angels, and even though we weren’t face-to-face, it was awesome to share the screen with her again in something of this magnitude.”

When Will Amanda Waller Return to the DCEU?

Back in May, it was revealed that an Amanda Waller series was in development for HBO Max with Davis being eyed to return. Davis would executive produce the series, and Watchmen alum Christal Henry is expected to write and executive produce. James Gunn, who helmed Waller’s previous appearances in The Suicide Squad and Peacemaker, would executive produce alongside Peter Safran. 

“As a comic book and Wonder Woman fan, I love the whole DC Comics universe,” Davis previously told The Hollywood Reporter of portraying Waller. “I traded comic books as a kid so all of that appeals to me. When you dream about being an actor as a kid, that’s what you dream about. That’s like play acting: being the superhero, getting the gun; it plays into that fantasy.”

How Did Henry Cavill End Up in Black Adam?

Last month, The Hollywood Reporter published a detailed look at the current state of DC movies at Warner Bros. DC Films boss Walter Hamada left the company, and it was later announced that James Gunn and Peter Safran have been tapped as the co-chairs and co-CEOs of DC Studios, a new entity formed to replace the ailing DC Films. However, it was Warner Bros. film bosses Michael De Luca and Pam Abd who ultimately helped Dwayne Johnson get the Cavill cameo. Hamada reportedly didn’t want the cameo to happen because he wanted to move away from the Snyder era of the DCEU. When he said no, Johnson went above Hamada and asked De Luca and Abdy to make the cameo happen. They said yes, the deal was done around Labor Day, and they shot the scene last month.

“We fought for years to bring you back,” Johnson wrote on Twitter. “They always said no. But to [Dany and Hiram Garcia] & myself ‘no’ was not an option. We can’t build out our DCEU w/out the world’s greatest superhero. And fans will always come first.” 

Black Adam is now playing in theatres.