The Rock Breaks Silence on James Gunn's DC Changes and Black Adam's Uncertain Future

By Brandon Davis

The hierarchy of power in the DC universe has certainly changed, though it does not seem to be in the way Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson intended when he made such promises leading to the release of Black Adam. The wrestler turned actor  released his DC Comics movie 15-years in the making earlier this year, introducing its titular Black Adam character along with Justice Society of America names like Hawkman, Doctor Fate, Atom Smasher, and Cyclone. Johnson also successfully pushed to get Henry Cavill back as Superman for the film, leading to a cameo in the credits scene of Black Adam. Soon after, Cavill would post a formal announcement of his return on social media. Since the film's release, much (if not, all) of what Black Adam aimed to do with the DC universe movies has been wiped away with Johnson now releasing a statement on the changes.

It all started in October when Cavill was revealed to be a part of the DC movie franchise again for the first time since 2017's Justice League which got a proper re-release in the form of Zack Snyder's Justice League in 2021. Johnson touted the return as a, "Welcome home," for the most iconic character in comics being back on the big screen. He also shared a desire for a longterm story which would not lead directly to his Black Adam character brawling with Cavill's Superman in the next movie. Then, Warner Brothers Discovery hired new leaders for the DC Universe and launched their DC Studios brand. The Suicide Squad director James Gunn and The Suicide Squad, Aquaman, and Shazam! producer Peter Safran are now serving as co-CEO's of DC Studios. With their new vision for the DC Universe, Henry Cavill would be the first big role to be revealed as being recast.

This all leads to Johnson's statement on Tuesday, which reads in part, "My passionate friends, I wanted to give you a long-awaited Black Adam update regarding the character's future in the new DC Universe. James Gunn and I connected, and Black Adam will not be in their first chapter of storytelling. However, DC and Seven Bucks have agreed to continue exploring the most valuable ways Black Adam can be utilized in future DC multiverse chapters. James and I have known each other for years and have always rooted for each other to succeed. It's no different now, and I will always root for DC (and Marvel) to win and WIN BIG. You guys know me, and I have very thick skin – and you can always count on me to be direct with my words."

What do you think about the future of the DC Universe? Share your thoughts in the comment section or send them my way on Twitter. Black Adam is currently playing in theaters and on HBO Max. 

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