WHILE reviews of Black Adam have been mixed, it appears that audiences around the world are supportive of star Dwayne Johnson’s attempt at “challenging the hierarchy of power” in the DCEU.
Black Adam ended its opening weekend with an impressive US$140 million (RM663.5 million) box office take, with US$67 million (RM317.5 million) coming from US domestic audiences, beating domestic opening weekend takes by prior DCEU films Shazam! and Aquaman.
The film also gives Johnson his biggest box-office weekend as a leading man, and is also the culmination of a nearly 15-year personal effort by Johnson to bring the DC Comics character to the big screen.
Directed by Jaume Collet-Serra, Black Adam tells the origin story of its titular hero (Johnson), also known as Teth-Adam, whose powers include flight, superhuman strength, invulnerability, enhanced speed and the ability to shoot lightning. The film’s supporting cast includes Aldis Hodge as Hawkman, Pierce Brosnan as Dr. Fate, Noah Centineo as Atom Smasher and Quintessa Swindell as Cyclone, with Marwan Kenzari playing the film’s ultimate villain, the demon Sabbac.
Producers Beau Flynn and Hiram Garcia recently suggested that work on a sequel may already be underway, and if the film does get a follow-up, there’s a decent chance it will feature a face-off between Johnson’s Man in Black and Henry Cavill’s Superman, who shows up in the movie’s mid-credits scene.
Speaking to USA Today about the film, Johnson said that the filmmakers wanted to pay “respect and reverence” to the mythology and story lines the character has had in the comics.
“And it became evident as we just started shooting and putting the movie on its feet, let’s double down,” Johnson says. “Establish Black Adam as the most powerful and unstoppable force on this planet. And if we do that right, let’s take the most beloved superhero in the world, of all time, that’s been idle and sitting on the sideline for five years. Let’s fight, and let’s not take no for an answer and let’s bring him back.”
