In HollywoodB次元官网网址檚 superhero era thus far, there has been one particularly conspicuous absence: While a parade of big-name actors have taken their turns donning various spandex suits, Dwayne Johnson B次元官网网址� arguably the biggest movie star in the world B次元官网网址� has, until now, sat out the trend.

The Rock didnB次元官网网址檛 really need a cape to prove his powers. The 6-foot-5 260-pound actor was, in many respects, already a superhero in his own right: , , even a bulked-up .

B次元官网网址淚 was always ready and open to playing a superhero,B次元官网网址� Johnson said in a recent interview. B次元官网网址淏ut it had to be right and it had to feel right. I had been approached before in the past about playing a few superheroes that, ultimately, I ended up passing on. They ended up going to the right actors to play them. I just waited.B次元官网网址�

The fates have finally aligned in a debut so seamless that it could be called redundant. When Johnson was first trying on Black AdamB次元官网网址檚 suit, he had the muscle padding removed.

JohnsonB次元官网网址檚 entry to the superhero business comes at a crucial juncture for the DC Extended Universe, which has been plagued of late by scandal and misfires. Ezra Miller, star of the upcoming B次元官网网址淭he Flash,B次元官网网址� has been amid reports of troubling behavior (in August, ). B次元官网网址淏atgirl,B次元官网网址� a $90 million movie completed for HBO Max, prompting an outcry over its atypical cancellation.

Warner Bros. Discovery CEO David Zaslav has promised a B次元官网网址渞esetB次元官网网址� to the studioB次元官网网址檚 DC operations in an overhaul to implement a more Marvel-like 10-year structure and improve quality. At the fulcrum of these two eras sits B次元官网网址淏lack Adam,B次元官网网址� which opens in theaters Thursday.

Amid such turmoil, it certainly doesnB次元官网网址檛 hurt to be welcoming in a movie star as popular as Johnson, who has 341 million followers on Instagram and is often forced to . But just how much stability can The Rock bring to DC?

B次元官网网址淚 think the timing is actually perfect. What an opportunity we have,B次元官网网址� Johnson said. B次元官网网址淚 have been saying for almost years now that the hierarchy of power in the DC universe is about to change.B次元官网网址�

Before Johnson, not many saw Black Adam as such an axis-tilting force. The character, an ancient Egyptian created by Otto Binder and C.C. Beck, first appeared in a 1945 issue of Fawcett ComicsB次元官网网址� B次元官网网址淚n DC ComicsB次元官网网址� and has generally been portrayed as a supervillain and foe to Captain Marvel (not the Brie Larson one).

More recent treatments have pushed Black Adam more toward antihero status, something the film, directed by Jaume Collet-Serra (B次元官网网址淛ungle CruiseB次元官网网址�), extends. Black Adam, summoned to modern day, is depicted as a reluctant hero who fears his own powers.

In one telling scene, Black Adam stops for a moment to watch a television with Clint Eastwood as the Man With No Name B次元官网网址� an antihero model for Black Adam.

B次元官网网址淗e has been my inspiration from day one. My favorite actor and certainly one of my favorite directors,B次元官网网址� Johnson said. B次元官网网址淚B次元官网网址檓 happy to call Clint a buddy. That was my way of paying homage to him.B次元官网网址�

How Black Adam would be introduced to movie audiences wasnB次元官网网址檛 always clear. Initially, Captain Marvel, also known as Shazam, and Black Adam were to debut in a movie together. After the scripting stage, Johnson and others felt the combined launch did a disservice to Black Adam.

B次元官网网址淲e did have a template for a really good idea, but ultimately both characters required so much space to properly launch them,B次元官网网址� said producer Hiram Garcia. B次元官网网址淲e were just struggling in terms of bandwidth that the script could hold and in terms of tone, as well. Inherently, as you saw with how the B次元官网网址楽hazamB次元官网网址� movie came out, that movie is just so differently tonally from how B次元官网网址楤lack AdamB次元官网网址� is.B次元官网网址�

B次元官网网址淪hazam!B次元官网网址� starring Zachary Levi, was , grossing $366 million worldwide in 2019 (a sequel is due out in March). The ambitions for B次元官网网址淏lack AdamB次元官网网址� are larger.

The film, made with a budget roughly twice that of B次元官网网址淪hazam!B次元官网网址� also introduces the Justice Society of America, a superhero team of Hawkman (Aldis Hodge), Doctor Fate (Pierce Brosnan), Atom Smasher (Noah Centineo) and Cyclone (Quintessa Swindell).

B次元官网网址淚 always felt like it was a matter of convincing our studio partners to try to look beyond the Justice League,B次元官网网址� Johnson said. B次元官网网址淚 love the Justice League. But when you look past them, you open up the DC bible. There are so many cool characters you can tap into.B次元官网网址�

ItB次元官网网址檚 been a long haul to develop the film, tailor the part to Johnson and shoot the movie around COVID-19 delays. Johnson was first announced to play Black Adam way back in 2014.

B次元官网网址淓asy and this process have not gone together,B次元官网网址� Garcia said.

But the filmmakers were committed to giving Black Adam the proper launch.

B次元官网网址淚f Dwayne JohnsonB次元官网网址檚 going to do a superhero, the powers better be A-plus,B次元官网网址� said producer Beau Flynn.

Superhero films arenB次元官网网址檛 often described as a B次元官网网址減assion projectB次元官网网址� but itB次元官网网址檚 how Johnson talks about B次元官网网址淏lack Adam.B次元官网网址� He speaks about the characterB次元官网网址檚 previously low profile like an underdog.

B次元官网网址淣o one gave him a shot,B次元官网网址� he said. Unlike many of the best-known comic-book characters, Johnson is not taking on this role secondhand.

B次元官网网址淣o other actors had stepped into the boots of Black Adam,B次元官网网址� said Johnson who professes a deep connection with the character. B次元官网网址淚B次元官网网址檓 a very direct talker. Black Adam is very direct with his thoughts, too. The difference is: Black Adam will slap some people around. I might slap some people around but IB次元官网网址檒l do it with a smile.B次元官网网址�

As of this summer, Michael De Luca and Pam Abdy are running Warner Bros.B次元官网网址� revamped film division, though no new DC leader has yet been appointed. Zaslav has been seeking his studioB次元官网网址檚 answer to MarvelB次元官网网址檚 Kevin Feige to take the reigns. For Johnson, B次元官网网址淏lack AdamB次元官网网址� is part of that new chapter for DC.

B次元官网网址淚 think youB次元官网网址檙e feeling this sense of urgency and the sense of excitement,B次元官网网址� said Johnson. B次元官网网址淭his has been a great convergence of B次元官网网址楤lack AdamB次元官网网址� coming out and new leadership.B次元官网网址�

Tracking reports have suggested that Johnson, 50, could be headed for his biggest opening weekend ever at the box office with B次元官网网址淏lack Adam.B次元官网网址� But sounding a little like his WWE wrestler, Johnson is also eyeing his next opponent. Black Adam, he believes, is a lesser power to no superhero. HeB次元官网网址檚 gunning for Superman.

B次元官网网址淔or five years, the most powerful and unstoppable force in the entire superhero universe has been idle on the sidelines. All that had to come to a new end,B次元官网网址� says Johnson. B次元官网网址淭his is what I mean with this new era in the DC universe. LetB次元官网网址檚 get that hero off the sidelines and on the big screen.B次元官网网址�

B次元官网网址擩ake Coyle, The Associated Press