For the past decade, DC comics has tried (and struggled) to launch its own cinematic universe. However, the most notable films weren’t the ones following the heroes but the anti-heroes and/or villains. Suicide Squad introduced us to Harley Quinn and Birds of Prey helped liberate the character from her toxic relationship in the eyes of non-comic book fans. With that being said, DC has their eyes set on another anti-hero/villain: Black Adam. And now, more than ever, is the perfect time to release such a film.
First, we need to start with who is Black Adam? Simply put, he’s the main arch-nemesis of Shazam. This may seem like he’s a villain but over various stories, he has also been portrayed as an anti-hero or even a character seeking redemption. He also shares the same powers as Shazam but is about 3000 years older (this varies depending on the version). Black Adam, Thet-Adam, lived in ancient Egypt as the son of the Pharaoh (in the New 52 he was a slave who overthrew the pharaoh with his powers). Through his good deeds, he caught the eye of the wizard who bestowed him with the power of Shazam. This backfired as Black Adam went on to use his powers for personal gain.
Over the years, he is one of DC comics got to villains used to fill out rosters or even just appear as an obstacle for Shazam or other DC heroes. However, the upcoming film will be his live-action debut; being portrayed by Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson, no less, and giving the audience a chance to discover not just his backstory but to flesh him out as a character. This will be needed since DC plans on using him in upcoming Shazam projects.
Also being introduced in the film will be an Adrianna Tomaz incarnation of Isis. Not to be confused with Zari Tomaz from DC’s Legends of Tomorrow. Adrianna Tomaz will be portrayed by Sarah Shahi (Fairly Legal, The L Word). Adrianna Tomaz was initially introduced in her own TV series, The Secrets of Isis. However, this will be her first feature film debut. She uses an ancient amulet to call on the power of the Egyptian Goddess Isis. In DC’s Legends of Tomorrow, the amulet had vastly different origins.
Just those 2 characters alone can be used in a variety of DC stories but other confirmed characters include Hawkman (Aldis Hodge), Atom Smasher (Noah Centineo) & Doctor Fate (Pierce Brosnan). Hawkman and Doctor Fate are usually used in stories revolving around magic. This means there is a possibility of Zatanna and/or Hawkgirl making potential upcoming film debuts as well. DC is clearly using Black Adam to set up characters for other potential films. Doing so now means that they clearly have a plan on how they intend to develop future films.
The final aspect of Black Adam worth noting is the character’s origins in ancient Egypt, a go-to source for a number of DC hero backstories. It’ll be interesting to see which version of Black Adam we’ll see in the film along with how it may set up other characters for potential DCEU films.
What other characters would you like to see in the upcoming Black Adam film? Let us know in the comments below or on Twitter!
