Warning: this article features spoilers for Black Adam. If you haven’t seen it, proceed with caution.
After 15 years of waiting, Dwayne Johnson has finally stepped into the shoes of the all-powerful Black Adam.
This past weekend saw the release of the DC antihero’s origin story, breaking out of imprisonment after 5,000 years and letting all hell break loose on the big screen. And, thankfully for fans, it looks like it won’t be the last time we see him either.
We already know that Johnson has been teasing a superhero smackdown between Black Adam and another iconic DC character for some time now, with the film effectively setting the stage for the action to come.
Here’s everything we know about all that and more, from what we learned in the film:
Superman Is Back!
Warner Bros. Pictures
Yes, the worst kept secret in Hollywood was made official in the mid-credits sequence, as Henry Cavill returned to our screens as Superman for the first time in five years (if you’re not counting Zack Snyder’s director’s cut of Justice League that is).
Dwayne Johnson has been teasing a superhero smackdown with the Man Of Steel for months now and this stinger tees that up perfectly.
Black Adam is told by Viola Davis’ Amanda Waller not to leave Khandaq, where the JSA have left him as protector, or he will face the consequences – as we find out, these come in the form of an angry Kal-El.
Warner Bros. Pictures
There’s nothing more to it really, but with producer Hiram Garcia recently stating that a Black Adam vs. Superman fight would feature in more than just a “one-off” movie, functioning as a narrative arc threading the next several DC projects together, this makes sense as an introduction to the chaos that lies ahead.
As reported by The Hollywood Reporter, Cavill didn’t feature in the original plan for Black Adam, with the actor only contacted when reshoots went ahead earlier this year.
Now he seems central to Warner Bros’ plans for the DCEU, with a Man Of Steel sequel finally in development, nearly a decade after his big screen origin story debuted.
This is just the first in many more adventures to come.
The Other Henry (Winkler)
HBO
Cavill wasn’t the only Henry who made a surprise cameo, as many fans were caught off guard by the legendary actor Henry Winkler making a brief cameo FaceTiming Noah Centineo’s Atom Smasher.
The appearance lasts about ten seconds, but was originally reported last year when it was highlighted that he would be playing Al Pratt, the first Atom, who is something of a guardian figure to the character.
It’s a fun cameo, but one that we never revisit again – maybe in a future film focusing on the Justice Society Of America we could get more of him. Speaking of which…
The Future Of The JSA
Warner Bros. Pictures
With the JSA and Black Adam parting ways on good terms (as long as he keeps himself stationed in Khandaq that is), the stage is set for the team to reappear in future DCEU projects.
And whilst the cast are staying tight-lipped about the future of the franchise, Hawkman himself, Aldis Hodge, has given several interviews discussing what he’d like any potential sequel or spin-off to explore.
In the comics, Hawkman has different origin stories depending on the iteration of the character, and in an interview with ScreenRant, Hodge has said that while this film pulls on the “consistent traits” of each one, he hopes to be able to tell the definitive backstory in another movie.
Warner Bros. Pictures
Speaking to Zavvi, Hodge went further, saying that even though it’s early days, “[I would love for it] to explore more of Carter Hall’s history and the early stages of his relationship with Kent Nelson.”
The actor had previously been quoted as saying Black Adam was the first part of a trilogy leading up to a Black Adam vs. Superman battle – in our interview, he stressed those were just his hopes as a fan. If that does get announced, you’ll read it here first!
Black Adam is in theaters now.
