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Black Adam (2022)

From New Line Cinema, Dwayne Johnson stars in the action adventure  Black Adam . The first-ever feature film to explore the story of the DC Super Hero comes to the big screen under the direction of Jaume Collet-Serra ( Jungle Cruise ).

In ancient Kahndaq, Teth Adam was bestowed the almighty powers of the gods. After using these powers for vengeance, he was imprisoned, becoming Black Adam. Nearly 5,000 years have passed and Black Adam has gone from man, to myth, to legend. Now released, his unique form of justice, born out of rage, is challenged by modern day heroes who form the Justice Society: Hawkman, Dr. Fate, Atom Smasher and Cyclone.

Johnson stars alongside Aldis Hodge ( City on a Hill ,  One Night in Miami ) as Hawkman, Noah Centineo ( To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before ) as Atom Smasher, Sarah Shahi ( Sex/Life ,  Rush Hour 3 ) as Adrianna, Marwan Kenzari ( Murder on the Orient Express ,  The Mummy ), Quintessa Swindell ( Voyagers ,  Trinkets ) as Cyclone, Mo Amer ( Mo ,  Ramy ), Bodhi Sabongui ( A Million Little Things ), and Pierce Brosnan (the  Mamma Mia!  and James Bond franchises) as Dr. Fate.

Collet-Serra directed from a screenplay written by Adam Sztykiel and Rory Haines & Sohrab Noshirvani, based on characters from DC, based on characters created by Bill Parker and C.C. Beck. The film’s producers are Beau Flynn, Dwayne Johnson, Hiram Garcia and Dany Garcia, with Walter Hamada, Adam Schlagman, Richard Brener, Dave Neustadter, Chris Pan, Eric McLeod, Geoff Johns and Scott Sheldon executive producing.

The director’s behind-the-scenes creative team includes Oscar-nominated director of photography Lawrence Sher ( Joker ), production designer Tom Meyer ( Real Steel ), editors Mike Sale ( Red Notice ,  Skyscraper ) and John Lee ( Anyone Home? ), costume designers Kurt and Bart ( Deadpool 2 ,  The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part 1 & 2 ), Oscar-winning visual effects supervisor Bill Westenhofer ( Life of Pi ,  Wonder Woman ), and composer Lorne Balfe ( Black Widow ).

New Line Cinema Presents a Seven Bucks/Flynn Co. Production, A Jaume Collet-Serra Film,  Black Adam , smashing into theaters and IMAX internationally beginning 19 October 2022, in North America on October 21, 2022. It will be distributed worldwide by Warner Bros. Pictures.

Dwayne Johnson

Aldis Hodge

Noah Centineo

Sarah Shahi

Marwan Kenzari

Quintessa Swindell

Bodhi Sabongui

Pierce Brosnan

Action, Adventure

Director(s):

Jaume Collet-Serra

Adam Sztykiel

Rory Haines

Sohrab Noshirvani

Producer(s):

Hiram Garcia

Dany Garcia

Walter Hamada

Adam Schlagman

Richard Brener

Dave Neustadter

Eric McLeod

Geoff Johns

Scott Sheldon

MORE DC MOVIE NEWS

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From New Line Cinema, Dwayne Johnson stars in the action adventure “Black Adam.” The first-ever feature film to explore the story of the DC Super Hero comes to the big screen under the direction of Jaume Collet-Serra (“Jungle Cruise”).

In ancient Kahndaq, Teth Adam was bestowed the almighty powers of the gods. After using these powers for vengeance, he was imprisoned, becoming Black Adam. Nearly 5,000 years have passed and Black Adam has gone from man, to myth, to legend. Now released, his unique form of justice, born out of rage, is challenged by modern day heroes who form the Justice Society: Hawkman, Dr. Fate, Atom Smasher and Cyclone.

Johnson stars alongside Aldis Hodge (“City on a Hill,” “One Night in Miami”) as Hawkman, Noah Centineo (“To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before”) as Atom Smasher, Sarah Shahi (“Sex/Life,” “Rush Hour 3”), Marwan Kenzari (“Murder on the Orient Express,” “The Mummy”), Quintessa Swindell (“Voyagers,” “Trinkets”) as Cyclone, Mo Amer (“Mo,” “Ramy”), Bodhi Sabongui (“A Million Little Things”), and Pierce Brosnan (the “Mamma Mia!” and James Bond franchises) as Dr. Fate. Collet-Serra directed from a screenplay written by Adam Sztykiel and Rory Haines & Sohrab Noshirvani, based on characters from DC, based on characters created by Bill Parker and C.C. Beck. The film’s producers are Beau Flynn, Hiram Garcia, Dwayne Johnson and Dany Garcia, with Toby Emmerich, Richard Brener, Dave Neustadter, Chris Pan, Walter Hamada, Adam Schlagman, Geoff Johns, Eric McLeod and Scott Sheldon executive producing.

The director’s behind-the-scenes creative team includes Oscar-nominated director of photography Lawrence Sher (“Joker”), production designer Tom Meyer (“Real Steel”), editors Mike Sale (“Red Notice,” “Skyscraper”) and John Lee (“Anyone Home?”), costume designers Kurt and Bart (“Deadpool 2,” “The Hunger Games: Mockingjay – Part 1 & 2”), Oscar-winning visual effects supervisor Bill Westenhofer (“Life of Pi,” “Wonder Woman”), and composer Lorne Balfe (“Black Widow”).

New Line Cinema Presents a Seven Bucks/Flynn Co. Production, A Jaume Collet-Serra Film, “Black Adam,” smashing into theaters and IMAX internationally beginning 19 October 2022, in North America on October 21, 2022. It will be distributed worldwide by Warner Bros. Pictures.

• Cast & crew
• User reviews

Nearly 5,000 years after he was bestowed with the almighty powers of the Egyptian gods--and imprisoned just as quickly--Black Adam is freed from his earthly tomb, ready to unleash his unique... Read all Nearly 5,000 years after he was bestowed with the almighty powers of the Egyptian gods--and imprisoned just as quickly--Black Adam is freed from his earthly tomb, ready to unleash his unique form of justice on the modern world. Nearly 5,000 years after he was bestowed with the almighty powers of the Egyptian gods--and imprisoned just as quickly--Black Adam is freed from his earthly tomb, ready to unleash his unique form of justice on the modern world.

• Jaume Collet-Serra
• Adam Sztykiel
• Rory Haines
• Sohrab Noshirvani
• Dwayne Johnson
• Aldis Hodge
• Pierce Brosnan
• 1.8K User reviews
• 283 Critic reviews
• 41 Metascore
• 1 win & 12 nominations

• Black Adam …

• Atom Smasher …

• Adrianna Tomaz

• Skinny Teth Adam

• The Champion

• Emilia Harcourt

• Mrs. Farmer
• All cast & crew
• Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

Rock On: The Life and Times of Dwayne Johnson

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Did you know

• Trivia Jordan Peele was originally offered the chance to direct the film when it was first announced in 2017, but Peele declined, saying, "I'm not a fan of superhero movies and I'd hate to take that chance away from a director who is passionate about them."
• Goofs At one point, they state the crown weighs 23 pounds. However, in several places in the movie, people are carrying/lifting it like it weighs a few ounces.

Hawkman : In this world, there are heroes and there are villains. Heroes don't kill people!

Teth-Adam : Well, I do.

• Crazy credits The Warner Bros logo is made of Kahndaq's eternium metal, and through lightning strikes it changes to the New Line Cinema logo.
• Connections Featured in The Observant Lineman: DC Fandome LIVE (2020)
• Soundtracks Bullet with Butterfly Wings Written by Billy Corgan (as William Corgan) Performed by The Smashing Pumpkins Courtesy of Virgin Records Under license from Universal Music Enteprises

User reviews 1.8K

• namob-43673
• Oct 22, 2022
• How long is Black Adam? Powered by Alexa
• October 21, 2022 (United States)
• United States
• New Zealand
• Black Adam France
• Official Facebook
• Atlanta, Georgia, USA
• Warner Bros.
• New Line Cinema
• DC Entertainment
• See more company credits at IMDbPro
• $195,000,000 (estimated)
• $168,152,111
• $67,004,323
• Oct 23, 2022
• $393,452,111

Technical specs

• Runtime 2 hours 5 minutes
• Dolby Digital
• Dolby Atmos
• IMAX 6-Track

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Black Adam First Reviews: Action-Packed and Powered by a Charismatic Dwayne Johnson

Critics say the film suffers from a villain problem and a lackluster script, but a scene-stealing pierce brosnan, lots of action, and the hint of something new in the dceu powers it forward..

TAGGED AS: dceu , First Reviews , movies

Almost 15 years after Dwayne Johnson first announced interest in playing the character, he finally makes his debut as Black Adam in the DCEU this week. But is the movie, eponymously titled Black Adam , worth the wait, the promise, and the anticipation? The first reviews of the superhero spectacle are mixed, but those that get what the movie is and who it’s for praise the positives enough to disregard any shortcomings.

Here’s what critics are saying about Black Adam :

Does it live up to expectations?

Johnson has been attached to the Black Adam role for nearly two decades… His love for the DC Universe shines through the film and his passion pays off well throughout. – Sheraz Farooqi, Cinema Debate

Those who have been waiting for this adaptation long since Johnson first expressed interest back in 2007 will not walk away disappointed. – Ben Rolph, Discussing Film

If The Rock smashing more things than he usually can as human characters sounds like a good time, Black Adam delivers. – Fred Topel, United Press International

Given the number of years this project was in development, and how it was promoted to shift the balance of power in the DC Universe, it’s disappointing that the end result is so unremarkable. – Eric Eisenberg, Cinema Blend

How well does it fit into the DCEU?

Black Adam isn’t a full-on course correction for the DCEU, but it is an encouraging new installment in this larger universe. – Ross Bonaime, Collider

Black Adam feels like the first project in years to take from multiple parts of this universe while also focusing on setting up something big for its future. – Gregg Katzman, CBR

Though we’ve prayed DC would move on, there are more than echoes of the Snyderverse here. – John DeFore, Hollywood Reporter

A strong entry into the DCEU. – Sheraz Farooqi, Cinema Debate

As much as Black Adam is a darker take on Shazam, it also repeats the missteps of lesser DC movies. – Fred Topel, United Press International

It’s not awful, especially when compared to many of the other DCEU films, but it’s far from the game-changer it claims to be. – Matt Rodriguez, Shakefire

Does it feel like any other movies?

The film plays like 2018’s Venom in multiple ways, focusing on brutal action sequences and a mixed tone of dark moments and humor. – Sheraz Farooqi, Cinema Debate

The movie is essentially Shane on steroids, set in the Middle East instead of the Old West. – Peter Debruge, Variety

One movie that’s clearly a model for Black Adam is Terminator 2: Judgment Day . – Chris Bumbray, JoBlo’s Movie Network

(Photo by Warner Bros. Pictures)

How is The Rock as Black Adam?

The Rock delivers one of his best performances. He put his heart and soul into this role. – Tessa Smith, Mama’s Geeky

An absolutely terrific performance by Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson, [the movie allows] him to flex his trademark muscular showmanship and combine that with character-driven appeal. – Courtney Howard, Fresh Fiction

Johnson keeps up his enchanting screen presence as he lands old-fashioned one-liners and brutal action all with complete passion. – Ben Rolph, Discussing Film

Johnson also breathes just enough emotion and empathy into the character. – Gregg Katzman, CBR

Johnson is grandiose as Black Adam, leaving his charismatic movie star stamp in every scene. This is perfect casting from more than a physical standpoint. – Jeff Nelson, Showbiz Cheat Sheet

No matter what one might think about this Black Adam movie as a whole, The Rock grabs your attention and keeps it no matter what he’s doing. Johnson is the man. – Todd McCarthy, Deadline Hollywood Daily

His charisma and brooding stares can only take the film so far. – Matt Rodriguez, Shakefire

Black Adam is perfect for Johnson’s action-figure frame. He just deserves a better first superhero outing than this. – Brian Truitt, USA Today

The problem isn’t that Johnson can’t act — he definitely can! — the problem is that he doesn’t want to. – David Ehrlich, IndieWire

What about the Justice Society?

The Justice Society of America nearly steal the movie right from underneath [Johnson] as the film gives them a satisfactory introduction, leaving us wanting more from all of them by the end. – Matt Neglia, Next Best Picture

Aldis Hodge and Pierce Brosnan’s portrayals of Hawkman and Doctor Fate are both equally brilliant. – Ben Rolph, Discussing Film

Brosnan is a natural in the role of Fate and it’s a wonder how no one tapped on his talents sooner for a superhero role. Hodge is just as great in the film. – Sheraz Farooqi, Cinema Debate

Pierce Brosnan [is] the standout, even if his character reads like a second-rate Doctor Strange. – Peter Debruge, Variety

Brosnan steals every scene he’s a part of, and the actor is brimming with charisma. – Ross Bonaime, Collider

On the whole, members of the JSA are dealt short shrift, leaving [them] severely underdeveloped. – Courtney Howard, Fresh Fiction

Noah Centineo and Quintessa Swindell’s Atom Smasher and Cyclone feel like they stumbled in from another movie. – Chris Bumbray, JoBlo’s Movie Network

(Photo by ©Warner Bros.)

How is the action?

Black Adam features a lot more action than most DC movies. – Peter Debruge, Variety

The visual spectacle just keeps coming at you for two hours, and the effects are all so stupendous that you could begin to take it for granted. – Todd McCarthy, Deadline Hollywood Daily

This movie is packed with action. When we say that, we mean it is pretty much non-stop action for the entire movie. – Tessa Smith, Mama’s Geeky

Every fight sequence packs a punch, and the film gets extra creative when utilizing Doctor Fate’s powers. – Ben Rolph, Discussing Film

Collet-Serra manages to make these action scenes exciting in everything from Adam wiping out large armies to a hand-on-hand fight through an apartment with Hawkman. – Ross Bonaime, Collider

There is no wit, no thrill, and no slickness to the action. – Witney Seibold, Slashfilm

Does the film have a worthy villain?

The villain doesn’t do much of anything except provide us with a pretty cool battle, so we will take it — reluctantly. – Tessa Smith, Mama’s Geeky

Unfortunately, there isn’t much depth to the big bad, and he’s ultimately there to offer a ton of action in the final act. – Gregg Katzman, CBR

It’s just a shame that the main villain isn’t stronger here because it does overshadow some of the bombastic action on display. – Ben Rolph, Discussing Film

The single most forgettable villain in comic book movie history. – David Ehrlich, IndieWire

How is the script?

The screenplay is so action-orientated that it almost completely leaves out the necessary room for characters to breathe. – Ben Rolph, Discussing Film

The script of Black Adam is arguably the weakest part of the film. Character arcs can feel paper-thin and predictable. – Sheraz Farooqi, Cinema Debate

The character development is shallow. – Eric Eisenberg, Cinema Blend

The script does little to help non-DC-scholars here, briefly alluding to nanobots and relics and the Justice Society of America as if other movies had introduced them already. – John DeFore, Hollywood Reporter

Does the movie get political?

The picture’s overarching themes – dealing with colonialism and our desperate need for heroes to speak out against tyranny during bleak times – are affecting and effectively crafted. – Courtney Howard, Fresh Fiction

There’s enough complexity in the post-colonial politics of Kahndaq to engage adults. – Peter Debruge, Variety

It’s an interesting setup: American “heroes” coming to a foreign country to stop the local hero from protecting the citizens. But if you’re hoping Black Adam will get into the complexities of that, this is not that movie. – Ian Sandwell, Digital Spy

Moviegoers may have trouble finding escapist pleasure here, given the knotty global issues the movie raises but doesn’t fully process. – John DeFore, Hollywood Reporter

Will we leave feeling hopeful for the DCEU?

Black Adam will help DC fans restore their faith in the DCEU. – Tessa Smith, Mama’s Geeky

Black Adam might not change things single-handedly, but it certainly feels like the start of a new era of DC movies. – Ian Sandwell, Digital Spy

What it sets up for the future of the DCEU is exciting and not to be overlooked. – Ben Rolph, Discussing Film

The film’s whole purpose is to give Black Adam a suitably grand introduction on the assumption that he’ll be pitted against a more deserving adversary soon enough. – Peter Debruge, Variety

Perhaps this is a new way forward for the DCEU, but do we really need them to do exactly what the MCU is doing? – Chris Bumbray, JoBlo’s Movie Network

Black Adam opens everywhere on October 21, 2022.

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Where to Watch

Watch Black Adam with a subscription on Max, rent on Fandango at Home, Prime Video, Apple TV, or buy on Fandango at Home, Prime Video, Apple TV.

What to Know

Black Adam may end up pointing the way to an exciting future for DC films, but as a standalone experience, it's a wildly uneven letdown.

With lots of action, solid effects, and a story you don't have to be a comics fan to follow, Black Adam is one of the best DC movies to date.

Audience Reviews

Cast & crew.

Jaume Collet-Serra

Dwayne Johnson

Aldis Hodge

Noah Centineo

Atom Smasher

Sarah Shahi

Adrianna Tomaz

Marwan Kenzari

Movie Clips

More like this, movie news & guides, this movie is featured in the following articles., critics reviews.

'Black Adam' Trailer: Watch Dwayne Johnson Transform Into Menacing Antihero

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Dwayne Johnson 's no superhero but he's also not a full-blown villain. And therein lies the struggle for this antihero in  Black Adam .

The action-packed trailer for the highly anticipated film finally dropped on Wednesday, and it promises that "the hierarchy of power in the DC Universe is about to change." Set to the track of JAY-Z and Kanye West's 2011 hit, "Murder to Excellence" off their Watch the Throne album, the trailer offers a glimpse of Black Adam's origin and the powers he possesses.

"I was a slave until I died," Johnson's voice can be heard in the trailer. "Then I was reborn a god. My son sacrificed his life to save me. Now, I kneel before no one."

Nearly 5,000 years after he was bestowed with the almighty powers of the ancient gods -- and imprisoned just as quickly -- Black Adam is freed from his earthly tomb, ready to unleash his unique form of justice on the modern world. 

Pierce Brosnan  portrays Dr. Fate, who is part of the Justice Society of America. In the trailer, Dr. Fate informs Black Adam that it's time to pick sides.

"My vision has shown me the future. You have two choices," Dr. Fate warns Black Adam. "You can be the destroyer of this world or you can be its savior. That’s up to you."

From New Line Cinema, Johnson stars in the first-ever feature film to explore the story of the DC character. Jaume Collet-Serra ( Jungle Cruise ) is directing. Noah Centineo plays the superhero Atom Smasher  and Quintessa Swindell plays Cyclone. The trailer also offers a closer look at  Aldis Hodge, who is Hawkman . 

In the DC Universe, Black Adam is one of the primary antagonists who Shazam often squares off against. With  Black Adam  coming out a year before  Shazam! Fury of the Gods ,  this film could potentially be setting Johnson's Black Adam up as the big bad of this particular corner of  the DC Extended Universe.

Black Adam hits theaters Oct. 21.

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Latest News

Updates on celebrity news, tv, fashion and more.

Black Adam first look teaser revealed at DC FanDome

Check out the first clip from Black Adam

The first clip from Black Adam is here, and it's suitably epic.

The footage sees Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson suited up as the title character, showing off his electrifying powers, catching a bullet before it can hit him, and levitating into the air. Check it out above. 

"I was born to play Black Adam," Johnson said at DC FanDome, and revealed that post-production is in process. There was also a behind-the-scenes sizzle reel, featuring Pierce Brosnan, who plays Doctor Fate in the movie, discussing the film. 

Alongside Johnson and Brosnan, the movie stars Sarah Shahi as Adrianna Tomaz, AKA Isis, Aldis Hodge as Hawkman, Noah Centineo as Atom Smasher, and Quintessa Swindell as Cyclone. The film marks the big-screen debut of the Justice Society of America.

"That a wrap on BLACK ADAM. Incredible journey," Johnson said to mark filming completing . "Hardest undertaking of my entire career physically & mentally. Worth every second. Boundless gratitude to my 1,000+ crew members, actors and director, Jaume Collet-Serra. The hierarchy of power in DC Universe is changing." Collet-Serra and Johnson previously worked together on Disney 's Jungle Cruise .

While Black Adam is a regular foe of Billy Batson's in the pages of DC comics , it seems the duo won't be meeting in either this film or the upcoming Shazam! Fury of the Gods, with the Shazam 2 director confirming that Black Adam will be absent from the movie . That doesn't rule out a potential future crossover, of course, but for now – barring any surprise cameos – it seems their paths remain separate.  

Black Adam is due for release on July 29, 2022. Until then, check out how to watch DC movies in order to get up to speed on the DCEU – and if you're not tuned into FanDome for all the big reveals, check out our guide on how to watch DC FanDome and get streaming.

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Black Adam review: Dwayne Johnson joins the DCEU with a muffled bang

Black adam is an introduction that does a lot of things right but nothing extraordinary..

What to Watch Verdict

Black Adam brings the lightning but stifles its thunder, feeling formulaic as a superhero origin story, but still notches heavy-hitting action beats.

Finds an easy-watching vibe

Plays with multiple subgenres

Properly establishes Black Adam for future adventures

Johnson appears more comfortable in the role by the end

Feels formulaic

Never finds its second gear

Too bloated

Jaume Collet-Serra's Black Adam, Dwayne Johnson's introduction into the DCEU, should feel like a more momentous occasion. The superhero (and sometimes supervillain) born of Egyptian gods has been eyed as a dream role by Johnson for years, but Black Adam 's arrival feels underwhelming despite Johnson's star power.

Writers Sohrab Noshirvani, Rory Haines and Adam Sztykiel favor a standalone DCEU experience away from Superman and Batman, except the movie is also devoted to the Justice Society of America (JSA) — a newly canon super team. Johnson eventually eases into prominence as Black Adam, but only after a winded duration where Black Adam tries to find its lightning-powered groove without ever punching into overdrive.

We meet Teth-Adam (aka Black Adam) after a 5,000-year slumber, the consequence of saving his home of Kahndaq from a ruthless ruler. He's awoken by the rebellious Adrianna (Sarah Shahi) because Kahndaq once again needs its champion. Mercenaries violently rule over Kahndaq after seizing the land for its resources. Adrianna hopes Black Adam can liberate her people once again. But there's one small problem — Amanda Waller (Viola Davis) sends Hawkman (Aldis Hodge) and the JSA to silence Black Adam because he may not be the hero Kahndaq worships as their savior.

Collet-Serra has cranked out dependable blockbusters like Jungle Cruise and The Shallows , so you'd presume Black Adam would be in the director's wheelhouse. The action flows fluidly as the all-powerful warrior uses his gifts to pulverize soldiers like he's flicking away tiny ants; on-the-nose services like "Paint It Black" playing while Black Adam lays waste to enemies may be low-hanging fruit, but it still tastes good. However, while movies like Jungle Cruise and Collet-Serra's Non-Stop zip along with surprising ease, Black Adam always seems to be trying to regain its balance. 

The narrative has a lot of ground to cover between the earliest introductions of Teth-Adam, the mythology behind the crown of Sabbac, the JSA's entire schtick and the stranglehold over Kahndaq. Collet-Serra strives to serve all elements to their fullest — humorous jests amongst the JSA, cultural oppression with severe tones — but appears caught between trying to tell a standalone origin and checking off DCEU world-building boxes.

At its worst, Black Adam is a formulaic city-smasher about an elder deity finding his way in modern society. The screenplay awkwardly focuses on "epic" storytelling milestones that steal all the emphasis, leaving fluffier material a bit deflated and undercooked. Black Adam 's fight sequences are an excuse to hurl military helicopters, while emotional beats that connect Black Adam to the hopefulness of Kahndaq aren't the rousing victory assumed (a rallying speech in the latter half hits like dead radio air). Hawkeye's rivalry with Black Adam isn't more than tension fodder Black Adam's reluctance to become the protector Kahndaq deserves is drawn out and Collet-Serra fails to fully develop Black Adam beyond another DCEU cog that drops audiences into the next dystopian city in need of saving. 

Where Shazam! or Birds of Prey asserted their individuality, Black Adam fits like just another brick in Warner Bros. Discovery's comic book adaptation wall.

At its best, though, Black Adam treats the JSA like they're DC's Guardians of the Galaxy — the more humorous yet family-tight super team you didn't know you loved — and doesn't rely solely on Johnson's imposition. When Black Adam feels stretched wafer thin, it's salvaged by Hawkman's dad-energy frustrations with Atom Smasher (Noah Centineo) or Cyclone's (Quintessa Swindell) pops of color as she swirls green and pinkish blurs while manipulating the wind. The ensemble works to showcase what veterans like Pierce Brosnan can do as Doctor Fate, a Doctor Strange stand-in whose debonair gentlemanliness is just as significant an asset as his future telling. Black Adam strangely works better as a JSA origin than Black Adam's beginning.

Johnson's not as good at playing brute-force blunt as Dave Bautista is at playing Drax, which drags down moments when Black Adam's essentially laughing at puny humans and their bullets. It all comes together in the end when the JSA and Black Adam stop outright warring with each other and Johnson can become the hero his acting trademarks deserve.

So Black Adam goes on for a bloated two hours, but, to be fair, it still gets the job done. It spans multiple subgenres, from historical fantasy to outright demonic horror, which finds enjoyment through skeleton smashing and international focuses that escape Gotham's dreariness. We watch Black Adam shove grenades in enemy mouths or direct vehicles into collision positions in slow motion that we then see explode in real time. The film plays with superhero cheekiness in these moments, ensuring that you know Black Adam is damn-near invincible and only Superman poses a combative threat. That's the job of Collet-Serra's entire production, which can be both a hindrance and an asset. 

That wobbliness to Black Adam stinks of early DCEU complaints, while Johnson doesn't deliver on his unmistakable passion for the character until the mid-credits stinger, making it more exciting to think how Black Adam will interact with prospective DCEU properties than how thrilling Black Adam is on its own. But, Collet-Serra's so good at managing blockbuster expectations that his directorial instincts can counterbalance said wobble and keep Black Adam from completely rocketing off the rails; he's accomplished way more with way thinner IPs (ie Jungle Cruise ). 

Black Adam is always closer to finding its second gear than losing steam, which makes all the difference. Don't confuse a lack of enthusiasm for outright disregard — most movies are just fine, with Black Adam a prime example.

Black Adam releases worldwide on October 21 exclusively in movie theaters.

Matt Donato is a Rotten Tomatoes approved film critic who stays up too late typing words for What To Watch, IGN, Paste, Bloody Disgusting, Fangoria and countless other publications. He is a member of Critics Choice and co-hosts a weekly livestream with Perri Nemiroff called the Merri Hour. You probably shouldn't feed him after midnight, just to be safe.

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‘Black Adam’ Review: Dwayne Johnson’s Superhero Debut Is Another Catastrophe for DC’s Film Universe

David ehrlich.

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The question that “ Black Adam ” poses is a simple one: What happens when Hollywood’s most risk-averse movie star collides with Hollywood’s most risk-averse movie genre? The answer provided by Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson’s depressingly inevitable (and inevitably depressing) foray into the superhero-industrial complex is, of course, even simpler: Exactly what you’d expect . Only worse.

All due respect to whatever unique and illustrious history Black Adam may have developed since his DC Comics debut in 1945, but the lifeless spectacle that director Jaume Collet-Serra — who made some nifty thrillers before “Jungle Cruise” reduced him to the John Ford of Rawson Marshall Thurbers — has cobbled together for the character’s big screen origin story is so exhaustingly derivative of other superhero movies that the ancient Egyptian antihero might as well not have any history at all.

The problems stem from an irreconcilable mismatch between star and subject. Part of the issue is that playing the Scorpion King does not, in fact, make someone of Middle Eastern descent (even if they did it twice). The other major cause of the disconnect is that Johnson’s fatal allergy to bold creative choices makes his brand a hopeless fit for such a politically fraught blockbuster — the tale of a superpowered former slave who wakes up from a 5,000-year nap and chooses to resist the American “liberators” in his fictional, Iraq-coded country with extreme force. Later, they team up to fight what might be the single most forgettable villain in comic book movie history, which is a wild thing to say about a giant hell demon with a pentagram scar across its entire chest, or about a genre that once pitted the Hulk against… a slightly neckier version of the Hulk.

“Black Adam” so desperately wants to be a darker and gristlier version of the same hamburger that audiences have been served over and over again for the last 15 years, but Johnson — who’s also a producer on the film, and a part-time architect of this cinematic universe in addition to our own — can’t abide the idea of doing something that might leave even one audience member behind. He doesn’t have the stomach to make Black Adam much of an antihero, let alone a bad guy (the character is workshopping catchphrases within a few scenes of waking up, and has a habit of disappearing from sight whenever things get complicated).

And so Johnson has made a decidedly PG-13 movie that lacks the imagination to take anyone with it. There isn’t a single character here that doesn’t feel like a cheap photocopy of one from Gotham or the MCU, not a single beat that doesn’t feel like it hasn’t been audience-tested within an inch of its life, not a single fight scene that isn’t smothered to death by the DCEU’s signature CGI gloop. “The superhero-industrial complex is worth a lot of money,” a character whose name I’ve already forgotten observes at one point, and “Black Adam” becomes a part of that business with all the fun and enthusiasm of a hedge fund buying $200 million worth of blue chip stocks.

That’s a shame, because Johnson remains one of the most enormously charismatic (and charismatically enormous) movie stars on Earth. And while “Black Adam” may not have been the best fit for his particular ethos or ethnicity, there’s oodles of potential in the idea of a mega-budget Hollywood superhero movie that centers Middle Eastern characters and/or reflects upon the legacy of Western imperialism in a way that Marvel films only pretend to.

At first, Rory Haines, Sohrab Noshirvani, and Adam Sztykiel’s script appears intent on doing that, even if retconning Egypt into the fictional country of Kahndaq — a precedent first set by David Goyer and Geoff Johns’ run of “JSA” comics — strips the film’s setting of valuable context and urgency. A Wakandian prologue set in 2600 B.C.E. introduces us to a magical ore called Eternium, and also to a young slave who impresses the wizards from “Shazam!” by rebelling against his king; those guys are always on the lookout for a hero worthy of their god-like powers, but their vetting process could probably stand to be a little bit more rigorous, given the consequences.

A safer candidate doesn’t skateboard into the picture until a few millennia later, when the story picks up with a puckish, comics-obsessed tween named Amon (Bodhi Sabongui) in present-day Shiruta, the capital city of Khandaq and home to the roundabout where 80 percent of this strangely confined movie takes place. While Amon spends his days messing with the white military types who police his people, his resistance fighter mom Adrianna (Sarah Shahi) searches the ruins outside of town for… I’m not quite sure. Is she trying to reawaken the mythical hero Teth-Adam, or is she hoping to find the same demonically infused Eternium crown that Teth-Adam’s king once sought all those years ago? It doesn’t really matter, because she does both.

Bringing Teth-Adam back from his coma pisses off Viola Davis’ Amanda Waller, a character who always seems as annoyed to be in these movies as some of us are about having to watch them; she dispatches the Justice Society of America to get him under control, because there’s nothing DCEU movies love more than assembling a team of people that general audiences have never heard of and couldn’t possibly care about.

Meanwhile, finding Sauron’s tiara or whatever it is pisses off a criminal organization called Intergang, whose name sounds more like a new Pornhub tag than it does some kind of apocalyptic cartel. Who are they, where did they come from, and what do they want? “Black Adam” doesn’t bother to ask any of these questions, let alone try to answer them.

Intergang’s narrative purpose is to supply bad guy Ishmael Gregor (Marwan Kenzari) with some disposable goons, and Teth-Adam with some white targets who are unaffiliated with the American military. He slaughters them with a style and relish that skews more toward Zack Snyder than Kevin Feige — more towards speed-ramped carnage than colorful gymnastics, more towards vengeful power than winking heroism — but the character’s edges are completely sanded off the moment he forms a paternalistic alliance with Amon and his family (a group that also includes Palestinian-American stand-up Mohammed Amer as Adrianna’s brother, who manages to rescue a few solid laughs from a movie that keeps tripping over its comic beats).

Despite how their relationship should trigger certain resonances from Teth-Adam, the ancient’s bond with Amon never cuts any deeper than a running joke about sarcasm that feels even older than he is. Touching as it should be that Amon is so desperate for a hero, it’s also odd that a kid whose bedroom walls are plastered with DC merchandise wouldn’t be more excited about having a meta-human of his own. But don’t get too comfortable, because that oddness is soon replaced by an even more bizarre sense of irony when an entire phase’s worth of knock-off Marvel characters drop into Amon’s backyard.

Again, I’m not saying that the Justice Society of America were always a pale imitation of the Avengers on the page — that timeline wouldn’t check out — only that the Justice Society of America that’s introduced in “Black Adam” definitely feels like a counterfeit version of the Avengers on the screen. Of the X-Men, too.

I don’t care that Doctor Fate was created long before Doctor Strange was even a twinkle in Steve Ditko’s eye, only that Benedict Cumberbatch has cornered the market on goateed and dry-witted psychic wizards to the point that Pierce Brosnan’s performance here seems like nothing more than some very expensive cosplay (the fact that most of his screen time is spent yelling the word “Sabbac!” doesn’t help). Noah Centineo’s guileless Atom-Smasher is cute enough, but his take on the character has so clearly been recycled from Tom Holland’s innocent Spider-Man and Mark Ruffalo’s shaggy Hulk that the character’s explicit Jewishness becomes his only “original” detail (another reason why returning Teth-Adam to his roots as an Egyptian slave might have been a more rewarding choice). He gets to make a lot of googly eyes at Quintessa Swindell’s Cyclone — essentially just a glitzier Storm — and the compelling “Master Gardener” star gets to make them back. That’s their entire character.

Most disappointing of all might be Aldis Hodge ’s Hawkman, whose golden-winged costume brings some awesome “Stargate” energy to the most banal of hero archetypes. All told, the JSA doesn’t feel like the next generation of the Justice League so much as it does the DCEU’s farm team, and the minor-league scraps they get into on the streets of Shiruta do nothing to suggest otherwise.

Collet-Serra may have traded in his B-movie bonafides for beefier corporate paychecks, but last year’s clumsy “Jungle Cruise” still found him sneaking a few genuine thrills into a film adapted from a Disney theme park ride. Alas, even that meager dose of ambition has been snuffed out from him here, as virtually nothing about “Black Adam” — from its muddled fight scenes to its painful needle drops — suggests any kind of creative vision behind the camera (“Paint it Black” is practically Tarantino-esque compared to the bit where Kanye West’s “Power” is shoehorned into the mix for 20 seconds). The only moment with any pronounced style is a direct homage to Sergio Leone, which also works because Johnson is at his most comfortable making hard faces at the camera and flexing his eyebrows in extreme close-up. Grappling with several millennia worth of grief or arguing for the self-governance of his people… not so much.

The problem isn’t that Johnson can’t act — he definitely can! — the problem is that he doesn’t want to. He still wants the simple idolatry that a kid might have for their favorite athlete. He wants to be larger than life. But even the biggest of movie stars need to be a little smaller than that in order to give people something to watch, and not just look up to. “Force is always necessary,” Teth-Adam insists, and it’s refreshing that “Black Adam” doesn’t talk him down from that. But risk is always necessary, too; for heroes, yes, but even more so for anyone who’s supposedly willing to be something more complicated than that.

Warner Bros. Pictures will release “Black Adam” in theaters on Friday, October 21.

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Where You've Seen The Cast Of Black Adam Before

In "Black Adam," a superpowered antihero is freed from his 5,000-year prison sentence by a shadowy government organization. It's certainly possible that you already know  everything there is to know about "Black Adam"  – maybe even some  untold secrets  – but do you recognize everybody in the movie from their other roles?

The cast of this DC adventure is a mixture of veterans and newcomers. We know Viola Davis and Jennifer Holland from their appearances in projects like "The Suicide Squad" and "Peacemaker," but they both have plenty of other interesting roles under their belts. Noah Centineo and Sarah Shahi have both led multiple high-profile projects, while Dwayne Johnson, Pierce Brosnan, and Djimon Hounsou have some of the most recognizable faces in the world.

The film finds Black Adam, along with DC heroine Isis and her brother Karim, teaming up with Hawkman and the Justice Society of America in order to take down Ishmael Gregor's Intergang. You may know the Justice League, but the Justice Society is full of intriguing new heroes making their big screen debut. Who are all these characters and where have you seen the cast of "'Black Adam" before? 

Dwayne Johnson

The man playing Teth Adam, aka the titular antihero of "Black Adam," likely needs no introduction. After rising to prominence as WWE superstar The Rock , Dwayne Johnson set his sights on Hollywood, and it wasn't long before he'd conquered the screen. First and foremost, Johnson is a famous (and bankable) action film A-lister. He's starred in the "Fast & Furious" film series, its "Hobbs and Shaw" spinoff, "Southland Tales," "The Mummy" and "Scorpion King" franchise, and the "Jumanji" films. He's also delighted family audiences as the voice of the unforgettable demigod Maui in Disney's "Moana."

He's also carried or appeared in many reboots and remakes, such as "Hercules," "Baywatch," "Jem and the Holograms," the "G.I. Joe" soft reboot "Retaliation," "Race to Witch Mountain," 2008's "Get Smart," the big screen adaptation of Disney's classic "Jungle Cruise" ride, and the action movie based on the arcade classic "Rampage." Other film work includes the comedies "Central Intelligence," "Pain and Gain," "Tooth Fairy," and Netflix's "Red Notice" with Ryan Reynolds and Gal Gadot.

Johnson has also become a power player behind the camera, serving as a producer on many of his own projects, including TV series like the HBO comedy drama "Ballers" and "Young Rock," a roman à clef about his own childhood and youth.

Noah Centineo

Noah Centineo stars in "Black Adam" as Al "Atom Smasher" Rothstein, a member of the Justice Society sent to take Adam down. Early on in his career, Noah played Hawk Carter in the webseries "T@gged," and appeared on Disney's songwriter comedy "Austin & Ally." In addition to star turns in the Disney Channel original movie "How to Build a Better Boy" and Netflix's "The Perfect Date," he played the love interest in the "Havana" music video from Camila Cabello featuring Young Thug.

But let's be honest — if you know Noah Centineo from any one role, it's probably his indelible performance as Jesus Adams Foster on "The Fosters" and "Good Trouble." He plays a sweet kid who tries really hard despite a few large setbacks, including a traumatic brain injury that alters his personality. You may also have seen him as Peter in "To All the Boys I've Loved Before" and its sequels, "To All the Boys: P.S. I Still Love You" and "To All the Boys: Always and Forever."

Aldis Hodge

Justice Society leader Hawkman, aka Carter Hall, is played by Aldis Hodge , whose earliest TV roles included Ray "Voodoo" Tatum on "Friday Night Lights," Travis Grant on "Numb3rs," and Wilmore on the musical series "American Dreams." Hodge went on to star on "Leverage" and "Leverage: Redemption" as Alec Hardison, "TURN: Washington's Spies" as Jordan, and WGN's "Underground" as Noah. Other TV appearances include "City on a Hill," the two-part "Supernatural" episode "All Hell Breaks Loose," and the "Black Museum" episode of "Black Mirror."

Hodge made his feature film debut as in 1995's "Die Hard with a Vengeance," and has since been seen in the Coen Brothers' remake of "The Ladykillers," the historical drama "Hidden Figures," and Leigh Whannell's 2020 take on "The Invisible Man," among others. He may also sound familiar, as he's another member of the "Black Adam" cast who's an accomplished voice actor. He played Frankie on "The Proud Family: Louder and Prouder," and he's even been a DC superhero before, voicing the Green Lantern John Stewart in the animated feature "Green Lantern: Beware My Power."

Patrick Sabongui

Before playing Rami in "Black Adam," Quebecois actor Patrick Sabongui was best known as the Persian General in "300," or maybe for appearing in "Godzilla" — but most of his roles have been on television, where he's been a prolific and welcome constant for 20 years. Sabongui's even been in the DC Universe before — albeit as a different character in a different timeline — playing Captain David Singh on "Arrow," "The Flash," and "Supergirl." 

Other memorable roles include Nathan Price on The CW's "Kung Fu" reboot and Sindri on "The 100," as well as long-running stints on "Primeval: New World," "Beyond," "Shooter," and "Stargate: Atlantis." More recently, you might have seen him on "Virgin River" as Todd Masry, "Firefly Lane" as Professor Chad Wiley, "Blood & Treasure" as Asim Massod, and the "Get Shorty" TV series as Judah. He'll also be familiar to fans of "The Magicians," "Homeland," "Fringe," "Psych," or "The Good Doctor" for his many guest appearances.

Sabongui's feature film roles include Earl in "Sucker Punch," Amir in "Night at the Museum: Secret of the Tomb," and Bobby in "White House Down." He appeared memorably in "Godzilla" as Lieutenant Commander Marcus Waltz, and as Gaming Program 1S in "TRON: Legacy."

Joseph Gatt

Joseph Gatt , who plays the gigantic Squad Leader in "Black Adam," has been a memorable presence in films like "The Retaliators," Tim Burton's "Dumbo," and "Espionage Tonight." He's also appeared in "Never Leave Alive" and "Finding Eden," although you probably first saw him either as Gundroth the Frost Giant in the first "Thor" movie, or as a science officer in "Star Trek Into Darkness."

Gatt's made some striking appearances on genre TV as well, starring as the roving kidnapper known as The Man on "Z Nation," and as prisoner The Albino on "Banshee" and "Banshee Origins." Guest spots on shows like "Lucky Man," "The 100," and "Teen Wolf" line his resume, and he also played Thenn Warg on "Game of Thrones" and Victor Zelko on "NCIS: New Orleans."

It's very possible you recognize Gatt's distinctive voice from the "Star Wars: The Old Republic" games, in which he's played Lord Scourge and other assorted characters. He can also be heard in "Elder Scrolls Online" as various creeps, including vampire/High Elf Verandis Ravenwatch and the Dark Brotherhood's Terenus.

Quintessa Swindell

Quintessa Swindell has only played a few movie roles so far, but they've all been pretty memorable. Their turn as young Julie in Neil Burger's "Voyagers" is heartbreaking, and they were a particular highlight as Amelia in Abid Khan's "Granada Nights." Swindell's appearance in "Black Adam" as Maxine "Cyclone" Hunkel will be their highest-profile big screen gig to date, but they've already got an impressive television resume. 

They played the hard-to-reach patient Laila across six episodes of the reboot of the reliably harrowing "In Treatment." Brought in for treatment by her grandmother, Laila's fantasies of escape and running away will be familiar to many young people. Swindell also appeared in both seasons of Netflix's lauded drama "Trinkets" as wealthy teen kleptomaniac  Tabitha Foster, whose soccer-playing boyfriend Brady coerces her into having a relationship. 

It's very possible, however, that you remember Quintessa Swindell best as a pivotal character in a single episode of the first season of "Euphoria." In the episode "The Trials and Tribulations of Trying to Pee While Depressed," they appeared as Anna, the hypnotically supportive woman Jules falls for when she runs away to New York City.

Pierce Brosnan

The photogenic Pierce Brosnan plays Kent Nelson, the man known as Doctor Fate, in "Black Adam." Brosnan famous for several high-profile roles. He played Sam, one of the three dads, in "Mamma Mia!" He also memorably played Professor Donald Kessler in "Mars Attacks!" and Alex in "The Mirror Has Two Faces."

But Pierce Brosnan will always be best known for some iconic action and espionage roles. Before he played the title role in 1999's "The Thomas Crown Affair," he was an icon of '80s TV in the lead role on "Remington Steele." And of course, he played James Bond in "GoldenEye," "Tomorrow Never Dies," "The World Is Not Enough," and "Die Another Day."

Brosnan has also made plenty of other memorable appearances in miniseries and TV shows like 1988's "The Son," 1989's "Around the World in 80 Days," and the AMC historical drama "The Son." On the lighter side, he's been a standout presence in "Eurovision Song Contest: The Story of Fire Saga," "The World's End," and "Percy Jackson & the Olympians: The Lightning Thief."

Sarah Shahi

"Black Adam" features Sarah Shahi as Isis, aka Adrianna Tomaz. Born in the small town of Euless, Texas, Shahi started doing beauty pageants when she was just eight years old, and joined the Dallas Cheerleaders in 1999 despite having no cheerleading experience (per USA Today ). There's just something about her that people really like.

Since a small but memorable role as Erica in Tod Philips' "Old School," Shahi has anchored several network dramas. She played Jessica Russo on "The Rookie," Renée Royce on "Chicago Fire," Sameen Shaw on "Person of Interest," Dani Reese in "Life," and Carmen de la Pica Morales, whom Shane left at the altar on "The L Word." Other roles include Billie Connelly on "Sex/Life," Rachel Benham on "City on a Hill," Mara Kint on "Reverie," and Kate Reed on "Fairly Legal." She also put it guest turns on shows like "Sleeper Cell," the comedy "Teachers," and even classics like "Alias," "The Sopranos," and "Dawson's Creek."

Mohammed Amer

Isis' brother Karim in "Black Adam" is one of comparatively few roles comedian Mohammed Amer has taken that aren't based on his own life. A lot of Mo's comedy comes from his experiences growing up as a Palestinian refugee, moving to Houston, Texas, from Kuwait in 1990 when he was nine years old (per NPR ). 

Of course, it's standard practice for stand-up comedians to craft dramatized versions of their own lives, and it's no surprise that Amer has been drawn to roles that resonate with his background. In an episode of Pete Holmes' HBO comedy-about-comedy "Crashing," he plays Mo Amer, a friend to the series' star. He's also been seen in two seasons of Hulu's eye-opening "Ramy" as Ramy's cousin Mo. And What's Mohammed doing these days, besides "Black Adam"? He's playing the title character in his own Netflix comedy, which is called — you guessed it — "Mo."

Marwan Kenzari

Playing the demon-obsessed Sabbac in "Black Adam" is Marwan Kenzari , a prolific Dutch actor of Tunisian descent who got his start mostly in Dutch films, like his role as Majid the kickboxer in "Wolf." But in 2016 he appeared in three films — the heist film "Collide," a "Ben-Hur" remake, and "The Promise" with Oscar Isaac and Christian Bale — that set him on the path to Hollywood stardom.

The next year was just as promising, with the Tom Cruise-led remake of "The Mummy," a meaty role as Monday's love interest in the dystopian "What Happened to Monday," and Kenneth Branagh's adaptation of the Hercule Poirot mystery "Murder on the Orient Express." 2020's "The Old Guard" featured Kenzari as Joe, a role he'll reprise for the sequel. But above all these high-profile roles, it's most likely that you remember him as the magnetic villain Jafar in Disney's live-action remake of "Aladdin."

Viola Davis

Viola Davis won accolades in 2022 for her performance as Nanisca in "The Woman King," but she's been involved in a ton of cinematic classics. "Fences," "Ma Rainey's Black Bottom," "Far from Heaven," "Out of Sight," "Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close," "Doubt," and "Antwone Fisher" are all beloved films with one thing in common: a memorable appearance (in some cases starring but in all cases scene-stealing) from Viola Davis.

Davis' science fiction and fantasy bona fides are pretty strong, too. She was powerful in Steven Soderbergh's melancholy "Solaris" remake and the divisive "Ender's Game," and she made memorable appearances in both "Knight and Day" and "Kate & Leopold." On the small screen, she's played Michelle Obama on Showtime's "The First Lady" and has given particularly great performances on "United States of Tara" and "Law & Order: Special Victims Unit." But she's probably best recognized for her most enduring role, Annaliese Keating on "How to Get Away with Murder."

Of course, all of that is in addition to her work across the DC Extended Universe as morally ambiguous Task Force X director Amanda Waller. Having been a highlight of both "Suicide Squad" movies and the "Peacemaker" TV series, she reprises the role here in "Black Adam." 

Jennifer Holland

In "Black Adam,"  Jennifer Holland  reprises the role you for which probably know her best: Agent Emilia Harcourt from "The Suicide Squad" and "Peacemaker." (Both of those projects were directed by her husband, James Gunn, the pair having met through Michael Rosenbaum, who played Lex Luthor on "Smallville," per Us Weekly .) Harcourt's involvement in the events of "Black Adam" alongside her boss Amanda Waller could mean some big things for the shape of the DC Extended Universe.

Before joining the DCEU, Holland played the cheerleader Ashley in "American Pie Presents: The Book of Love," as well as Becky Phillips on the CMT limited series "Sun Records," the star-studded story of a famous Nashville record label. She could also be seen in one-episode guest spots on the TV series remake of "Rush Hour," the Eric McCormack-starring crime drama "Perception," and fan-favorite hits like "Bones," "Rizzoli and Isles," and A&E's four-season drama "The Glades."

On the darker side, Holland took on a major feature film role as Ms. Espenschied in the grim superhero horror movie "Brightburn" — also produced by Gunn, and a story about a much bleaker twist on Superman than even Black Adam could ever be — and took a shift as Nurse Blackwell in two episodes of "American Horror Story: Asylum."

Djimon Hounsou

Celebrated actor and model Djimon Hounsou plays Shazam, the ancient wizard who bestows powers upon both Black Adam and Billy Batson. You've already seen him play the role once before, in "Shazam!" (and you'll see him again in "Shazam! Fury of the Gods" ), but you've also probably seen Hounsou in a million other things.

Hounsou's prestigious filmography includes high-profile projects like "Amistad," "Gladiator," "In America," and "Blood Diamond" — dramatic turns that have brought him no small amount of awards attention  over the years. You may recognize Hounsou from his other comic book movie roles, though. He quite memorably played Papa Midnite in the 2005 Keanu Reeves-led DC adaptation "Constantine," and he's crossed the Marvel Cinematic Universe as Korath the Pursuer in "Guardians of the Galaxy" and "Captain Marvel." The character served in the Starforce during the Kree-Skrull War, and worked for Ronan the Accuser (Lee Pace).

Earlier in his career, Hounsou lent his striking image to a number of music videos, including "Love Will Never Do (Without You)" by Janet Jackson, "Straight Up" by Paula Abdul, and "Hold On" by En Vogue. He also appears in the "Express Yourself" music video by Madonna.

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Box office: ‘black adam’ blazes with $67m opening, ‘ticket to paradise’ flies to $16.3m.

After a tough summer, the two star-packed films energized the domestic box office, with combined revenue clearing $100 million for the first time since July 2022.

By Pamela McClintock

Pamela McClintock

Senior Film Writer

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Phew. Thanks to a pair of movies featuring some of the world’s biggest movie stars, the domestic box office came alive after a tough fall.

DC and Warner Bros.’ superhero pic Black Adam flew to the top of the weekend chart with a promising $67 million to mark the biggest domestic opening of Dwayne Johnson ‘s career outside of the primary Fast & Furious franchise. (Johnson’s previous best was Hobbs & Shaw , which launched to $60 million.)

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While a $67 million domestic launch would usually be considered a relatively modest start for a big-budget superhero pic, Johnson’s movies are known to have especially strong multiples, which Black Adam will need to cover a production budget in the $195 million to $200 million range, including reshoots.

The New Line/Warner Bros. movie is playing in 4,350 cinemas, including Imax and premium large-format screens. Critics are mixed about the movie, while audiences gave it a B+ CinemaScore and OK exit scores. Males purchased more than 60 percent of all tickets sold.

Black Adam  reunites Johnson with his Jungle Cruise  director Jaume Collet-Serra and features a team of heroes new to the DC films: the Justice Society of America. That includes Hawkman (Aldis Hodge), Cyclone (Quintessa Swindell), Atom Smasher (Noah Centineo) and Dr. Fate (Pierce Brosnan). As for Johnson, he plays Black Adam, an antihero imbued with ancient power.

Coming in No. 2 was Universal and Working Title’s Ticket to Paradise , starring Julia Roberts and George Clooney as two bickering exes who try to stop their daughter from getting married. In a huge win for adult-skewing movies — and romantic comedies — the movie took flight with a better-than-expected $16.3 million from 3,542 theaters. Globally, it has cleared $96.6 million after earning a stellar $80.3 million overseas.

Paramount’s horror sensation Smile continued to chuckle loudly, coming in third in its fourth weekend with $8.4 million for a domestic total of $84.3 million and a whopping global total of $166.2 million.

Universal, Miramax and Blumhouse’s Halloween Ends fell 80 percent in its second weekend to $8 million for a domestic total of $54.7 million and $82.1 million globally (in the U.S. it is available on Peacock).

Combined revenue for the weekend exceeded $100 million for the first time since the summer box office recovery in July 2022, according to ComScore.

At the specialty box office, awards hopeful The Banshees of Inisherin , from Searchlight, posted a stellar opening location average of $45,250 from four theaters in New York and Los Angeles. It was the highest of the weekend, and among the best location averages of the year alongside fellow awards hopefuls Tár and Triangle of Sadness .

Banshees of Inisherin is among a number of awards players unfurling at the fall box office. Among holdovers, Till built momentum as it expanded into 104 locations to finish Sunday with an early domestic total of $667,000 from 104 locations. Next weekend, the acclaimed MGM and UAR film — which boasts a 99 percent critics’ score on Rotten Tomatoes — will expand nationwide.

Tár finished its third weekend with a domestic total of $1.2 million from 141 locations, while Triangle of Sadness has earned $1.4 million.

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Screen Rant

Black adam release date moves to july 2022.

After being left off the DCEU release calendar for a few months, Dwayne Johnson's long-awaited Black Adam movie has scored a new July 2022 date.

Black Adam scores a new July 2022 release date. Ever since 2008, Dwayne Johnson has attempted to get a movie made about the DC Comics villain-turned-antihero Black Adam . He was officially cast in the role for the DCEU in 2014, and there was some talk of him making his debut in Shazam . However, that never came to pass. Fans have waited ever since for Johnson to star in a Black Adam solo movie, though the Jaume Collett-Serra-directed project has taken some time to get off the ground. Last year saw  Black Adam make significant progress with the addition of various cast members, but the coronavirus pandemic complicated production plans.

Now, though,  Black Adam is moving forward once again. Just last week, the film's Justice Society of America lineup was completed with the addition of Pierce Brosnan as Dr. Fate. He joins Noah Centineo (Atom Smasher), Quintessa Swindell (Cyclone), and Aldis Hodge (Hawkman). Additional cast members for  Black Ada m  include Sarah Shahi and Marwan Kenzari, both in unrevealed roles. Black Adam was pulled off the DCEU release calendar late last year due to the pandemic, but that is no longer the case.

Related:  Who Is Dr. Fate? Pierce Brosnan's Black Adam Superhero Explained

Sunday afternoon, Johnson announced on social media he would be making a special announcement regarding Black Adam . He remained coy about what said announcement was about, but it is now clear:  Black Adam has a new release date. The film will now premiere on  July 29, 2022 . It was previously scheduled for release in December of this year. Johnson confirmed the news with a video showing  Black Adam taking over the many screens in Times Square, New York City. Check it out below.

In a recent social media post, Johnson confirmed  Black Adam is just a few weeks away from starting production. With that spring-summer filming schedule in place, it makes sense that the film won't debut until next year. July might be a bit later than some expected, but it's a perfect summer date for what could be DC's next breakout movie. July 29 puts  Black Adam  in between  The Batman in March and  The Flash   in November; it can help break up the lengthy wait between DC flicks.

Additionally, sending  Black Adam to next year might be a smart move when it comes to dealing with the pandemic. Though there have been positive signs of improvement for the box office and moviegoing experiences, it feels safer to schedule a major film for 2022. This can hopefully give  Black Adam the chance to avoid any kind of streaming release that is now becoming common practice for blockbusters these days. After all this time,  Black Adam has set down roots on a new date, and hopefully this one will truly stick.

More:  Black Adam: How The Rock Can Change The DCEU (Like He Did Fast & Furious)

Source: Dwayne Johnson /Instagram

Key Release Dates

The suicide squad, the flash movie, shazam the fury of the gods.

Dwayne Johnson’s Black Adam Movie Just Cast A Huge Netflix Star

Last November, it was revealed that Black Adam , which will finally see the debut of Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson’s iteration of the eponymous character , will also include the Justice Society of America , DC Comics’ oldest superhero team. Now word’s come in that one of Netflix’s rising talents is joining the Shazam! spinoff as a JSA member, with Noah Centineo being cast as Atom Smasher.

This casting update comes from THR , although the outlet didn’t provide any details about how Atom Smasher will fit into the story. While Atom Smasher has previously been rumored to appear in Black Adam , now we have a face we can attach to the DC Extended Universe version of the character.

Following his time on the then-ABC Family series The Fosters and appearances in Disney Channel projects like Austin & Ally and How to Build a Better Boy , Noah Centineo was catapulted to a higher level of fame for starring opposite Lana Condor as Peter Kavinsky in Netflix’s To All the Boys I’ve Loved Before . Centineo reprised the role earlier this year in To All the Boys: P.S. I Still Love You and will be back as Peter for the upcoming To All the Boys: Always and Forever, Lara Jean .

In addition to Noah Centineo showing up in movies Sierra Burgess Is a Loser and Charlie’s Angels , Black Adam also marks his second superhero-related movie coming up, as he’s been cast as He-Man for the Masters of the Universe reboot. Given that Black Adam has a release date and Masters of the Universe is currently undated, one would imagine Centineo will play Atom Smasher before He-Man, although filming on Black Adam might also end up being delayed due to the global health crisis.

Debuting in 1983, Albert Rothstein is the godson of Al Pratt, the Golden Age Atom, and has the power to increase his size, strength and durability. Originally Albert’s superhero moniker was Nuklon, but he’s been going by Atom Smasher since 1999 and has been one of the more prominent JSA members over the last few two decades. Outside of the comics, Atom Smasher appeared a handful of times in Justice League Unlimited and was played by Adam Copeland in the Season 2 premiere of The Flash , although that latter series depicted the character in a more villainous light.

Atom Smasher and Black Adam have a complicated relationship in the comics, from initially clashing with one another to Albert Rothstein briefly becoming one of Teth-Adam’s closest allies, so it’ll be interesting to see what kind of dynamic they have in the Black Adam movie. At the very least, it’s easy to imagine these coming to blows in one fight, if not several.

As for the other Justice Society members who will be joining Atom Smasher in Black Adam , officially speaking, we don’t know who they are yet. Unofficially speaking, Hawkman, Hawkgirl, Stargirl and Doctor Fate have all been previously rumored to show up, so we might be getting casting information on them soon. A JSA movie is also supposedly in development, with Black Adam serving as a testing ground to see if audiences want more of these superheroes.

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Along with Dwayne Johnson and Noah Centineo in front of the camera, Black Adam ’s talent includes Jungle Cruise ’s Jaume Collet-Serra as director and Adam Sztykiel having written the script. No specific plot details have been revealed yet, though it’s possible that movie will delve into Black Adam’s origins in ancient Egypt/Kahndaq, which was briefly teased in Shazam! . Should most, if not all of Black Adam be set millennia in the past, it’ll be interesting to see how these JSA members are thrown into that time period.

Black Adam is dated for December 22, 2021 , and filming is expected to be begin either next month or in September , although as mentioned earlier, that could change. Keep track of other DC movies on the way with our comprehensive guide .

Connoisseur of Marvel, DC, Star Wars, John Wick, MonsterVerse and Doctor Who lore, Adam is a Senior Content Producer at CinemaBlend. He started working for the site back in late 2014 writing exclusively comic book movie and TV-related articles, and along with branching out into other genres, he also made the jump to editing. Along with his writing and editing duties, as well as interviewing creative talent from time to time, he also oversees the assignment of movie-related features. He graduated from the University of Oregon with a degree in Journalism, and he’s been sourced numerous times on Wikipedia. He's aware he looks like Harry Potter and Clark Kent.

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