According to reports, WB executives were upset by Dwayne Johnson’s choice to provide CEO David Zaslav with long-term plans for Black Adam and a Henry Cavill-led Superman.
The multi-year Black Adam ambitions and the Henry Cavill-starring Superman project that Dwayne Johnson chose to sell to Warner Bros. Discovery CEO David Zaslav evidently did not sit well with WB executives.
Before James Gunn and Peter Safran were finally selected to launch the new DC Universe, Variety reports that Johnson made a small push for the DC Extended Universe. The Hobbs & Shaw actor personally introduced CEO David Zaslav to future plans regarding Black Adam that included Henry Cavill’s return as the Man of Steel in a convoluted plot that would finally result in the two characters facing off against one another. One source claimed that this action “didn’t sit well” with WB executives because Dwayne “went around everyone.”
How Dwayne Johnson’s Black Adam Plans Fizzled
Johnson’s DC plans were pitched when the status of power at the company was still unknown. Former DC head Walter Hamada and Warner Bros. film chief Toby Emmerich were on the way out, so it came down to WB film co-heads Michael De Luca and Pam Abdy to approve of Cavill’s cameo in Black Adam. Emmerich had been trying to find another actor to play Superman since 2018, but Johnson, along with his producing partners Hiram Garcia and Beau Flynn, were ultimately successful in making the cameo happen.
Although the cameo generated buzz, once Gunn and Safran became the co-heads of DC Studios, the former eventually announced a Superman project that would feature the character in his early years. This meant that despite Cavill announcing his return on Instagram, he would not don the red cape again in future projects. While explaining his departure, Cavill said, in part, “The changing of the guard is something that happens. I respect that. James and Peter have a universe to build. I wish them and all involved with the new universe the best of luck, and the happiest of fortunes.”
Plans for the future of Black Adam were also solidified after Johnson spoke with Gunn about the character’s place in the new DCU. The actor stated on social media, “James Gunn and I connected, and Black Adam will not be in their first chapter of storytelling. However, DC and Seven Bucks have agreed to continue exploring the most valuable ways Black Adam can be utilized in future DC multiverse chapters.”
Black Adam was released to a 39% critics’ approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes but currently stands at an 88% audience score from moviegoers. Despite the relatively solid audience reactions, the film’s ultimate box office gross left much to be desired for the studio. On a reported $195 million budget, not including marketing spend, and another $40 million spent on reshoots, Black Adam only pulled in $391 million at the global box office.
Black Adam is currently streaming on HBO Max.
Source: Variety
