For years, Dwayne Johnson teased his role as Black Adam, vowing that the hierarchy of the DC Comics cinematic universe was going to change. Unfortunately for WWE\'s Final Boss, the film did not perform as hoped at the box office and now, DC has moved away from their previous universe plans that saw Johnson on top.
Speaking on the Happy Sad Confused podcast, DC Studios co-head James Gunn opened up about the circumstances that led to Johnson\'s exit from DC. According to Gunn, by the time Dwayne Johnson was pushing for a larger creative role, DC leadership already had different plans in motion.
There were other people [Johnson] that had a take on what they wanted to do at DC and were trying to force their way. And it just was never a part of the equation for David Zaslav, who was the head of WBD.
This interview comes after reports that a Black Adam sequel was quietly scrapped, largely due to the film’s underwhelming box office. While the film had once been considered a launching point for Johnson\'s long-term role in the DCU, its failure seemingly marked the end of his life in superhero films.
Though Black Adam didn\'t perform, many are optimistic for the future of DC Comics on the big screen. 2022\'s The Batman starring Robert Pattinson proved to be a smash hit with fans appreciating the darker tone and compelling performances. The new Superman reboot under Gunn’s leadership has been well-received so far, suggesting the DCU may be on more stable footing moving forward.
For Dwayne Johnson, his role as Black Adam appears to have been a one-off, despite big plans being in place for him to be a key part of the DC Universe.
