- Black Adam starred Dwayne Johnson and came out in October 2022.
- Dwayne confirmed that a sequel isn’t happening in December 2022.
- DC Studios leader James Gunn hasn’t announced another Black Adam project with Dwayne.
Dwayne Johnson got to make his superhero debut in 2022’s Black Adam, but even The Rock couldn’t save the DCEU as we knew it. Black Adam was released before James Gunn and Peter Safran took over as heads of DC Studios, which put the fate of a sequel about Dwayne’s titular antihero in jeopardy. Plus, it didn’t help that the film — which also stars Noah Centineo, Aldis Hodge, Sarah Shahi, and Pierce Brosnan — got negative reviews from critics and performed poorly at the box-office. The Black Adam ending did tease a future to the story, but sadly, that may not be enough to guarantee a second movie.
So, is Black Adam 2 happening? We’ve got all the updates on the possible sequel below, including what Dwayne has said about his future with the character.
Is Black Adam 2 Canceled?
As of now, Black Adam 2 isn’t happening. The mid-credits scene from the first film that featured a cameo from Henry Cavill’s Superman left the door open for a sequel, but everything got flipped upside down due to the leadership changes at DC Studios. After James and Peter’s DC takeover was announced in October 2022, Henry confirmed two months later that he wasn’t coming back as Superman. On December 20, Dwayne released a statement to his followers, and announced that Black Adam won’t be involved in the new era of the DCU. Dwayne’s statement basically confirmed that Black Adam 2 is dead, though he did say that the character could possibly “be utilized in future DC multiverse chapters.”
Is Dwayne Johnson Returning As Black Adam?
There are currently no plans for Dwayne to reprise his role as Black Adam. James and Peter have already announced the new DC projects they’re working on, starting with Superman: Legacy, and none of them involve Dwayne. In Dwayne’s original statement where he announced the future of Black Adam, he confirmed that he and James had “connected” and it was decided that his character’s story was over, for now.
“James and I have known each other for years and have always rooted for each other to succeed. It’s no different now, and I will always root for DC (and Marvel) to win and WIN BIG,” the Jungle Cruise star said. “You guys know me, and I have very thick skin – and you can always count on me to be direct with my words. These decisions made by James and DC leadership represent their vision of DCU through their creative lens.”
Dwayne continued, “After 15 years of relentless hard work to finally make Black Adam, I’m very proud of the film we delivered for fans worldwide. I will always look back on the fan reaction to Black Adam with tremendous gratitude, humility and love.We did great. To my very passionate and vocal Black Adam/Super Hero genre fans – I love you, THANK YOU, and I will ALWAYS LISTEN TO YOU and do my best to deliver and entertain you. What a helluva month – now we all need some Teremana. Have a productive week and HAPPY HOLIDAYS to you and your families! DJ.”
But James hinted that Dwayne’s work with the DCU might not be done yet, when he responded to the former wrestler’s statement on Twitter. “Love @TheRock & I’m always excited to see what he & Seven Bucks do next. Can’t wait to collaborate soon,” James wrote.
So, as of now Dwayne is not returning as Black Adam. But Dwayne did previously say he was done with the Fast & Furious franchise, and that’s since changed. So never say never when it comes to Dwayne’s future in the DCU.
How Did Black Adam End?
The ending of Black Adam sees the titular character teaming up with the Justice Society of America — comprised of Hawkman, Atom Smasher, Cyclone, and Doctor Fate — to defeat Sabbac, the last descendant of King Ahk-Ton and militant leader of the criminal organization Intergang. They are successful and Black Adam stays on the throne of Kahndaq to protect it.
In the mid-credits scene, Black Adam refuses to listen to Viola Davis‘ Amanda Waller, who warns him against leaving Kahndaq. That’s when Henry Cavill’s Superman arrives and tells Black Adam that the two of them should talk. Superman’s cameo set up what would’ve been an epic crossover between the Man of Steel and Black Adam. However, that’s not something we’re probably ever going to see, at least not with Henry and Dwayne.