After years of Dwayne Johnson hyping up Black Adam, the film finally arrived in theaters and was a disappointment. Despite being the number one movie at the box office for three weekends in a row the movie underperformed at the box office so much so that Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson leaked false profit earnings to make the movie look like a bigger hit than it was. The movie was not a hit with critics, and it appears it might have been the final nail in the coffin for the DCU, as following the movie's release, James Gunn and Peter Safran were brought in to run DC Studios.
Recently Dwayne Johnson revealed that Black Adam is not part of the new plans for the DCU, at least not the first phase. While the actor did leave the door open for Black Adam to return, it appears that the actor is done with the character and the franchise. While the idea of Dwayne Johnson in the DCU was an exciting prospect it might actually be for the better he departs. The needs of the superstar might not be conducive to a successful shared universe. This is why Dwayne Johnson might not be a good fit for the DCU.
The Needs of the Star Come Before the Needs of the Story
A Black Adam movie would not exist without Dwayne Johnson, as it was his growing star power that made Warner Bros. consider him a major star player to not just want to use him in a supporting villain role in Shazam! and instead spun him off into being the lead of his own film. Yet that is part of the problem, as they molded the character to fit the star and not the star to fit the character. To make sure they kept Johnson, they gave Black Adam his own solo film but also to fit with Dwayne Johnson's brand they could not truly commit to the character.
In the comics, Black Adam is a villain, and while he has shifted to an anti-hero in recent years he is still a tragic and often violent character and can do villainous acts. Yet in the Black Adam film, while he keeps assuring the audience he is a bad guy, he never quiets does anything truly evil. He is still an honorable man and the only people he kills are villains. The movie can never let Black Adam be who he is meant to be because it clashes with Dwayne Johnson's star image he has spent years cultivating.
The only case of this in the MCU could be Robert Downey Jr. as Iron Man, but even then it was the first film in the franchise, so he set the tone for the character and series. In every following casting choice, from an unknown like Tom Holland as Spider-Man to an Academy Award winner like Brie Larson as Captain Marvel, the casting has always been in service of the character. The actor brings their own unique spin on the roles, but the star does not overshadow or override the creative decisions needed for the story.
Dwayne Johnson Was Not the Box Office Draw Many Thought He Was
In 2013, Dwayne Johnson earned the nickname "Box Office Viagra" as his presence in films like Fast Five, G.I. Joe Retaliation, and Journey 2 The Mysterious Island elevated the box office of their respective franchise. It seemed like he was the boost that a franchise could use to increase demand. It is unclear with how much was actually impacted by Dwayne Johnson's presence, it became part of his brand. The further success of Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle only furthered this theory.
Yet it is unclear how much was the presence of The Rock and the other was just the profitability of the franchise branding. While Black Adam was part of the DC Universe, much of the marketing was about putting emphasis on Dwayne Johnson instead of the DC Universe. Black Adam had more in common with his 2014's Hercules than a major franchise film. When the opening weekend box office came in, it grossed $67 million. An impressive feat for any movie but notably it was only $14 million above the $53 million opening of Shazam! and the film's overall worldwide total of $391 just barely beat out Shazam!'s $366 million. Shazam! grossed all that without the presence of Dwayne Johnson and a smaller budget making it a more profitable film. Dwayne Johnson's presence may not have been worth the cost as it did not return the investment.
Does Not Seem to Be a Team Player
Dwayne Johnson teased Black Adam would shift the hierarchy of power in the DCU, yet it appeared unless he got to be the centerpiece he had no interest in actually partaking in the rest of the wider franchise. Reports suggest Dwayne Johnson turned down cameos in both The Flash and Shazam! Fury of the Gods. Further reports suggest Dwayne Johnson had no interest in the Shazam! franchise, which is frustrating given that Black Adam is a Shazam enemy. Dwayne Johnson has focused on a Black Adam vs Superman movie when in reality it makes more sense to be setting up a confrontation between Black Adam and Shazam.
Dwayne Johnson will give the fans Henry Cavill as Superman, and while they want that too, he also wants to just use it as a chance to pivot himself into fighting and likely beating Superman, signaling how strong he is both on screen and behind the scenes. Yet fans want to see Black Adam fight Shazam, as it would be comic-accurate, but that does not seem to be a priority for the star. Despite all the talk about giving the fans what they want, it appears it is in service of what Dwayne Johnson wants.