For years, Black Adam star Dwayne Johnson promised that “the hierarchy of power in the DC Universe is about to change.” Behind the scenes, Johnson apparently tried to make that promise come true by carving out a corner of the DC Extended Universe for himself. But a new report by Variety offers details about why the star and Warner Bros. Pictures aren’t on the same page.
According to Variety’s report, Johnson directly made a pitch to Warner Bros. Discovery CEO David Zaslav in April 2022. In that meeting, Johnson proposed “a multiyear plan for Black Adam and a Cavill-led Superman in which the two properties would interweave, setting up a Superman-versus-Black Adam showdown.” However, Johnson’s ambitions may have earned him a few enemies within the studio.
“Dwayne went around everyone, which didn’t sit well,” noted one of Variety’s sources.
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The report goes on to state that Johnson’s relationship with the studio deteriorated over time. In the examples given, “Johnson pushed for a producing credit on the animated film DC League of Super-Pets.” But the studio believed he “did little to promote it.” Additionally, Johnson reportedly insisted that the Black Adam New York premiere feature his tequila brand, Teremana. That ruffled feathers because it was a PG-13 film.
Black Adam has earned $391 million worldwide, which is more than Shazam!‘s $366 million in 2019. However, Black Adam had a much higher production budget that went as high as $235 million with reshoots, and a promotional campaign of $80-$100 million. That’s why the film remains in the red.
Johnson recently acknowledged that there are no current plans for him to reprise his role. Whether Black Adam will return further down the line remains to be seen.
What do you think about the latest details about Johnson’s relationship with Warner Bros.? Let us know in the comment section below!
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