Meet the Justice Society of America. In Black Adam, the next DC Extended Universe installment, the titular antihero will go up against a superhero or two. Speaking to CBR about his upcoming film Red Notice, producer Hiram Garcia also teased what's to come in Black Adam, including a showdown with Aldis Hodge's Hawkman.
"I think we were looking for people that were able to tap into any of the elements we love about these characters," Garcia told CBR when asked about Black Adam's supporting cast. "Look, obviously, Dr. Fate, Hawkman, Atom Smasher, Quintessa [Swindell], they're beloved, especially when you look at a Hawkman and Dr. Fate. These are some of the most favorite characters that fans have when it comes to the DC Universe."
"So knowing our templates of how we saw the characters, we were looking for actors that could deliver on a wisdom and a poise that came with Hawkman and Dr. Fate, of elder statesmen that you'd have of the group," he explained. "These are heroes that their characters have been around for a very long time. There's a mythology that is 1000s of years old with them and knowledge and wisdom within those characters. So we were looking for actors who could bring that to the table, really display that, also set that tone and leadership..."
"Then, when it came to Atom Smasher and Cyclone, we wanted people that not only had complex backstories -- because both of them have very interesting, complex backstories in terms of how they're able to do what they do -- but also brought a youth and exuberance to being a hero, kind of a mishmash of characters coming together in a fun way, where you had some OGs and you had some New Gs, if you want, to the group," he added.
"So we were able to find a really good group of actors. All of them absolutely crushed it," he shared. "I think the dynamic between all them is a lot of fun. And anytime you have James Bond coming in now as Dr. Fate! Pierce [Brosnan] is so poised and so charming, and the minute he comes on set, he just elevates everything, mixed with all the other actors."
"Aldis [Hodge] is so amazing as Hawkman and just brings a weight and an energy to this character that, if you're a fan of Hawkman, you know his history, that [he] has lived many lifetimes, to [bring] a real nuance to the way Aldis plays him that, ultimately is really intriguing, but also, he's a tough dude," he said. "The way him and Black Adam go at each other is going to be a lot of fun for fans to see. So all of them knocked it out of the park. Hands down, once we saw them read, we knew right away these are the guys with the roles, and we're really happy with it."
Although Dwayne Johnson had been rumored for the role for nearly a decade, a Black Adam film wasn't officially announced until Jan. 2017. However, the project spent a few years in development hell, at least until Jungle Cruise director Jaume Collet-Serra signed on to helm the film in June 2019. According to Garcia, "Once we got Jaume on board to be our director, things really clicked in." Subsequently, Black Adam picked up several major stars, including Pierce Brosnan as Doctor Fate, Noah Centineo as Atom Smasher, Aldis Hodge as Hawkman, Quintessa Swindell as Cyclone, Marwan Kenzari and Sarah Shahi.
Production on Black Adam wrapped in July earlier this year. Then, in October, Warner Bros. debuted the very first footage from the project at DC FanDome. This footage offered a glimpse at Black Adam's violent tendencies, as he brutally attacked the military unit that stumbled across him, confirming Garcia's promises of a "very high kill count."
Red Notice swings onto Netflix starting Nov. 13, while DC League of Super-Pets bows on May 20, 2022 and Black Adam arrives in theaters July 29, 2022.