Warner Bros.' recently rebranded DC Studios is currently in the process of planning a renewed franchise, which has resulted in a number of iconic characters being cut. The latest victim of those cuts is Dwayne Johnson's Black Adam, who only recently saw his long-awaited debut.Actor Dwayne Johnson confirmed on social media that he will not appear as Black Adam in James Gunn and Peter Safran's DC Universe, though that does not mean he will not appear elsewhere. The actor wrote, "James Gunn and I connected, and Black Adam will not be in their first chapter of storytelling. However, DC and Seven Bucks have agreed to continue exploring the most valuable ways Black Adam can be utilized in future DC multiverse chapters."
He went on to conclude, "These decisions made by James and DC leadership represent their vision of DCU through their creative lens. 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." Gunn himself responded, expressing hopes for future collaborations.
Farewell, Black Adam
Black Adam was teased as being a turning point for what was referred to as the DCEU and even reintroduced Superman after an absence lasting several years. Johnson and producer Hiram Garcia went so far as to tease an entire film saga revolving around the confrontation between Teth-Adam and the Man of Steel.
Johnson's Black Adam follows the likes of Gal Gadot's Wonder Woman and Henry Cavill's Superman, both of which were removed from DC Studios' upcoming slate. It has also been reported that actor Jason Momoa will not return as Arthur Curry, following the release of Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom, though DC Studios may have him in mind for a different role. Rumors suggest that role is none other than Lobo. It should be noted that these reports have not been officially confirmed.
James Gunn and the DCU
Alongside the Aquaman film, the only projects that have thus far been left untouched are Blue Beetle, The Flash and Shazam! Fury of the Gods. Though some of these films will see major cuts in light of the DCU's reshuffling. Cavill and Gadot, for example, were set to make brief appearances in The Flash, but their cameos have been cut.
Gunn and Safran were announced as co-CEOs of DC Studios in October. However, recent reports suggest they were not Warner Bros.' first choice. An unnamed insider claimed that Joker director Todd Phillips was asked to head the DC film franchise, but he was ultimately uninterested. Furthermore, there are some who doubt Gunn's abilities to oversee the DCU as he has no experience in a role of this scale.
Source: Twitter