‘Black Adam 2’ Not Moving Forward as Part of New DC’s “First Chapter” - Hollywood Reporter

The hierarchy of powerfulness did alteration astatine DC, conscionable not successful the mode Dwayne Johnson intended it.

Black Adam, the DC superhero movie that Johnson starred successful and produced, was to person launched a caller franchise, but Johnson announced Tuesday that plans for a sequel were halted and volition not beryllium moving guardant immoderate clip soon.

The determination comes arsenic caller DC Studios bosses James Gunn and Peter Safran, installed conscionable weeks aft the movie’s October release, reshape the full DC slate, with projects specified arsenic Henry Cavill’s Man of Steel sequel and Patty Jenkins’ Wonder Woman 3 falling by the wayside.

“James Gunn and I connected, and Black Adam will not beryllium successful their archetypal section of storytelling,” Johnson wrote successful a connection Tuesday. “However, DC and Seven Bucks person agreed to proceed exploring the astir invaluable ways Black Adam tin beryllium utilized successful aboriginal DC multiverse chapters.”

Gunn shared his ain statement, writing, “Love @TheRock & I’m ever excited to spot what helium & Seven Bucks bash next. Can’t hold to collaborate soon.”

Adam, released Oct. 21, was a passionateness task for Johnson, who was attached to play the quality for a bully 15 years earlier it deed theaters. During that time, Johnson became 1 of the biggest actors successful the satellite and successful 2017 utilized his clout to person Warner Bros. and New Line to develop a solo Black Adam film, alternatively than person the quality introduced successful Shazam! as a villain. (In the comics, Black Adam is villain successful Shazam’s rogue gallery.)

Ahead of its release, Johnson touted plans to make his ain country of the DC Universe centered connected Black Adam characters specified arsenic the Justice Society of America, arsenic good arsenic a aboriginal Black Adam vs. Superman movie, a showdown teased successful a post-credit country that temporarily brought Henry Cavill backmost arsenic Superman for the archetypal clip since Justice League (2017). In galore promotional appearances, Johnson adjacent utilized a operation that became the movie’s unofficial tagline arsenic helium sought to rise his country of the DC slate to prominence: “The hierarchy of powerfulness successful the DC Universe is astir to change.”

However, Adam disappointed astatine the container bureau with $391 cardinal globally and earned mediocre reviews. That wouldn’t needfully beryllium a occupation to motorboat a sequel if not for respective factors. One, the movie was inordinately expensive. Greenlit astatine $190 million, the movie’s costs ballooned to the $260 cardinal mark, according to sources, particularly aft a costly 20-day circular of reshoots undertaken aft a mediocre trial screening. That does not see selling costs.

The movie volition not beryllium profitable theatrically, arsenic noted successful a Dec. 5 Variety story, which past unleashed a tit-for-tat successful the property implicit a much elaborate accounting of the movie’s money-making, with rival Deadline spinning a antithetic tune 2 days later. Johnson weighed successful himself astir the movie’s profitability with a Twitter post, a precise antithetic determination for an histrion oregon shaper to make. It besides enactment the histrion successful a antiaircraft crouch and inactive talking astir a imaginable franchise regarding a movie who’s aboriginal adjacent past was precise overmuch successful doubt.

In caller days, rumors swirled astir a feud betwixt Johnson and the studio. Reports surfaced that Johnson unfollowed Warner Bros. Discovery and Black Adam channels lone to person Johnson travel retired and accidental helium ne'er followed them successful the archetypal place. Johnson had not publically commented connected the hiring of Gunn and Safran with galore observers pointing to underlying hostility betwixt the 2 camps.

However, Johnson noted that the 2 person a bully relationship.

“James and I person known each different for years and person ever rooted for each different to succeed,” Johnson wrote Tuesday. “It’s nary antithetic now, and I volition ever wrote for DC (and Marvel) to triumph and WIN BIG.”

It each looked precise antithetic 2 months ago, erstwhile Johnson was feeling wistful astatine Black Adam‘s New York premiere Oct. 12, wherever helium told reporters astir his archetypal time successful costume. Said the actor: “I conscionable took a look successful the reflector — it was a precise humbling infinitesimal due to the fact that I fought truthful hard for this movie to get this movie made, and support it connected track. Fifteen agelong years, and present we are.”