'Black Adam' Producer Talks The Introduction Of Justice Society Of America And DC Universe Connections

Just over a week ago, DC FanDome brought fans their first sneak peek of Black Adam, albeit in the form of some concept art exploring the origins of the DC Comics character who has gone from anti-hero to villain to superhero throughout his comic book history. The movie starring Dwayne Johnson has been in the works for a long time now, but now production is imminent, even if it's been delayed by the coronaivrus pandemic.

Black Adam will not only bring Dwayne Johnson into the DC Extended Universe, but it will also introduce the team of characters known as the Justice Society of America, specifically Hawkman, Doctor Fate, Cyclone and Atom-Smasher, the latter being played by Noah Centineo. Hiram Garcia, president of Dwayne Johnson's Seven Bucks Productions banner, recently opened up about the introduction of JSA, links to the other DC Comics movies, and when shooting might finally begin.

Speaking to Collider in promotion of a new photography book called The Rock: Through the Lens: His Life, His Movies, His World, Garcia was inevitably asked about Black Adam, specifically how it will bring JSA to the table. The producer said:

"We are so excited to introduce the Justice Society, especially Hawkman who's such a beloved character and one of those heroes who's always meant so much to the DC universe. Having them play in the same sandbox as Black Adam is going to be fantastic, and for the already established fans of these characters I think they are going to be really excited to see what elements from classic story lines we take inspiration from as we bring these characters together. When you take a powerhouse like Black Adam and inject him into this DC cinematic universe you want to make sure you are putting characters around him that can really up the stakes."

But don't forget, this is first and foremost a Black Adam movie, and Garcia is confident that their take on the character will deliver what fans want to see. He said:

"I think audiences are going to go crazy when they see the story and sequences we've been creating that showcase this world and more importantly what Black Adam is truly capable of. It's fun to truly showcase all of his abilities and watch someone with this much power who, unlike other powerful DC characters, doesn't believe in pulling their punches. Then on top of that you add in the complexity of his character and the things he's carrying with him, what he's been through, what he's come from and where he's going to go.. and it makes for a for a very unique and intense cinematic ride."

As for how the movie will connect to the rest of the DC Extended Universe, it sounds like the details are still being worked out on that front. Garcia tap danced around the question by saying:

"There's been multiple ongoing conversations on how everything will roll out and it's very exciting for myself as a filmmaker but even more so as a fan. Unfortunately, I can't speak to that too much because it is still in the works, but I can say that on our end we're very focused on building out this world we're creating with Black Adam and the JSA. Obviously Shazam exists in that universe along with many many other heroes and believe me when I say we have very big ambitions for all these characters and the story lines we want to take them through."

At DC FanDome, Dwayne Johnson specifically mentioned Superman as someone he hopes Black Adam will tangle with, either as a friend or as a foe. Plus, Shazam! obviously has a history with Black Adam in DC Comics, and that will have to be explored at some point. But as for how that will connect with anything else we've seen in the DC Extended Universe remains up in the air, and it just might depend on the time traveling and presumed timeline manipulation of the upcoming movie for The Flash.

Black Adam was originally meant to start shooting this summer with director Jaume Collet-Serra (Unknown, The Shallows), but the coronavirus pandemic ruined that, mostly because it also delayed production on Dwayne Johnson's Netflix movie Red Notice. Now the hope is production will begin sometime in the first quarter of next year, but that could also be complicated due to the new health and safety measures that Hollywood has to put in place. Stay tuned.