After a long history of steady successes and notable pop culture impact, DC films are facing a major challenge on the heels of Black Adam’s box office flop.
The History of the DC Universe
Warner Bros. Pictures
While the Marvel cinematic universe dominates box offices today, the DC universe has long had a grip on popular culture. Wonder Woman, Batman, and Superman have reigned as some of the most popular and iconic superheroes. DC Comics sprang to life during the “golden age” of comic books, launching in the 1940s under the umbrella of All Star Comics. This was the initial formation of the Justice League of America, a storyline which continues to develop and grow more complex in the multiverse. Over time, DC established itself as a substantial source material for film adaptations. While Marvel movies tend to be lighthearted with comedic elements, DC films garnered critical acclaim and mature success. Black Panther was the first marvel film to be nominated for and subsequently win an Academy Award. Contrastingly, DC has earned a number of awards, including Best Actor and Best Original Score for Joker, Best Supporting Actor and Best Sound Editing for The Dark Knight, and Best Production Design for Batman.
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These films and accolades have established DC as a bona fide and serious network of franchises, and yet, the cinematic universe is currently mired in a state of turbulence and uncertainty. One notable herald of this concerning era is the box office failure of Black Adam. This outcome is not an inconsequential fluke for DC, as the unsuccessful project foretells of a much larger issue within the larger brand as a whole.
How the Character of Black Adam Ties Into the Rest of the DCU
In this film adaptation of Black Adam, Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson portrays an ancient force, a scorned man bestowed with the powers of Shazam by his dying son, tasked with carrying on the rebellion against the oppressive king of Kahndaq, Ahk-Ton. Fueled with rage and vengeance, Adam destroys the palace, killing the king and his men, and ultimately being branded a madman. He is magically confined to his eternal tomb, awakened by Adrianna after the death of her colleague.
The character interweaves several narratives within the DC Universe. In the 2019 film Shazam, the powers of the wizard Shazam are granted to a young boy living in foster homes, Billy, with the evocation of his name transforming the boy into an adult superhero. With themes of finding one’s way in the world through the love and defense of family, the characters of Billy and Adam share a central motivation and challenge. Both characters face pain and loss of family, but ultimately discover their roles through achieving acceptance and inner peace. Shazam! seems to reference Black Adam, with the wizard explaining to both Billy and Thaddeus that he once named a champion who was not worthy, and that this man released the Seven Deadly Sins. Additionally, the mid-credits scene of Black Adam and the final scene of Shazam! both bring Superman into their stories and timelines, suggesting a greater interconnection of various franchises in future films. These connections seem to indicate an upcoming project that features perhaps all three of superheroes, though this notion is now in jeopardy following Black Adam’s release.
Competition From Marvel and Underwhelming Delivery
Why did Black Adam fail? Well, according to Dwayne Johnson, it most certainly did not. He has compared the box office data to the release of Captain America over a decade ago, a comparison that is erroneous not only on account of the differing markets the films premiered in, but because Captain America is of an entirely different cinematic universe with a different fanbase. Regardless of any analysis the stars of the film make to promote and defend it, it is reported that DC will not be moving forward with a Black Adam sequel. This comes amid a torrent of changes overtaking the company, with other projects such as Wonder Woman 3 being canceled. With the first Wonder Woman scoring huge success and an overwhelmingly favorable critical reception, the sequel fell flat with storylines and characters that veered into the laughable as compared to the epic, emotional drama of the first film.
It is possible that DC is simply trying to find their footing in a market dominated by the Marvel Cinematic Universe, one that largely appeals to fans with its humorous yet emotional stories. The financial success and critical reception of The Batman, the first Wonder Woman, and Joker, indicate that DC fans have entirely different tastes, preferring projects with a more serious tone and a greater emphasis on emotional cinematography and complex characters. The future direction of the DCU is unknown, but one can venture to guess that the most successful route would be one that makes itself as distinct from Marvel as possible.
Just as these cancelations present uncertainty for DC studios, so too is it a concerning development for actors. The landscape of Hollywood continues to evolve as such that well-established movie stars are finding more success in action-packed superhero roles than in nuanced, relatable ones. Whether audiences prefer this is a hypothesis currently being put to the test, and the success of future DCU endeavors may serve as key indicators of the audience’s changing preferences.
