Dwayne Johnson’s Black Adam is the Dirty Harry of superheroes

Last Updated on July 30, 2021

It may have taken a little longer to get off the ground than expected, but Dwayne Johnson's Black Adam movie finally wrapped production last week. The actor called the film a "career-definer" and added "this has been one for the ages and easily the hardest labor and toughest grind mentally and physically of my entire career." It sounds as though Black Adam was equally important to director Jaume Collet-Serra, who told Variety that the project is the "most complex puzzle of my career."

After directing Dwayne Johnson in Jungle Cruise, Jaume Collet-Serra was eager to dive into Dwayne Johnson's dark side, even calling the Black Adam character the Dirty Harry of superheroes.

Having just done a romantic adventure comedy where he’s very light, I was really attracted to getting the dark version of Dwayne. Basically, turning him into Clint Eastwood in a Western. I was like, ‘You’re like the Dirty Harry of superheroes.' I didn’t have to convince people that I was right for this one in the same way that I did for Jungle Cruise. It’s like things I’ve done with Liam [Neeson], that tough-guy antihero who has a heart. The world is not black and white. The world is in gray areas, so you need these people that are riding that gray area.

In addition to Dwayne Johnson, Black Adam is also set to introduce the Justice Society as Noah Centineo is onboard to play Atom Smasher, with Aldis Hodge as Hawkman, Quintessa Swindell as Cyclone, and Pierce Brosnan as Dr. Fate. Black Adam is also slated to star Sarah Shahi as "a university professor and freedom fighter leading the resistance in Kahndaq," as well as Marwan Kenzari in a mysterious role expected to be the main villain. Mohammed Amer, James Cusati-Moyer, Uli Latukefu, and Bodhi Sabongui round out the rest of the cast.

Black Adam is currently slated to hit theaters on July 29, 2022.