5 Things To Know Before The ‘Black Adam’ Movie
When the DCEU launched, Warner Brothers thought they would have no problem joining in on the extended universe craze. However, as time passed, they quickly learned that it wasn't as simple as they had hoped. With each movie not performing to expectation throughout their first phase, they struggled to figure out what to do next. Their confusion would only be doubled when Aquaman became their first film in the franchise to crack a billion dollars. Since then, the original release slate they presented after Man of Steel has become nonexistent as they've taken more risks on characters that wouldn't be the first choice to get the cinematic treatment. Black Adam is the next character to receive this treatment and is not necessarily a household name. Here are some things to know about the character before his cinematic debut drops in October this year.
Origins
The wizard Shazam is already known to filmgoers as the ancient being that bestows his powers onto Billy Batson, making him the hero known by the same name Shazam. Whenever Billy utters his name, he gains the powers of Solomon, Hercules, Atlas, Zeus, Achilles, and Mercury. Long before their encounter, in 1200 BC, the wizard had planned on bestowing this gift upon Prince Teth-Adam of Kahndaq. This plan was ultimately foiled by Shazam's daughter Blaze, and Adam was instead given the powers of six Egyptian gods: Shu, Heru, Amon, Zehuti, Aton, and Mehen. This was done without the knowledge of either Shazam or Adam, and Adam served his nation as a hero under the wizard's guidance.
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While away from his country, the evil priest Akh-ton murder Adam's family. Eventually, he would enact his vengeance upon Ahk-ton with the help of other heroes. Following these events, he would return to his homeland, destroy the government, and proclaim himself ruler. The wizard Shazam believed Adam to be corrupted after this transpired, so he stripped Adam of his powers, causing him to age the hundreds of years he had them, then placed Adam's soul and powers into a scarab. When this scarab is discovered centuries later, Black Adam is released back unto the world.
Powers
Black Adam's powers are similar to that of the hero Shazam's. The difference is that he draws from ancient Egyptian gods instead. The stamina of Shu grants him the ability to perfect incredible feats without feeling the exertion, as well as not needing food or water to survive. The swiftness of Heru gives him super speed and flight. Able to run at incredible speeds, though not as fast as the flash, he can also fly at the speed of light. With the strength of Amon, Black Adam is amongst the strongest characters in the DC Universe. He has held his own against Shazam, Superman, and the entire Justice League.
The wisdom of Zehuti gives Adam the brains to his brawn, making him highly intelligent, allowing him to remember facts and details to great length, weigh each of the odds that may be against him, and carefully calculate his next move with ease. Zehuti also grants him the power of hypnosis. The power of Aton allows Black Adam his control over lightning, advanced healing abilities, how he can transform between his super self and mortal form, and the ability to reach the Rock of Eternity. Finally, the courage of Mehen grants both psychological and physical enhancements. These abilities give Adam his unwavering will to always fight for what he believes no matter the cost and give him the invulnerability to follow through with his cause.
Hero or Villain?
At first glance, Black Adam will appear to be a villain. However, this is only a surface argument. Black Adam is more of an anti-hero at its truest meaning. While he has faced off against DC's most famous heroes, he is always fighting for what he feels to be right above anything else. Often feeling as though he has been screwed over by the world, he fights to make sure that those with super abilities do not have to be persecuted. As well as fighting for those who have been cast aside by society, he has an unwavering love and allegiance to the kingdom he grew up in. In many of the comics, he reestablishes his rule over Kahndaq and makes it a safe haven for metahumans and what he hopes to be a paradise for those who aren't. For fans of Marvel, he can be compared to Magneto in the sense that he will join the heroes' cause when it is ultimately for the greater good, but he will just as quickly turn on them if their ideologies do not match his own.
Adrianna Tomaz
While his wife may not have been named in the trailer, she is listed on the film's IMBd page. Gifted to Black Adam while she was still enslaved, Adrianna proved to be outspoken about his rule and how he could change things for the better within the region. As they talked more and more, Adam began to gain respect and love for the woman, ultimately freeing her and marrying her. He would then seek out the amulet of Isis and bestow it upon Adrianna, and after she uttered the words "I am Isis," she would gain the powers of the goddess.
Now gifted with the powers of super strength, durability, speed, stamina, flight, healing, and elemental control, the two would begin a conquest to free all of the slaves of the Middle East. She became his all and remained it even after her death. She would tell him that she was wrong to try and change him, but he would enter a quest of his own to revive his wife and be with his true love. What part she will play is still uncertain in the film. Though, it wouldn't be surprising if they changed her role within the context of the film. She is shown at the end of the trailer when Black Adam catches a rocket and saves her from an explosion. It appears as though she may play a role similar to Jane Foster in Thor, introducing Black Adam to the new world in which he now resides.
The JSA
The upcoming Black Adam film gave viewers their first look at the Justice Society of America in a live-action movie. This superhero team actually predates that of the Justice League not only in canon but also in print. The team has many members, including the original Flash (Jay Garrick), the original Green Lantern (Alan Scott), Wonder Woman, Dr. Fate, Spectre, Sandman, Atom, Hourman, and Hawkman. This lineup is just a few from the original 1940's run of the team. Over the years, DC would revisit the team, and more heroes would come and go. They were always more of a secret society in the original runs, meant to be a covert team set up by the US government to fight against threats during WWII.
As time went on, the team would go back and forth from being a secret society to being out in the open. Recently, DC has continued to revisit this team in comics such as Death Metal and Dark Crisis showing the team members being rediscovered and brought back to help with the current perils. They have been at the center of the Star Girl television series and got their own animated film Justice Society: World War II. The new Black Adam movie has given glimpses of Hawkman, Dr. Fate, Atom Smasher, and Cyclone. They will most likely see Black Adam's revival into the modern day and attempt to bring him on the team just as they did in the comics in the 90s when he joined the JSA. The hero Hawkman shares a history with Black Adam, knowing him from the past, so it should be expected that he plays a significant role in helping Adam become true to himself again.
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Source(s): IMDb, Shazam! Wiki, DC Database