“Black Adam” Early Reactions: Dwayne Johnson Delivers a Game-Changer for the DCEU

Black Adam has arrived, and the DCEU won’t be the same again. Dwayne Johnson’s titular antihero had its world premiere last night in New York City, and the first reactions to his long-awaited debut as the ancient, unyielding superhero arrive with him. The Rock has been preparing for the role for ten years, and it sounds as if the wait was worth it.

A quick synopsis for you Black Adam freshmen: The film features Johnson as the titular, ancient antihero—born a slave, executed and resurrected by his son’s sacrifice, Black Adam views his immense powers as a curse. This is an antihero as powerful as any member of the Justice League (or the Justice Society, who we’ll get to in a minute), possibly even more so. What’s more, he’s angry. Awoken after 5,000 years of slumber, Black Adam is the type of guy who the authorities, and the bad guys, become immediately aware of and want to control or destroy. Good luck with that. Eventually, Black Adam encounters the aforementioned Justice Society—Doctor Fate (Pierce Brosnan), Hawkman (Aldis Hodge), Cyclone (Quintessa Swindell), and Atom Smasher (Noah Centineo). They want Black Adam to play by the rules, but where (and when) he’s from, there are no rules, only the brutal hand of justice.

Without further ado, let’s check out the early reactions below:

Black Adam opens wide on October 21.

For more on Black Adam, check out these stories:

New “Black Adam” Images Showcase Dwayne Johnson’s Thunderous Arrival to the DCEU

New “Black Adam” Teaser Opens With a Nod to Batman, Superman & More

Second “Black Adam” Trailer Reveals Dwayne Johnson’s Cursed Superhero

Featured image: Caption: DWAYNE JOHNSON as Black Adam in New Line Cinema’s action adventure “BLACK ADAM,” a Warner Bros. Pictures release. Photo Credit: Courtesy Warner Bros. Pictures

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The Credits is an online magazine that tells the story behind the story to celebrate our large and diverse creative community. Focusing on profiles of below-the-line filmmakers, The Credits celebrates the often uncelebrated individuals who are indispensable to the films and TV shows we love.