Dwayne Johnson’s brutal antihero, the Champion of Kahndaq, is now available on HBO Max, allowing DC fans to view, or rewatch, the story of Dwayne Johnson’s Black Adam. In addition to telling the story of Teth-Adam’s origin, the movie introduces four new DC Extended Universe superheroes: Pierce Brosnan plays Doctor Fate, Quintessa Swindell becomes Cyclone, Aldis Hodge plays Hawkman, and Noah Centineo plays Atom Smasher.
Several familiar faces from previous DCEU projects return, along with cameo appearances honoring beloved stars. There are many references to the larger DCEU, as Black Adam was supposed to kick off a new era for DC in the theaters.
Despite this, we are unsure how many of these loose threads will be tied in future projects since Black Adam had a hard time breaking even, and the new heads of DC Studios are entirely overhauling their film strategy. Despite that, let’s talk about all the cameos in the film and how they might fit into James Gunn and Peter Safran’s version of the DCEU to see if they make sense.
In Black Adam, Dwayne Johnson’s anti-hero is introduced to the DCEU for the first time and is ready to shake a few things up when he arrives. As well as Pierce Brosnan, who plays Doctor Fate, Aldis Hodge, who plays Hawkman, and Sarah Shahi, who plays Adrianna Tomaz, there are many other rising stars, such as Noah Centineo and Quintessa Swindell.
The stacked cast list does not diminish the fact that there are still some big surprises along the way, including a nod to Peacemaker and some fascinating surprises after the credits have rolled.
You could be forgiven for missing some of the Black Adam cameos as there is so much going on in the movie, so to help you navigate through all of the major players, we’ve highlighted all of the Black Adam cameos as well as their comic book history to help you better understand them.
So, if you haven’t yet seen Black Adam, it’s time to stop reading this article and watch it.
Viola Davis as Amanda Waller
Viola Davis’ character Amanda Waller is the first character to return to Black Adam. For quite some time now, Waller has been a part of the DCEU, appearing in both David Ayer’s Suicide Squad movie and James Gunn’s The Suicide Squad and Peacemaker films. At the end of Peacemaker, Waller’s Task Force X was exposed to the public, and we thought this would have a detrimental effect on her career.
It appears that Waller comes out on top in this scenario, as she has direct contact with the Society of Justice, even if Black Adam takes place after Peacemaker. Waller is set to return in her solo series following the events of Peacemaker, so we’ll be hearing a lot more about her place in the DCEU in the near future.
Even though Amanda Waller’s solo series may need to be delivered in the new plan for the DCEU, Gunn has already confirmed that Season 2 of Peacemaker is moving forward. Therefore, regardless of how DC Studios’ 10-year plan turns out, we should be able to find out more about what will happen to Task Force X in the near future.
Henry Winkler as the original Atom Smasher
There is no doubt that Centineo’s Albert Rothstein in Black Adam is not the first person to wear the Atom Smasher uniform. As far as his uncle Al Pratt is concerned, he is the rightful owner of that title. It is important to note that while Al Pratt is retired in the movie, we can see him when he calls his nephew to ensure he does not ruin the super suit by playing around with it.
We were also surprised to find out that Hollywood legend Henry Wrinkler plays the role of Al Pratt in the movie. He became famous for playing the role of Fonzie in one of the most popular sitcoms of the 1970s, ABC’s Happy Days, one of the most popular sitcoms ever. Currently, he’s also a part of the main cast of the acclaimed dark comedy series Barry, which is currently airing on cable.
Djimon Hounsou as the Wizard Shazam
During the 2019 remake of Shazam! Djimon Hounsou played the Wizard Shazam, the last survivor of the Council of the Wizards, who was searching for a new Champion to bestow the powers of the gods on.
He also explains why Shazam is the only survivor of the Council once they try to subdue him through Teth-Adam: once the Council tries to stop the antihero, Teth-Adam kills the whole Council. Even though Hounsou only appears in a few short scenes to provide some context to Black Adam’s story, it’s still delightful to see him picking up the staff for the first time in a very long time.
Hounsou will be returning to the role of the Wizard Shazam in the upcoming film Shazam! Fury of the Gods’ release date is March 17, 2023. It’s Shazam time! There are four DC movies still waiting to be released under the previous direction of DC Studios, namely The Flash, Blue Beetle, Aquaman, and the Lost Kingdom, all of which are expected to be released on the same day as Rage of the Gods.
However, Shazam will still be canon in the future of the DCEU, as Gunn and Safran have been making moves toward a clean slate in the DCEU, which includes canceling Wonder Woman 3.
Jennifer Holland as Emilia Harcourt
Black Adam does not just feature the presence of Waller, as Jennifer Holland also makes a return in the role of Agent Emilia Harcourt, another member of Task Force X.
There is no doubt that the agent was part of the coup that knocked down Waller and assisted the task force in Gunn’s The Suicide Squad, which resulted in her being punished by Waller and forced to babysit John Cena in Peacemaker.
If Black Adam is a sequel to Peacemaker, Harcourt shows the black site prison where Teth-Adam is held, so it would seem that Waller has forgiven and promoted the agent in Black Adam, which is a sequel to Peacemaker.
Henry Cavill as Superman
Black Adam makes the most shocking appearance during the mid-credits scene when Waller sends Henry Cavill’s Superman to have a friendly conversation with Teth-Adam.
Cavill hung up his cape for good for years, so it was beautiful to see him in one of his most iconic roles once again. There was also a teaser of a future duel between Superman and Black Adam in the mid-credits scene. Furthermore, the cameo could be included in a sequel to Man of Steel, reportedly in development.
There have been many changes since Black Adam was released in theaters. Despite Gunn’s confirmation, DC Studios will produce a new Superman movie, but it will be centered on a younger version of the hero, who will be portrayed by a star who has yet to be announced. There needs to be more information available about this young Superman film.
Could this new project be related to the Legion of Super-Heroes animated series since Gunn and Safran were hired to tell a cohesive story across film, television, animation, and video games?
Therefore, Cavill could not participate in the next Superman movie while still leaving the door open for his return in the future. Sadly, Cavill decided to hang up the red cape after learning Man of Steel 2 would not be moving forward for the time being.
DC has been experiencing a chaotic couple of months, and we look forward to hearing more about Gunn and Safran’s plans very soon. The movie will be exciting enough for us to put aside our grudges against Warner Bros. There has been a wave of cancellations at Discovery.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the status of Henry Cavill’s involvement in future Superman movies?
There have been changes and uncertainties regarding future Superman movies, and while a new Superman movie is reportedly in development centered on a younger version of the hero, it is unclear if Cavill will be involved.
What is the significance of Viola Davis’ character, Amanda Waller, in the DCEU?
Amanda Waller has appeared in previous films like Suicide Squad and The Suicide Squad, and she is set to return in her solo series following the events of Peacemaker.
Which actors portray new DC Extended Universe superheroes in Black Adam?
Quintessa Swindell as Cyclone, Aldis Hodge as Hawkman, and Noah Centineo as Atom Smasher.
