Black Adam (2022) is a superhero film adapted from DC Comics, directed by Jaume Collet-Serra and starring Dwayne Johnson and Aldis Hodge. The film is part of the DCEU and was released by Warner Bros.. Runtime: 2h 5m. Rated PG-13. Audience rating: 6.3/10.
What is Black Adam (2022) about?
Nearly 5,000 years after being bestowed the almighty powers of the Egyptian gods, Black Adam is freed from his earthly tomb, ready to unleash his unique form of justice.
Released in 2022, Black Adam was directed by Jaume Collet-Serra and produced under the Warner Bros. banner. The film occupies a significant place within the DCEU — contributing to the ongoing narrative and mythology of that cinematic universe.
The film features lead performances from Dwayne Johnson, Aldis Hodge, Pierce Brosnan, among others, anchoring a story that adapts characters first brought to life in DC Comics. Its source material gives the film a foundation rooted in decades of published storytelling, which Collet-Serra and the creative team interpret through a cinematic lens.
The film's 6.3 audience rating indicates a mixed response. Even so, it holds interest as part of the broader DCEU catalogue and for how it fits into the lineage of DC Comics-based cinema.
What happens in Black Adam (2022)? — Full Plot
We open in 2600 BC in the ancient nation of Kahndaq. A young man named Hurut is enslaved by the tyrant king Ahk-Ton. Hurut leads a rebellion. The Council of Wizards — the same wizards who would later choose Billy Batson in Shazam! (2019) — chooses Hurut to be the realm's champion. Hurut becomes the original Champion. His son Teth-Adam (Dwayne Johnson) inherits the power when Hurut dies. Teth-Adam, less mercifuly inclined, destroys his enemies and is imprisoned by the wizards for 5,000 years.
Cut to: 2022. Kahndaq is occupied by the Intergang criminal cartel — a corporate paramilitary organization extracting the country's resources. Adrianna Tomaz, a Kahndaqi academic, breaks Teth-Adam out of his ancient prison while searching for a magical artifact called the Crown of Sabbac. Adam emerges into the modern world disoriented but freed. Within hours he kills 30+ Intergang soldiers.
Adam's casual lethal violence draws international attention. Amanda Waller (Viola Davis) dispatches the Justice Society of America — a separate hero team from the Justice League — to contain him. The team: Hawkman (Aldis Hodge), Doctor Fate (Pierce Brosnan), Atom Smasher (Noah Centineo), and Cyclone (Quintessa Swindell). They arrive in Kahndaq to take Adam down.
Adam fights the Justice Society. He defeats them individually. Hawkman, Doctor Fate, and Adam slowly develop mutual respect. Adam becomes the team's reluctant ally. Adrianna's son Amon — a kid who admires both Adam and the Justice Society — becomes the audience proxy.
Ishmael Gregor — a member of the Intergang and Adam's distant ancestor — has been searching for the Crown of Sabbac. With the Crown, Ishmael becomes Sabbac — a demonic being whose powers are the inverted version of Black Adam's. Sabbac kills Hurut's spirit, releases hellish minions across Kahndaq, and threatens to destroy the country.
Adam, having found his purpose protecting Kahndaq, leads the JSA in a third-act battle. Sabbac is defeated. Doctor Fate dies in the process. Adam is declared a hero by Kahndaq's people. The film closes with Amanda Waller arriving in Kahndaq to confront Adam. She tries to threaten him with the Suicide Squad. He refuses. She walks away.
The post-credits scene was the film's most-discussed moment: Henry Cavill, returning as Superman, walks into Adam's residence and proposes a meeting. The scene was filmed specifically to launch a 'Superman vs. Black Adam' future film. The DCU reset announced weeks later canceled both the Cavill Superman tenure and Black Adam's continuation. The post-credits scene became canonically meaningless within months.
Black Adam grossed $393 million globally on a $200+ million production budget plus $100+ million marketing — a clear commercial failure. The film's poor performance, combined with the DCU restructuring, removed Black Adam and the Justice Society from future DC plans. Dwayne Johnson has not returned to the role.
Who stars in Black Adam (2022)?
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What are some facts about Black Adam (2022)?
Black Adam released in 2022, placing it within the 2020s era of comic book cinema — a decade that saw superhero films become the dominant force at the global box office.
Directed by Jaume Collet-Serra, the film was produced by Warner Bros. and adapts source material from DC Comics.
The principal cast features Dwayne Johnson and Aldis Hodge, with key supporting roles played by Pierce Brosnan, Noah Centineo.
The film belongs to DCEU — the DC Extended Universe, Warner Bros' connected superhero continuity.
Black Adam carries an audience rating of 6.3 — a middling reception but one that hasn't prevented its cultural footprint.
The DC Comics source material for Black Adam has been in continuous publication for decades, giving filmmakers a rich well of storylines, character arcs, and iconography to draw upon.
Modern superhero films like this one use a mix of practical effects and digital VFX, with entire sequences often shot against volume walls or LED stages pioneered by shows like The Mandalorian.
Black Adam is catalogued on Movies on Comics among our collection of 162 comic book films spanning 48 years of cinema — from Richard Donner's 1978 Superman to the present day.
