Variety is featuring an article in what were secret meetings, tequila and Black Adam vs. Superman – How Dwayne Johnson’s Bid for DC Power Flamed Out.
The article notes that Johnson made an attempt to gain power within DC Studios with his pitch for a multi-year plan that included Black Adam vs. Superman. It was said Johnson’s plan’s included Henry Cavill to return as Superman in multiple future films.
According to Variety, Johnson went directly David Zaslav, who was the head of Warner Bros. Discovery at the time, and bypassed others who were charge of the DC Studios before the changes in leadership were made. This did result in Cavill appearing briefly during a post-credits scene where it was revealed that Cavill would return as Superman. However, this all changed following James Gunn and Peter Saffron coming on board and in taking the charge of DC Studios under the new Warner Bros Discovery umbrella. Gunn and Saffron took over just as Black Adam was being released in theatrically. It is being said that the new regime’s vision and direction for DC Studios does not include Johnson or Cavill.
The article also states that with Johnson going around everyone directly to Zaslav “didn’t sit well” and “ruffled feathers internally.” Sources, per Variety said that Hiram Garcia, who is Johnson’s former brother-in-law, and Beau Flynn were said to be wanting to take DC down a new path. Black Adam’s higher costs led to less profits at the box office, which also did not sit well with the new DC Studios regime. The film made a dismal $391 million worldwide that was up against a $195 million budget plus $40 million in re-shoots.
Variety further notes that the Johnson-Warners relationship was already wearing thin after Johnson pushed for a producing credit on the animated film “DC League of Super-Pets,” which hit theaters last July, but that Johnson did little to promote the movie. That film made $204.5 million worldwide up against a $90 million dollar budget.
It was also mentioned by Variety that Johnson insisted on having a tequila bar at the New York premiere of “Black Adam” featuring his own Teremana brand, despite the movie’s PG-13 rating. According to Variety, Johnson’s “demands increased and the returns just weren’t there.”
Wonder Woman 3 has also been canceled under the new DC Studio leadership.
Back on December 20, 2022, Johnson announced that Black Adam would not be featured going forward in “the first chapter” of the new direction for DC’s cinematic storytelling under new DC Co-Studio Heads James Gunn and Peter Safran.