Black Adam and Shazam have always been foes in the comic books, having received their superpowers from the same wizard. To many, a movie with the two of them facing off seemed like a natural fit. But Johnson eventually backed out of that project, encouraging Warner Bros. executives to develop a standalone movie to introduce the villain in a separate film.

Johnson got his wish and “Black Adam” is scheduled to hit theaters this fall. In a new interview with Vanity Fair, Johnson explained why he held out to ensure Black Adam got his own movie. Related Zachary Levi Defends James Gunn, Peter Safran: They Need ‘Time to Make Something Special’ Dwayne Johnson’s Black Adam Will Not Be Part of the New DC’s ‘First Chapter’ of Films – but Could Return Later Related 51 Directors’ Favorite Horror Movies: Bong Joon Ho, Quentin Tarantino, Guillermo del Toro, and More Guillermo del Toro’s Favorite Movies: 45 Films the Director Wants You to See
“When the first draft of the movie came to us, it was a combination of Black Adam and Shazam: Two origin stories in one movie,” Johnson said. “Now that was the goal — so it wasn’t a complete surprise. But when I read that, I just knew in my gut, ‘We can’t make this movie like this. We would be doing Black Adam an incredible disservice.’ It would’ve been fine for Shazam having two origin stories converge in one movie, but not good for Black Adam.” That sentiment prompted Johnson to make a phone call voicing discomfort with the idea. He explained that Black Adam and Shazam are fundamentally different characters, and introducing them both in the same movie would be a disservice to both of them. He believed that in the end any potential showdown between the two characters would be richer if they were both introduced in separate films. “I said, ‘I have to share my thoughts here. It’s very unpopular’ because everybody thought, ‘Hey, this script is great, let’s go make this movie.’ I said, ‘I really think that you should make ‘Shazam!,’ make that movie on its own in the tone that you want. And I think we should separate this as well.’” “Black Adam” will open in theaters on October 21, 2022.  Sign Up: Stay on top of the latest breaking film and TV news! Sign up for our Email Newsletters here.