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Black Adam Star Aldis Hodge Is Trying To Cut Fan Criticism Off At The Pass

It's no secret that the DC Extended Universe is struggling. Though the list of modern DC films released to date does, in fact, include some genuine hits, the shadow cast by its closest rival in the Marvel Cinematic Universe is impossible to ignore. Whereas a mediocre Marvel project typically has little impact on Marvel fans' overall enjoyment of the franchise, virtually every major DC film must shoulder some of the weight of the DCEU's success, given its inconsistent run thus far.

The upcoming Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson vehicle "Black Adam," then, is positioned to be more than just another superhero movie in that its release could potentially reinvigorate the DCEU should it resonate with viewers. "Black Adam" won't tell a typical superhero story either — producer Hiram Garcia described Black Adam as monstrous, effectively confirming that Johnson's titular character is more sinister than a standard superhero movie protagonist.

A second "Black Adam" trailer that Warner Bros. premiered on September 8 gave fans some more insight into Black Adam's brand of antiheroism, depicting him at odds with some classically heroic DC characters led by the winged Hawkman (Aldis Hodge). In an interview published in conjunction this trailer's release, Hodge spoke about why all types of viewers can appreciate his character, in what appears to be an attempt to cut off one particular line of criticism before it can properly manifest.

Hawkman should appeal to viewers new and old alike

Around the time Warner Bros. released its second full trailer for "Black Adam," Collider spoke with a few members of the film's cast including Hawkman actor Aldis Hodge. To kick off their discussion, interviewer Rebecca Landman asked how his take on Hawkman compares to versions of the character from DC's past.

"If you're a fan, you're going to get what you want, you're going to get what you need," Hodge said. "If you're not a fan, if you don't know anything about this, you're going to get everything you need to know to learn about what this is, right? And you're going to become a fan."

Hodge, then, is addressing both seasoned viewers hoping for a faithful portrayal of a classic character, and those who might be entirely unfamiliar with Hawkman in need of an introduction. By his estimation, the film isn't beholden to one of these groups more than the other, as some fans might worry.

In an interview with Den of Geek, Hodge elaborated further on why the role of Hawkman appealed to him. "It was his affiliations, his history, who he was to DC. He's been all over, he's been through so many different things. He's touched so many different stories," Hodge said.

It seems clear, then, that a genuine fan is playing Hawkman in "Black Adam," in a manner that will nevertheless introduce the character to viewers unfamiliar with his comic book history.