Black Adam Theories That Could Change The DCEU Forever

The theory that the first "Black Adam" film will be an origin story is sort of a "duh" one, seeing as most of the first standalone superhero films focus on the main character's history. However, like most superheroes, Black Adam's origins have taken different shapes throughout his comic runs. It's likely his standalone film won't strictly adhere to any one of the origins presented in the DC comics. Rather, Black Adam's origins in the film are likely to draw from several stories with both minor and major tweaks to better connect the character to future DCEU storylines.

In the two earliest origin stories for Black Adam, the character is named Teth-Adam in his human form. In both pre-"Crisis On Infinite Earths" stories, Black Adam's origins date back to ancient Egypt, when he became the first champion for the wizard Shazam. In one version, Black Adam is corrupted by his own powers, killing the pharaoh and taking the throne for himself. Though unable to take back the powers he bestowed, the wizard Shazam renames "Mighty Adam" as Black Adam and banishes him to the far reaches of the universe.

In the revised origin story created by DC in the mid-1990s, Teth-Adam is the son of Pharaoh Ramesses II and gains powers by impressing a high priest, the wizard Shazam. Like his future nemesis, Mighty Adam utters the name of Shazam to call his powers. But after being the wizard's champion in Egypt for centuries, Mighty Adam is corrupted by the wizard's evil daughter, killing the pharaoh and taking the throne. In this origin, Shazam rids Adam of his powers and locks them in a scarab necklace, burying it and the withered body of the now-named Black Adam in the tomb of Ramesses II.

Newer origin stories for Black Adam are the ones more likely to be seen on screen, as Johnson has shared details from the mythology in posts related to his physical training to play the character. In these, Teth-Adam is from the fictional country Kahndaq, where he was a slave and his whole family was killed. When he is gifted with powers alongside his nephew, whom he helped escape slavery, Teth-Adam is corrupted into Black Adam because of his rage and desire for vengeance.

The Black Adam origin story we see on screen probably won't mirror what's in the comics very closely, but Johnson has all but confirmed he's been shooting scenes connected to the character's North African-Middle Eastern origins and his past with the wizard Shazam.

Johnson's teases about the hierarchy of the DCEU bring us to a future where we get to see Superman and Black Adam punch it out on the big screen, which would be a DCEU-defining epic clash of titans. It's not likely to happen in the first film or even be confirmed anytime soon, but both Johnson and Superman actor Henry Cavill have hinted at a potential showdown in the future. And there's plenty of source material to glean from, as Black Adam has actually taken on Superman in the comics.

The Black Adam vs. Superman theory mill started churning way back in 2016 when Cavill shared a photo of himself with Johnson on Instagram, writing, "Merry Christmas and Happy New Year from Superman and Black Adam," accompanied by the hashtag #DCWorldsWillCollide. Then, during an interview with MTV in 2018, Cavill revealed that "there is definitely some kind of work towards" a Black Adam-Superman showdown.

However, if and when that battle does happen, Cavill said he's confident Black Adam will have to face Shazam first. "You never know, maybe there will be a Superman movie and Shazam will come and help," Cavill said in the interview.

While it's already been confirmed that key members of the Justice Society of America will appear in the "Black Adam" film, what isn't clear yet is how these superheroes will interact with the antihero. Like his relationship with Shazam/Billy Batson, Black Adam's story arcs of villainy, redemption, and anti-heroism connect him to many other characters in the DCEU, specifically those in the Justice Society of America.

During a DC FanDome panel for "Black Adam" in August 2020, Johnson revealed JSA characters Hawkman, Doctor Fate and Cyclone would join him in the film. Atom Smasher was previously announced and will be played by Noah Centineo. Since then, Aldis Hodge was announced as Hawkman, Quintessa Swindell signed on as Cyclone, and Pierce Brosnan was announced to play Doctor Fate. Sarah Shahi has also joined the film as Adrianna Tomaz, billed as a resistance fighter in Kahndaq.

The JSA is similar to DC's Justice League in more than name only –- it's been called "the League of Nations to the Justice League's UN." The JSA is actually older than the JL by nearly 20 years in the comics, and has included such iconic characters as the Flash, Green Lantern, Sandman, Black Canary, and even Wonder Woman.

The complexities of when and how the JSA and JL exist in the DCEU are what make the possibilities for a Black Adam/JSA franchise so intriguing. When it comes to comic book superheroes, introducing just one character on the big screen -– let alone an entire team -– creates a ripple effect of possibilities and theories for crossovers and universe-connecting events.

If we're talking about Black Adam's franchise-launching qualities, there are some discussions out there related to expanding the DCEU while keeping the films and characters interconnected. One such theory comes from Reddit user Alexandrite1234, and points to a potential JSA spinoff following the group's introduction in "Black Adam." The user also notes the potential for Hourman to make a cameo in "Black Adam" or in a future JSA movie.

In March 2021, it was reported that Warner Bros. and DC Films were working on a film focusing on Hourman, who's had multiple incarnations in the comics since first being introduced in the pages of "Stargirl." With Hourman's and Black Adam's connections to the JSA, there is potential to introduce a version of Hourman alongside those characters in upcoming films.

There's equal potential for the character Doctor Fate, who is set to appear with the JSA in "Black Adam." Doctor Fate's powers are also magical in nature and connect to a mystical being in ancient Egypt. As a founding member of the JSA, which existed during the Golden Age of heroes, the inclusion of the character could point to the era that Black Adam will portray.

With the introduction of Black Adam and the high possibility of multiple films bearing his name, the character and Johnson are theorized to lead the DCEU in an entirely new direction from Zack Snyder's Justice League-centered films. It wouldn't be surprising to see Black Adam and key characters he connects to, like Shazam and the JSA, become the next DCEU anchors. As attention shifts away from Ben Affleck's Batman and Henry Cavill's Superman, films like "Black Adam," "Shazam!" and even "Birds of Prey" signal a key tonal shift in the DCEU's future.

Yes, Black Adam literally started "World War III" –- a series of DC comics that ran in the early 2000s. And beyond the character's first standalone film, fans are theorizing how Black Adam could bring about global events like World War III and connect dozens of other characters to the next phase of the DCEU.

The "World War III" crossover event saw the murders of Black Adam's family by the Four Horsemen of Apokolips. The deaths of his wife and brother-in-law pushed Black Adam over the edge, especially because his wife, Isis, used her last breath to tell him to avenge her death. So, Black Adam decides to get revenge on the entire world.

To try to save the world from Black Adam's rage-filled grief, a slew of superhero teams unite to stop him, including the Justice League, the Justice Society, the Doom Patrol, the Teen Titans, and the Suicide Squad. These super teams –- already seen in other DC films and shows in recent years -– combined with the fact that actor Sarah Shahi has been cast in "Black Adam" to play Adrianna Tomaz (who becomes the goddess Isis in the comics) has fans positing the theory that the "World War III" storyline could work perfectly in a sequel film.