Small Details You Missed In The First Black Adam Trailer
Being a seasoned sports entertainer, successful A-list action hero, and a physical colossus, Dwayne Johnson is one of those guys who is seemingly custom-made to play a superhero. As the first "Black Adam" trailer readily proves, Johnson certainly fills the shoes (and costume) of the titular DC antihero so well that the viewer is already mildly terrified for Shazam (Zachary Levi), Adam's longtime nemesis who — let's face it — will inevitably encounter the "man in black" at some point down the line.
Before that, however, Black Adam has to face a whole bunch of other people — and by the looks of the trailer (via YouTube), he might have his work cut out for him. The first sneak peek at this particular corner of the DC Extended Universe is full of colorful characters and powerful superheroes. In fact, it's so full that the viewer might have a hard time noticing everything on the first or even fifth viewing. Fortunately, you don't need to spend half of your day on a quest to find all the intriguing secrets in the first "Black Adam" trailer. We've got you covered.
That's Atom Smasher doing his best Doctor Manhattan
Since the JSA is clearly going to be a key part of Black Adam's story in (what looks like) the present day, the trailer highlights a few members of the team and their flashy abilities. One of the biggest reveals is Atom Smasher, who's played by none other than "To All The Boys I Loved Before" star Noah Centineo — although we can't really see his face behind that blue mask. Yes, at 0:53 Atom Smasher does his best Doctor Manhattan impression by striding through the streets at his giant-size. It's an impressive shot that reveals a good look at Atom Smasher's costume, complete with glowing blue highlights across his body.
In the comics, Atom Smasher's real name is Albert Rothstein and he's a metahuman with the powers to increase his size and strength. But the glowing blue highlights on his suit in the "Black Adam" trailer might suggest that he's using technology to enhance his size, rather than relying on metahuman abilities. Either way, it's an impressive first look at the hero — and hopefully Centineo gets to prove himself alongside the likes of Dwayne Johnson, Pierce Brosnan, and Aldis Hodge.
It'll be interesting to see whether Atom Smasher has a rivalry with Black Adam like he does when the ruler of Kahndaq joins the team in 2002's "JSA" #21 (via Fandom).
Hawkman spreads his wings
The trailer also shows off Aldis Hodge as Carter Hall aka Hawkman, and it's great to see him finally get the cinematic treatment. DC fans might remember that a version of the winged archeologist shows up on the "Smallville" series, where he's played by Michael Shanks. Falk Hentschel also had a more recent crack at the character in "The Flash" and "DC's Legends of Tomorrow." So, it's about time that Carter is finally making the leap to the big screen. The footage shows him wearing a regal suit of red and gold armor before he extends his wings, which DC fans know are made out of the precious Nth metal (via Fandom).
Carter Hall is the reincarnated version of an ancient Egyptian prince, Khufu, and he's always destined to die at the hands of his archenemy, Hath-Set. So don't be surprised if Hawkman dies in "Black Adam," only to show up in a future movie under a different identity. That's kind of his deal. It's also worth pointing out that his story is intertwined with the story of Hawkgirl, who is the reincarnated version of Princess Chay-Ara. It's possible that she'll also play a part of the DC Extended Universe somewhere down the line.
Hawkman clearly has a head for doing the right thing, since he defiantly tells Black Adam in the trailer that "heroes don't kill people."
To which Black Adam responds, "I do."
Awkward.
A Cyclone forms
As previously mentioned, we're given brief glimpses throughout the trailer of some notable members from the Justice Society of America, most importantly their leader: Hawkman. However, amid these short introductions is a small clip of what looks like a cloud of green gas rocketing through the sky. This is most likely the superhero Cyclone, set to be played in "Black Adam" by Quintessa Swindell. In the comics, Cyclone (whose real name is Maxine Hunkel) is the granddaughter of Ma Hunkel, the original Red Tornado (via DC Database).
Though her grandmother may not have had any inherent superhero powers outside of a skill for hand-to-hand combat, Maxine has developed an incredibly powerful set of abilities much more akin to later iterations of the Red Tornado. In the comics, Cyclone has the power to manipulate wind, which allows her to create and control phenomena such as tornadoes, whirlwinds, and cyclones.
Though it's incredibly hard to get a glimpse of what is at the center of this gaseous anomaly in the trailer, the green and red color scheme matches up perfectly with the red hair and green suit that Cyclone wears within the comics.
Shiruta Electronics explained
Around the 1:38-mark, we watch as Black Adam stops a van driven by Professor Adrianna Tomaz (Sarah Shahi) and her associate (played by comedian Mohammed Amer), as the two are crossing through a war-torn desert. On the side of this van is the name "Shiruta Electronics," which ought to sound very familiar to longtime fans of DC Comics. In the comics, Shiruta is the name of the capital city of Kahndaq, a sovereign nation located on the Sinai Peninsula that was conquered by none other than Black Adam himself (via DC Database). The city is even named after Adam's first wife, Shiruta, who died thousands of years ago in ancient Egypt.
Since we know that Adam is (at least at the start of the film) only recently released from his 5,000 years of imprisonment, it seems unlikely that we will see him take control of Shiruta and Kahndaq — though the appearance of "Shiruta Electronics" might indicate that the capital city will play a key role in the story itself. Since Amer's character (who has yet to be named) is in the driver's seat, we can only assume that this is actually his van, and that he may be an employee of the so-called "Shiruta Electronics," or a resident within the city itself.
In any case, seeing such a clear reference to Shiruta certainly indicates that we may see the city within the film. One has to wonder how Adam will react knowing it was named after his long-dead wife.
Isis rolls up in a colorful van
It seems that "Black Adam" will explore the longstanding relationship between the titular antihero and Adrianna Tomaz aka Isis (Sarah Shahi), an Egyptian goddess imbued with powers upon her acquisition of a mystical amulet. Unfortunately, the trailer makes it clear that the characters aren't destined for a happy reunion, as she looks nervous to see him as he parades around the desert, grabbing rockets with his bare hands. Such is a day in the life of Black Adam.
Of course, it remains to be seen how Isis will inform Black Adam in the movie. In the comics, she can be credited for helping him discover his inner good and uncover his romantic side. She basically changes his worldview after he frees her from enslavement at the hands of the villainous Intergang organization. "Black Adam" looks set to explore the titular character putting the "anti" in "antihero," so it's safe to assume that Isis will play a big part in his journey.
The JSA has been updated to present day
Considering the fact that Black Adam has seemingly been down for the count for 5,000 years at the outset of this film, it's interesting to note that the heroes waiting to greet him are from a different era themselves — at least, in the comics.
While their group's name isn't mentioned in the trailer, the JSA or Justice Society of America originated in the 1940s during the Golden Age of Comic Books (via Fandom). It initially comprised Doctor Fate and Hawkman (played here by Pierce Brosnan and Aldis Hodge). However, other original members include Hourman, The Spectre, Sandman, Atom, Jay Garrick's Flash, and Alan Scott's Green Lantern.
The team was eventually phased out in 1951, and replaced by the Justice League of America in 1960. Seen as a superteam of yesteryear, they've undergone a number of revivals, with Atom Smasher (Noah Centineo) and Cyclone (Quintessa Swindell) joining the official ranks of the JSA in 2011 (via Newsarama). It's notable then, that the trailer places the bulk of the film's plot in present day (or something close), rather than harkening back to the '40s or '50s.
We'll see how the good 'ol boys of DC Comics weather the update when "Black Adam" premieres this fall.