Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson has teased on Instagram that he is getting prepared for filming the highly anticipated DC movie, Black Adam this year. Despite many ups and downs and issues getting in the way of the project, it appears that this is finally going to get off the ground.
The former WWE Superstar will finally be stepping into the superhero world, which fans have been wanting to see him in for an incredibly long time. As soon as he was announced to be Black Adam, many fans instantly got excited about seeing him in this role. Of course, for every positive, some fans are happy to go and find a negative, and there are a few reasons as to why Johnson isn’t the perfect person to play the role. Here are five positives and five negatives to Dwayne Johnson being Black Adam.
Good: Charisma
Something that Dwayne Johnson manages to bring to every role he takes on is charisma. The actor simply oozes personality no matter what role he is in, and he seems to only get more confident with each major motion picture he is part of.
Superheroes and villains absolutely need to be full of charisma in order to work. After all, the characts and worlds in which they inhabit are so over the top that they need to be matched by an over the top personality. Johnson will be able to bring that, tenfold, which makes him superb casting.
Bad: Becoming A Villain
Because of his charisma and incredible popularity, one problem that might occur in this movie is having fans buy into Dwayne Johnson as a bad guy. He constantly pushes himself as an incredibly likable person in real life, that translating into this type of role could be difficult.
Fans see Johnson and instantly think of positives and how his natural charisma is certainly a big part of that. While it is a positive for him, it could also be a negative in this regard, as he needs to fully convince fans that he should be hated in this role.
Good: He Cares
Every now and then, an actor is attached to a role that they clearly care very deeply about and want to make work. In the comic book movie genre, Ryan Reynolds being Deadpool is a perfect example. That is the exact same situation we are in with Dwayne Johnson and Black Adam.
This is a character that he pushed to play, opting for this role instead of being the hero, Shazam. Whenever you get an actor who cares so deeply about the role that they’re playing, the chances are that you are going to get an impressive performance.
Bad: The Accent
Anytime that Black Adam has been shown on television in the past with animated content, he has always had an accent put on by the people doing the voice overwork. While there is no reason to not believe that Dwayne Johnson cannot do that, we haven’t seen him do something like that in the past.
There is also a chance that Johnson might not choose to do the accent at all. After all, it wouldn’t be the first time that comic book characters have been altered for the movies. However, that decision would likely frustrate many fans of the character.
Good: The Physical Specimen
Let’s face it, at one point in time everyone has scrolled through Dwayne Johnson’s Instagram feed and just been blown away by his physical condition and his impressive gym routine. He is one of Hollywood’s most ripped actors which stems from his days in professional wrestling.
Because of that, he instantly has the perfect look to play Black Adam. While not every superhero needs to be absolutely ripped (e.g. Spider-Man), Black Adam should look physically impressive, and Johnson certainly ticks that box perfectly.
Bad: “He Always Plays Himself”
Something that Dwayne Johnson is often criticized for by fans is that he “always plays himself” within each character he plays. While that is something that seems to be a very harsh critique (which this writer doesn’t agree with) considering the fact he has worked in a manner of different characters, he does get labeled that way.
Because of that, some fans are no doubt worried about whether Johnson is going to be able to change things up to pull off playing Black Adam. He isn’t the most simple of comic book characters to jump into
Good: Star Power
While many major comic book fans are eagerly awaiting the opportunity to see Black Adam on the big screen, the fact of the matter is that in the wider community, many people don’t know who the character is. Black Adam isn’t on the Superman or Batman level of fame, where they are characters even comic book fans are aware of.
However, because Dwayne Johnson is so popular and has such an incredible level of fame, he will bring a major audience with him to the movie. Many fans will seek out information about the character and watch the film simply because Johnson is in the movie, which is great for everyone involved.
Bad: Focusing On The Anti-Hero
Black Adam has been looked at as a villain and at times as an anti-hero within the comics, and because of how popular Dwayne Johnson is, there’s a good chance that DC may look to immediately focus on the anti-hero work with this casting.
However, that would be a mistake. This is a movie that needs to set the tone for fans who aren’t aware of Black Adam and to do that the evil side of the character must be highlighted. However, there is a fear that it might not end up happening.
Good: Similar Facial Expressions
While most people will instantly look to Dwayne Johnson’s impressive physical appearance as to why he is perfect casting for Black Adam, that isn’t the only way that he looks the part. His facial features are also spot-on for the role, and it is very impressive how close he already looks like the character.
The fact that he already looks similar means that there shouldn’t be a need for massive amounts of CGI or makeup as he has the face to pull off this role perfectly. This is a massive benefit to him being cast, especially for fans of the character.
Bad: Not Comedic
When you look back at Dwayne Johnson’s career to this point, it is fair to say that his best work has taken place in lighthearted projects where he is able to goof around a little. Movies such as Jumanji or even his appearances in the Fast & Furious franchise allow Johnson to have a lot of fun.
This is why he would likely have been better playing the character of Shazam, which he was originally rumored to be doing. That role would have allowed him to showcase a funny side of his personality, whereas Black Adam is a more serious and intense part.
