While Johnson may be the biggest movie star in the world, Black Adam isn’t nearly as recognizable. Still, the character's first movie is doing well at the box office, coming in at #1 for the second weekend in a row. This is a personal victory for The Rock, as he spearheaded the development process for a film he's been attached to for years. While horror movies usually come out on top during October, Black Adam was able to rise above the spookiest flicks. The movie star took time to thank fans for coming out to support the superhero film, especially considering the comic book hero’s lack of notoriety.
The odds weren't always in Black Adam's favor, as the character isn't as recognizable as other DC characters. The Red Notice star pointed this out as he thanked his fan’s for Black Adam’s box office success. You can check out his heartfelt message below.
Thank you everyone! 🙏🏾🥂#BlackAdam #1 movie in the world for the second weekend in a row. Strong numbers considering Teth Adam was a little known DC character (to the masses) as well as Justice Society. All 5 superheroes never existed on the big screen until now. #NewEra https://t.co/2Quty78rRZOctober 31, 2022
According to IMDB, Black Adam grossed $27.7 million after a fairly quiet movie-going Halloween weekend. Coming in second was the George Clooney/Julia Roberts led romantic comedy, Ticket to Paradise, which brought in $10 million. These star vehicles were followed by three horror movies, Prey for the Devil, Smile, and Halloween Ends, which grossed $7 million, $5 million, and $3.8 million respectively. Halloween End’s theatrical release coincided with a same-day streaming release for Peacock subscribers, which probably contributed to its less-than-stellar box office performance.
While Black Adam may be leading in box office numbers, it is critically falling flat. A majority of the reviews for the superhero epic have been negative, contributing to the concern over the future for the DCEU. Henry Cavill’s surprise cameo as Superman wasn’t enough to win everyone over, even with The Rock’s charming campaign to hype fans up for the film. However, Cavill’s return to the franchise for future films may be enough to invigorate the cinematic universe, and there still seems to be fan excitement for the new Aquaman and Shazam films in 2023.
The DCEU has had a wayward start since its inception. Batman v Superman critically tanked despite massive box office numbers, and seemed to set the stage for what followed for the franchise. A messy and difficult production on Justice League led to Ben Affleck leaving his Bruce Wayne role, and controversies surrounding Ezra Miller has led to problems surrounding The Flash which is set to release in 2023. The DCEU can not seem to get critics on its side, and may have to rely on fan support for future iterations of these heroes.
However, Guardian’s of the Galaxy director James Gunn was recently tapped to lead DC Studios as Warner Bros. moves forward with new projects. Stars like Dwayne Johnson, Jason Momoa, and Gal Gadot are still big draws for fans and may be able to devise a path forward. In addition, DC films outside the DCEU films like The Batman and Joker have been wildly successful, so possibly integrating these films into the franchise could help elevate the DCEU.
Black Adam is currently still in theaters, and will most likely be available for HBO Max subscribers in the near future. To revamp your DCEU knowledge ahead of time, check out our feature on how to watch the DC movies in order. For more information on other films coming to theaters and streaming later this year, check out our 2022 movie release schedule.
