Sitting down for a press conference with a panel of student journalists for the upcoming DC Blockbuster for “Black Adam,” I wasn’t really sure what to expect. Besides the explosive cast list and promised action, it was possible that “Black Adam” was, simply put, just another superhero movie.
Luckily, after hearing from the cast, it was made clear that “Black Adam,” directed by Jaume Collet-Serra, is meant to be anything but. While the talent gives a number of reasons for this, the main factor setting apart “Black Adam” from the huge genre of beloved comic recreations actually occurred behind the scenes, thanks to the excitement and friendship of the cast.
Starring Dwayne Johnson as Black Adam, labeled as an “antihero,” the action-adventure follows Adam after he is freed from 5,000-year imprisonment, and his interactions with the Justice Society, a group of heroes played by a star-studded cast. Aldis Hodge, Noah Centineo, Sarah Shahi, Marwan Kenzari, Quintessa Swindell, Mohammed Amer, Bodhi Sabongui, and Pierce Brosnan all take a role in the film, and all are equally excited to burst into the genre.
“We’re up there, working our butts off, but we’re living our dreams. I can’t wait to see what the fans have to say,” said Johnson.
From experienced actors like Brosnan, who plays Doctor Fate, to young stars like Quintessa Swindell and Noah Centineo, who play Cyclone and Atom Smasher, respectively, there was not a single cast member on this panel who could manage to hide their excitement, which automatically sets the tone for how the audience should feel about the film
Swindell, when discussing how Cyclone (an upstart young superhero who can control the wind with her mind) was unique from other superheroes, emphasized Cyclone’s growth in the movie:
“She comes from a lineage of superheroes, and there’s this idea: how can I match the person who’s come before me? She’s becoming herself and stepping into her own, and she has these fantastic representations of who she wants to be around her, and a newfound one, which is Black Adam. So, it became this journey of self-realization and self-exploration which really inspired me. And just made me want to step into myself even more and embrace who I am fully,” they said.
Centineo is equally passionate about the project and his role as Atom Smasher, who can transform his molecular structure to grow to tremendous heights.
“I was fortunate to even be considered in this role in the first place…I thought to myself that I would be lucky to be able to sit and learn the craft from these individuals, and the excitement grew and grew and grew…and I feel beyond grateful,” he said.
Brosnan, who has starred in his fair share of action movies, shared the youthful elation of his costars, saying, “I think the timing was perfect for me. Dr. Fate met me at a good time in life, the years I have on me and the experience of life I have lived, and I really enjoyed playing him so enormously, and every day was a joy to go to work with my fellow actors, and we did become a family.
“Dr. Fate is one of the oldest characters in the pantheon of DC comics; he’s a sorcerer, but first and foremost, he’s a man, he’s Kent Nelson, he’s an archeologist…Dr. Fate means a great much to me, I enjoyed playing him enormously.”
To which Johnson adds, “There’s no one else on this planet who could’ve played Dr. Fate better than Pierce.”
Indeed, support from fellow cast members ran rampant during this press conference. Many of the actor’s responses were applauded by their coworkers, hooting and hollering for their eloquence, their insight, or in Brosnan’s case, his accent.
In a movie as high-profile as a DC superhero film, this comradery was unexpected, to say the least.
Those with lesser-known names felt accepted, loved, and incredibly grateful to be working with such a cast, who referred to each other as “family” multiple times throughout the panel.
Mohammed Amer makes his debut as Karim, a Khandaqi (where Black Adam was initially gifted his powers) freedom fighter, highly values his experiences on the “Black Adam” set.
“Working with such a great cast, the producers and directors… it was just so exciting to come in every day not knowing what to expect… it was very, very special to me,” he said.
Aldis Hodge has been in the movie business much longer than Amer but earned applause from his fellow actors when discussing his role, saying:
“This was the first time in my career that I’ve actually been speechless, you know? I was stunned because I had been in the business since I was a baby, and I’ve been a fan of this genre for a while, [when Dwayne Johnson told him he had gotten the role of Hawkman] it all made sense, all the sacrifice, all the hustle, all the hurt, all the rejection, all of it made sense, and I realized there was a value and a purpose to it.
“If not for all the sacrifices and rejections prior, it wouldn’t have led me towards the path I was supposed to be on right here. That’s why you put a value on every single experience because it’s going to push you further.”
Overall, the cast of “Black Adam” oozes (for lack of a better word) enthusiasm and thankfulness. A large portion of this gratitude is attributed to their leading man, Johnson.
“One of the most impressive things about this man is that he wants everyone to win, and he leads with that. I can’t tell you how many times we were on set and if he had the lines that he thought would service another character better, he was so selfless in giving it to them. He’s so selfless in sharing the stage,” says Sarah Shahi, who plays freedom fighter, Adrianna.
Johnson, despite his enormous previous success, reverts back to the eagerness of a child (which makes sense, seeing as he was a self-proclaimed “DC kid” in his youth) when discussing the film.
“We wanted to usher in a new era in the DC universe by introducing these seven new characters to the world, which is not easy to do. But [we wanted to] do it with intrigue and interest and do it with respect to the mythology, for the DC fans, so there was a lot to balance that we all took accountability for…to make a tremendous movie for the fans,” he said.
Will the chemistry and passion of this cast make it through to the big screen? There’s only one way to find out.
“Black Adam” hits theatres on Oct. 21, 2022.