Fans probably won't see Shazam in the Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson has been cast in the role of Black Adam since 2014, but rumors suggesting the former WWE superstar would play the god-like DC villain began emerging as early as 2007. Despite being penciled in for quite some time, it wasn't until this week that Black Adam finally got an official release date for December 2021.
Of course, the interim period included the arrival of DCEU movie with very few DCEU connections, Shazam provided an origin story for Levi's Billy Batson and established the franchise's mix of action and humor - something that DC's cinematic universe had been criticized for previously. Although many fans were hoping, and perhaps even expecting, a cameo from The Rock, Black Adam was only alluded to in Shazam, when the Wizard refers to a previous Champion who turned bad.
Shazam 2, Levi could only have a cameo or post-credits appearance at most.
This strategy is in keeping with DC and Warner Bros.' updated approach to superhero movies. One of the key reasons cited for the failure of the DCEU compared to the Dwayne Johnson's superhero movie debut and establishing the title character.
With this in mind, when will Shazam and Black Adam finally come to blows on the big screen? This hinges on several factors, such as whether Black Adam's release will push back Shazam 2, and when Johnson's schedule will line up with DC's. If Black Adam is used as a Shazam sequel, then it seems inevitable that the two characters will meet in film 3. Something like Shazam (2019), Black Adam (2021), Shazam & Black Adam (2023). However, if Levi's original claim still holds true, the schedule might read more along the lines of Shazam (2019), Black Adam (2021), Shazam 2 (2022), Shazam & Black Adam (2024 onwards). This second option might also come into play if Dwayne Johnson's availability delays proceedings, with Shazam 2 used as a buffer to maintain the franchise's momentum while The Rock is troubling the box office elsewhere. Certainly, if Black Adam's production is anything to go by, a hold up could definitely be on the cards.
