While Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson famously promised that Black Adam would revolutionise the superhero genre, the film’s commercial and critical reception was ultimately disappointing. However, even though Black Adam 2 appears to be off the table, DC is hinting at the return of Johnson’s antihero under a new mantle. This new role offers the opportunity to portray the god-tier threat many fans originally desired.
It initially made sense for Henry Cavill’s Superman to confront Black Adam in the film’s end-credits scene, as Adam is a magical powerhouse capable of rivaling the Man of Steel. This confrontation was meant to fulfill Johnson’s well-known assertion that “the hierarchy of power in the DC universe is about to change.”
Now, that change may be arriving through the comics. In the aftermath of the “Battle of Kansas,” the Lazarus Corporation may have retreated, but they left behind horrifying surprises in their secret weapon caches—the most hazardous being the coffin of the fabled King Shazam. This marks the beginning of a brand-new epic designed to alter the Absolute Universe’s power structure.
While fans might have expected the “Absolute Shazam” to be a reimagined Billy Batson—similar to the new variations of Batman, Wonder Woman, and The Flash—the clues suggest otherwise. Given the clear allusions to a champion capable of taking on Kal-El, many conclude that it is The Rock’s version of the champion, rather than Billy’s, who will break free.
The official storyline synopsis also hints at the appearance of “King Shazam,” a title that sounds more menacing and oppressive than even Teth-Adam’s original name. This “nightmare” version of the character suggests that the high-stakes threat fans missed on the big screen is finally being realized in the Absolute Universe.