Doug Liman is developing his own ‘Road House’ sequel.
It would be based on a script by the 1989 movie’s writer R. Lance Hill.
This would be a rival for Amazon MGM’s sequel to the 2024 remake.
Here’s an intriguing twist on the ‘Road House’ saga.
Doug Liman, who directed the 2024 remake but ended up disagreeing with studio Amazon MGM over its release on Prime Video instead of theaters (more on that below), is developing his own new ‘Road House’ movie.
That would be a completely different project from the sequel to the remake that Amazon MGM has in the works even now.
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According to Deadline, Liman has acquired the rights to R. Lance Hill’s sequel script ‘Road House: Dylan,’ which follows up the events of the 1989 original, starring Patrick Swayze as bouncer Dalton (Hill wrote that movie too).
(L to R) Casey Affleck, director Doug Liman and Matt Damon on the set of ‘The Instigators’. Photo: Apple TV+.
Liman made a deal to direct what became the 2024 ‘Road House’ which starred Jake Gyllenhaal as a new version of Dylan, this one a UFC fighter who starts working at a roadside bar as a bouncer to stop the local thugs and corrupt businessman trashing the place.
The original plan –– and Liman’s agreement –– was for the movie to hit theaters. It tested well enough to be a sleeper theatrical hit, but Amazon decided it would be released directly to Prime Video.
While Liman and producer Joel Silver even screened the picture for Amazon chief Jeff Bezos and his now-wife Lauren Sanchez Bezos, Amazon creative execs would not yield.
There was even a PR conflict, as Liman placed a Deadline article complaining about the move, but did attend the premiere. And the movie became a streaming hit, the biggest film debut ever with a record-breaking 50 million worldwide viewers in its first two weekends on Prime Video.
This new potential sequel is fraught with its own issues, as there is disagreement over who owns the rights to Hill’s original ‘Road House’ script and anything spawned from it.
What’s the latest with Amazon’s ‘Road House’ sequel?
And there is another new recruit for the follow-up to the 2024 Prime Video release, as Deadline brings word that Aldis Hodge, recently seen as the star of the company’s ‘Cross’, is now also aboard.
The 1989 original, directed by Rowdy Herrington, starred Patrick Swayze in the story of a roadside dive called The Double Deuce, a sleazy music joint in the small town of Jasper, Missouri, “the kind of place where they sweep up the eyeballs after closing”.
The owner, tired of his place being wrecked by muscle-bound “power drinkers” and provocative bimbos, hires the best bouncer in the business (Swayze’s Dalton) to cool things down. Famously, he starts off charming but doesn’t hesitate to take extreme throat-ripping measures when pushed to his limit.
For the 2024 re-invention, with Doug Liman this time in the director’s chair, Gyllenhaal took on the slightly adjusted role of Dalton, this time a former UFC fighter looking to find new meaning in his life who finds work as a bouncer at a property owned by Frankie (Jessica Williams).
The movie became a big hit for Amazon, drawing 2.3 million households between March 21st, which is when it was added to the Prime Video library, and March 24th.
At Amazon’s Upfront presentation last May –– where it promotes its upcoming movies and shows to advertisers to encourage them to purchase pricey spots on its service –– the company announced that a ‘Road House’ sequel was in the early stages of development.
Will Beall is at work on the script for the sequel, which is a mystery for now –– though a mid-credits scene in the 2024 movie showed Conor McGregor’s villain Knox wreaking havoc at a hospital and escaping unscathed, so presumably that rematch is something that could well be picked up for the new movie, though that plan might be scuppered given that McGregor has recently been embroiled in some legal scandals.
When will the ‘Road House’ sequel be on screens?
Prime Video has yet to confirm when the new movie might arrive, but given the initial reboot’s success, we suspect this new one might also skip theaters and head instead straight to streaming.
Aldis Hodge as Alex Cross in ‘Cross’. Credit: Keri Anderson/Prime Video. Copyright: Amazon MGM Studios.
Launching on Prime Video on Thursday 14th November with all eight episodes, ‘Cross’ is the newest cop thriller based on the work of prolific author James Patterson.
While previous versions have been on the big screen –– Morgan Freeman famously played the character in a couple of movies and Tyler Perry was Cross in the 2012 film named for the character –– this incarnation features Aldis Hodge as the main character.
But is TV, famously home to the police procedural genre, the right place for the character? The answer to that is complicated.
Aldis Hodge as Alex Cross in ‘Cross’. Credit: Keri Anderson/Prime Video. Copyright: Amazon MGM Studios.
Perhaps the biggest issue that Patterson fans may have with ‘Cross’ is that it takes some big liberties with the character. Show creator Ben Watkins skirts around that by having this take on the conflicted cop be “inspired” by the books, which means he’s not beholden to any one plotline.
And it’s certainly true that a lot of what you might expect from Cross –– his intelligence, his tragic past, his determination –– is present and correct here. Hodge is also an asset, playing the character with grit, steel and charm. The biggest problem is that a lot of ‘Cross’ is essentially the usual serial killer plot with a few extra layers, and it doesn’t always work.
Script and Direction
Aldis Hodge as Alex Cross in ‘Cross’. Credit: Quantrell Colbert/Prime Video. Copyright: Amazon MGM Studios.
With Watkins leading the writers’ room, the ‘Cross’ story will probably be familiar to anyone who has watched a serial killer thriller, and that’s partly by design. After all, the Alex Cross books are very much in that mold. Yet while Watkins has got a better handle on what makes Cross tick as an African–American man than Patterson might, what that inspires feels like fairly standard stuff.
Tensions a running high on the initial case Cross is working, as a local leader and activist is found dead, and the Washington, D.C. community is up in arms. But it soon transpires that the dead man is just one of the targets of a devious serial killer who has a twisted extra reason for getting creative with his victims.
While Watkins has a way with Cross’ sweary attitude, the feeling is less of Alex Cross than just a generic homicide on cop on the trail of a killer.
Stacey Muhammad, Craig Siebels and Nzingha Stewart, share directing duties on the series, and while the show is generally well shot, there’s not much that makes it stand out from a hundred other offerings in the genre.
Performances
A show like this lives and dies on the casting of its central figure, and fortunately for ‘Cross,’ it has a strong leading man in Aldis Hodge. In fact, he stands out to such a degree that it’s hard for many others to make an impact.
Aldis Hodge as Alex Cross
Aldis Hodge as Alex Cross in ‘Cross’. Credit: Keri Anderson/Prime Video. Copyright: Amazon MGM Studios.
We’re introduced to Cross (well, after a quick flashback to see how his wife died) in the midst of an interrogation where his smarts and charisma are allowed full flow. Hodge nails the scene and the rest of the show, bringing the character life in a way that’s different from how he’s been seen on screen before.
It might not quite be the Cross of the books, but he’s the one thing that actually makes the show stand out more from the pack. There’s a real feeling of energy and intensity from the actor, and he carries the baggage of Cross effectively. It’s not his fault that his character’s background is so straight-from-the-shelf it nears parody at times.
Ryan Eggold as Ed Ramsey in ‘Cross’. Credit: Keri Anderson/Prime Video. Copyright: Amazon MGM Studios.
Eggold does his best as Ramsey, the twisted mind who has been kidnapping people and… well, the rest would be a spoiler. But while he’s suitably creepy and weird, undercutting his handsome looks with twitches and glassy-eyed moments, the role is still very much seen-it-before serial killer stuff: lots of speeches about his own genius and ideas and preening when he thinks he’s gotten away with it all.
Isaiah Mustafa as John Sampson in ‘Cross’. Credit: Quantrell Colbert/Prime Video. Copyright: Amazon MGM Studios.
Cross’s best friend and fellow detective is a key part of this story, and Mustafa plays well against Hodge, though the role doesn’t often give him much of a chance to shine, at least until tension creeps in between the pair.
Supporting cast
Cross (the man) comes complete with two adorable moppets who are also mourning their mother’s death and a kindly, but no-nonsense mother-in-law. Dotted around are the usual gathering of cop colleagues and criminals.
Final Thoughts
(L to R) Isaiah Mustafa as John Sampson, Aldis Hodge as Alex Cross in ‘Cross’. Credit: Keri Anderson/Prime Video. Copyright: Amazon MGM Studios.
There’s some entertainment value in ‘Cross,’ but at times it is painfully generic. There’s only so much you can do to jazz up an Alex Cross tale, and honestly, while this has an edgier feel than the Morgan Freeman movies, it can’t overcome the strictures of its own genre.
Yet if you enjoy the show, there’s good news to report –– Prime Video has already announced that a second season has already been commissioned.
‘Cross’ receives 6 out of 10 stars.
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What’s the plot of ‘Cross’?
‘Cross’ follows the investigations of brilliant forensic psychologist and DC Metro Detective Alex Cross (Aldis Hodge). Together with his best friend and partner Detective John Sampson (Isiah Mustafa), Cross delves into the psyches of insidious murderers while fighting to protect his family from the dangers of the criminal world.
Cross and Sampson are backed by a team of Washington DC detectives, along with FBI agent Kayla Craig (Alona Tal). Together, they help Cross uncover the truth behind serial killers, high–profile kidnappings, and even a deadly personal stalker.
Yet all the backup in the world can’t save Cross from himself. Cross is driven by a deep desire to do right –– especially by victims who don’t have the power to defend themselves. But he struggles with the psychological fallout of his work, desperate to insulate his family and everyone he loves.
Moviefone recently had the pleasure of speaking with Aldis Hodge about his work on ‘Parallel,’ developing the screenplay, creating a realistic multiverse, playing multiple versions of his character, working with his brother, and Danielle Deadwyler’s strong performance.
Aldis Hodge in ‘Parallel.’ Photo: Vertical Entertainment.
The actor also discussed his possible future in James Gunn’s new DC Universe, confirmed that he is not in talks to play Green Lantern John Stewart, and looks back at playing Hawkman in ‘Black Adam.’
You can read the full interview below or click on the video player above to watch our interviews with Aldis Hodge, Edwin Hodge, and director Kourosh Ahari.
Aldis Hodge talks ‘Parallel.’
Moviefone: To begin with, can you talk about developing the screenplay, the themes you wanted to explore, and creating a realistic multiverse?
Aldis Hodge: It’s weird, we didn’t even think about the term multiverse, and now, it’s becoming more and more apparent to me that that’s exactly what we were doing. We were just working based off the original film ‘Parallel Forest,’ the Chinese version that we saw, that we were inspired by, and it really came down to the complexities of the relationships. The way they approached it in the original film, I think that they had a genius approach to the emotional depth and subtleties there. We just wanted to do our version of that, but in a way, something that paid homage, or honored the original film, and how it inspired us. The film was brought to my brother and I by Jaylen Moore, from Rumble Riot. Jaylen is a good buddy of ours, and he brought us a really great opportunity, then introduced us to Jonathon Keasey, who was another writer on the project. My brother and I, we got up and we talked to John, and the process between my brother and I, going back and forth, was easy. We know how we work; we just want to get the job done. We had the same goal, the same intention moving forward with this project. Anytime you’re working on anything with anybody, if it’s your family, your partner, your business partners, if everybody has the same goal in mind, everybody has a different route to get there, but if you have the same goal in mind, you’re going to get there. Where my brother had a different approach to certain things, that opened my mind to being able to see different options, and where I had a different approach to certain things, that opened his mind, and we just complimented each other on the journey. I call this a great education. This was school for us, and it was wonderful.
(L to R) Aldis Hodge and Edwin Hodge in ‘Parallel.’ Photo: Vertical Entertainment.
MF: What was it like for you to get write, produce and act in this project with your brother and really share this experience with him?
AH: This was our first time as writers and producers, but we’ve acted together in many projects before, from ‘Sesame Street,’ when we were kids, to ‘Die Hard with a Vengeance,’ to ‘Big Momma’s House.’ We’ve done ‘Showboat,’ we did a run of ‘Showboat’ on Broadway for a long time together. We’re used to working with each other, and we’ve always been looking forward to getting an opportunity to work together again. Here, we just learned a lot on the producing side, how to manage a team, how to really stay in your lane, and figure out how to get people to understand how to approach you, and how to see you. For us, that was the new experience, where we were learning together, and we would go home and just talk about it. We’d talk about the day, and figure out, “All right, this didn’t go so well over here. How do we want to attack that tomorrow? This went right, and how do we keep it going well?” It was constant check-ins, and making sure that we were up to date on everything that we needed to get done.
Aldis Hodge in ‘Parallel.’ Photo: Vertical Entertainment.
MF: Can you talk about the first version of Alex that we see in this movie, his relationship with his wife Vanessa, and how he is dealing with her grief?
AH: Alex number one? I don’t want to give away the cookies, but he is a grieving husband. Him and his wife are dealing with a situation they can’t control. He doesn’t really know how to deal with her, or handle her on it, so he’s just trying to figure it out. He’s at a loss as well, and he is hurting in a way where he needs somebody to be there for him, but he needs to be there for somebody else, and he must figure out what that balance is. He’s going through it, but the relationship between him and Vanessa is very much layered. It’s not easy, because there’s a lot of doubt, a lot of blame, a lot of guilt that they’re dealing with as husband and wife, and they don’t know how to get back to being husband and wife. They’re lost in their grief, and it becomes suffocating.
Danielle Deadwyler in ‘Parallel.’ Photo: Vertical Entertainment.
MF: What was it like working with Danielle Deadwyler and building that relationship with her?
AH: She’s amazing, man. I keep repeating myself, but she was a gift, and she blessed us with her gifts, and I’m just so grateful. For my brother and I’s first time out, venturing into this space, rookies, we couldn’t have gotten luckier having somebody with this talent of this magnitude, and being able to come with so much humility, grace, poise, and just kindness. She’s a sweet person, a sweetheart, and she just also happens to be very brilliant at what she does, so we were very lucky. She’s a rockstar, you know what I mean? Again, we got lucky.
(L to R) Aldis Hodge and Danielle Deadwyler in ‘Parallel.’ Photo: Vertical Entertainment.
MF: Can you talk about the challenges of playing multiple versions of the same character, and was there one version that you really enjoyed playing?
AH: That is the challenge, and that’s the thing that drew me to it. That’s the biggest opportunity presented as an actor, from just that isolated lane, being able to figure out how to, in the same space, in the same film, make these several different people, and make them as obviously different as possible. That’s really where the fun lies, because for me, I just chose different emotional groups, and applied them to different versions, to say, “You represent this, and you represent that.” It was the easiest way, because I’m not going to lie, there were some days where I’ll be on set, and I’d get confused. I’m like, “Which version am I playing now?” Someone is like, “Didn’t you write it?” I’m like, “Yeah, I wrote it, but don’t worry about it. Help me figure it out.” I wanted to make sure that I got that right, because just in my career, that’s always been something that I aim for. To play a bunch of different roles as varied and vast as possible and have such a body of work that is just so diverse it cannot be compared or quantified in any similar space, and this is as obvious of an opportunity, and a challenge to do so. I was happy about that. I didn’t have a favorite, but the idea of Alex is just my favorite because the thing that I loved about this was playing the differences, being able to challenge myself with having to be as familiar and equally unique in the same space as possible. I look at films as opportunities to go to the gym, flex my muscles a little bit, and to work out. For this film, what I was trying to work out, or work on was, how sharp and distinct can I be when it comes to really trying to build out this whole person? Usually, you’re on set, you only must worry about playing one person. Even if they’re pretending to be somebody else, it’s still the same person. You only must worry about one perspective. This one, you have a few very different versions, with very different perspectives, and I just wanted to make sure I hit that as much as possible. It’s really the whole idea of Alex that is my favorite.
‘Green Lantern: Beware My Power.’ Photo: Warner Bros. Animation.
MF: Recently there was an online rumor that you might play Green Lantern John Stewart in the new DCU. Is that true? Have you had any talks with James Gunn or DC Studios about it, and would that mean that you won’t return as Hawkman?
AH: I want to set the record straight. I was doing an interview, and someone asked me about my future in DC. I told them, I don’t know, because that’s above my pay grade. They asked me if I wasn’t coming back to reprise my role as Hawkman, is there anybody else I’d want to be? “What about John Stewart?” I said, well, I’ve been voicing John Stewart in the animated space for a few years now. I always had an affinity for that character, and I think that would be cool, but I’m not having conversations about it. Someone asked me, and I just said, yeah, that would be a cool idea. If that was on their mind, and they picked up the phone, I’d be open to it. Again, that’s above my pay grade. You’re going to have to go talk to DC about that. Ain’t nobody called me about nothing, so we can calm that chatter right there.
MF: Finally, looking back at your role as Hawkman in ‘Black Adam’ and making that movie, was it a positive experience for you personally?
AH: Honestly, it was one of the best sets I’ve ever worked on. The cast was incredible. I have so many great memories from that film, from that film family. Shout outs to everybody. Honestly, we had a great time. DJ (Dwayne Johnson) is great, him and his whole camp are great. I miss my people, from Noah (Centineo) to Quintessa (Swindell) to Mr. Pierce Brosnan, the coolest brother in the room, Mo (Mohammed Amer), and Sarah Shahi. Everybody was dope on that set. I’m happy that we got a chance to get at it, because it was one of the best experiences of my career.
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What is the Plot of ‘Parallel’?
Parallel follows the story of Vanessa (Danielle Deadwyler) who takes refuge at her family’s lake house to grieve after suffering the loss of her child. Accompanied by her husband, Alex (Aldis Hodge), and his brother, Martel (Edwin Hodge), Vanessa attempts to regain her sense of normalcy after the tragedy. But soon after their arrival, she experiences an aberration when she is attacked by a parallel universe’s version of herself. Faced with the reality that multiverses exist, she must reconcile the fact that these parallel gates will either hold the key to releasing her grief or trapping her forever.
Who is in the Cast of ‘Parallel’?
Danielle Deadwyler as Vanessa
Aldis Hodge as Alex
Edwin Hodge as Martel
(L to R) Aldis Hodge, Danielle Deadwyler and Edwin Hodge in ‘Parallel.’ Photo: Vertical Entertainment.
(L to R) Dwayne Johnson in ‘Black Adam’ and Zachary Levi in ‘Shazam! Fury of the Gods.’
There are new revelations coming to light about what has been happening behind the scenes of DC movies. But before we go any further, we should specify that there are spoilers ahead for one of the end credits scenes of ‘Shazam! Fury of the Gods’.
According to various sources, Dwayne Johnson –– star, producer and PR figurehead behind the ‘Black Adam’ movie –– vetoed the appearance of ‘Adam’ characters from the Justice Society of America showing up at the end of the Zachary Levi-starring superhero sequel.
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What was supposed to happen at the end of the ‘Shazam!’ sequel?
Here’s where we get into spoiler territory: in the first of two end credits scenes, Levi’s Shazam was supposed to be approached by Hawkman (Aldis Hodge) and at least one other member of the Justice Society to join their team.
In the final film, it’s actually Agent Emilia Harcourt (Jennifer Holland) and John Economos (Steve Agee) from ‘The Suicide Squad’ and ‘Peacemaker’ who show up to drop word that the Society wants Shazam. It’s a little more confusing, since that pair have nothing to do with the Justice Society, but the swap was necessary when the Rock blocked the original plan.
“There were supposed to be characters from the Justice Society, but that fell apart three days before we were going to roll cameras. So, Peter Safran, who produced this movie and ‘Peacemaker’, made some calls, and thankfully, Jen Holland and Steve Agee were able to come by on very short notice.”
Johnson, of course, was attached to the role of Black Adam for more than a decade before the movie actually arrived last year. While the original plan had been for the historic Shazam antagonist (who has moved closer to anti-hero status as the years have gone by) to show up as the villain in the first ‘Shazam!’ movie, Johnson pushed for him to get his own film.
And in advance of ‘Black Adam’, he began focusing more on the idea of Adam going up against Superman rather than Shazam, with Henry Cavill (who, when he was still scheduled to return as the character, showing up in a post-credits scene in ‘Black Adam).
Of course, all of that was planned before James Gunn and Peter Safran took over running the DC Studios arm of Warner Bros. Discovery and have largely decided to wipe the slate clean and start over. And it’s worth pointing out, before ‘Black Adam’ underperformed at the box office.
The studio is naturally hoping there will be less of this sort of chaos now that Gunn and Safran are on board and overseeing more of the connections between movies and characters, but time will tell.
But that will all change on October 21st when ‘Black Adam’ which stars Dwayne Johnson and was directed by Jaume Collet-Serra (‘Jungle Cruise’) hits theaters. The new movie brilliantly adapts the source material without ever watering down the brutality of the character and absolutely elevates the DCEU in the process.
In the new movie, Johnson plays Teth-Adam, a slave from the ancient city of Kahndaq who is given powers by the Wizard Shazam (Djimon Hounsou reprising his role from ‘Shazam!’) transforming him into the anti-hero Black Adam. But after saving his people he is imprisoned for five thousand years and is finally released in present day by university professor and Kahndaq resistance fighter Adrianna Tomaz (Sarah Shahi).
Black Adam soon attracts the attention of U.S. Government Agent Amanda Waller (Viola Davis), who dispatches the Justice Society of America to take Black Adam down before he becomes a threat. But once Hawkman (Aldis Hodge), Dr. Fate (Pierce Brosnan), Cyclone (Quintessa Swindell), and Atom Smasher (Noah Centineo) arrive in Kahndaq, Adam does not take well to their warning.
But when the leader of a terrorist organization known as Intergang seizes control of the ancient demon Sabbac, Adrianna must convince Black Adam and the Justice Society to put their differences aside and fight together as a team to save the world.
It was only a matter of time before Dwayne Johnson starred in a live-action super hero movie, and I’m sure he has been offered other super hero roles to play over the years. In fact, rumor is he was given the choice between playing Shazam or Black Adam and chose the latter. That always seemed like an odd choice to me as Black Adam is Shazam’s archenemy in the comics, and Johnson is such a huge star and likable person, you’d think he’d want to play the hero?
My biggest fear was that because Johnson was cast in the role, Black Adam would be made into a more heroic character, like we’ve seen with the ‘Venom’ movies. However, as DC Comics fans know, there was a brief arc in the late 90s and early 2000s where Black Adam did become a hero and joined the Justice Society. Even very recently in the comics, he had become good again and joined the ranks of the Justice League, so at least the idea of making him an anti-hero is not too far off from the source material.
Director Jaume Collet-Serra skillfully pulls off the balancing act of having Black Adam be both the hero and villain at the same time. Adam’s origin story unfolds mysteriously throughout the film in flashbacks allowing the audience to learn about him as the other characters do. He is depicted as violent and brutal, but he also believes in justice and is willing to do anything to protect those that he loves, just like in the comics.
While Johnson plays the character more of a misguided hero than the true villain he is in the comics, the actor gives one of his best performances and is truly the only actor alive that could have pulled off this role physically. Just one look at him and you know he is a real threat for the Justice Society.
Johnson’s performance reminded me of Arnold Schwarzenegger’s work in ‘The Terminator’ and ‘T2.’ Say what you will about Arnold’s acting abilities, but he was born to play that robot, and did so much with very little movement. Johnson does the same thing, communicating his emotions with very little movement or dialogue.
The movie also reinforces the idea that the DCEU is still alive and well. While it’s no longer the dark “Snyderverse” that director Zach Snyder created with his trilogy (‘Man of Steel,’ ‘Batman v Superman,’ ‘Justice League’), those characters and events still exist. One of the early criticisms I’ve heard about the movie is that Collet-Serra tries too hard to recreate Snyder’s signature slow-motion fight scenes, and I actually didn’t see it that way.
Yes, Collet-Serra does use slow-motion quite a bit, but I would compare it more to the use of slow-motion in the Quicksilver scenes from ‘X-Men: Days of Future Past.’ The slow-motion is not used for arbitrary reasons, but rather to highlight how fast Black Adam is moving, Dr. Fate’s magic, or how powerful Cyclone’s tornados are. I liked the use of slow-motion and thought it added to the action rather than distracting. Kudos to the editing team of John Lee and Michael L. Sale, who make all the action sequences pop.
The Justice Society is a great added attraction for DC fans but having them work for Amanda Waller felt a bit off. We last saw her own team stage a rebellion against her in ‘The Suicide Squad’ and it doesn’t make a lot of sense that the JSA is now taking orders from her, but it doesn’t really affect the plot, although sending Task Force-X, especially after the events of ‘Peacemaker,’ would have made more sense.
Aldis Hodge is very strong as Hawkman and brings the stubbornness of the character from the comics. Pierce Brosnan was also a wonderful casting choice and has the right level of likability and gravitas for the role. Quintessa Swindell is a nice addition as Cyclone, but much of her backstory seemed cut from the film and unfortunately, she did not have a lot to do. The same could be said for Noah Centineo as Atom Smasher, who is probably the weakest link in the cast, and isn’t given enough screen time to make an impact.
Rounding out the cast is also a very good performance from Sarah Shahi as Adrianna Tomaz, who is the only person that can truly get through to Black Adam. The actress has very good chemistry with Johnson, and perhaps will be back in sequels as her comic book super hero alter-ego, Isis.
I will say that there is a mid-credit scene that you will not want to miss which welcomes back a former DCEU actor and character. I don’t want to give it away, even though Johnson basically has while promoting the movie, but I will say that it promises an epic fight in the future of the franchise that is very exciting for DC fans.
At the end of the day, ‘Black Adam’ pulls it off and delivers what it promised, a no-holds-barred approach to the popular DC character. While tweaking with the tone at times, the movie does stay true to the source material, and features a commanding star-turn from Dwayne Johnson. Watch out Marvel … DC is back!
The new movies stars Dwayne Johnson as Black Adam, an anti-hero from the ancient city of Kahndaq who awakens in present day after five thousand years of imprisonment.
He soon draws the attention of the Justice Society of America including Hawkman (Aldis Hodge) and Dr. Fate (Pierce Brosnan) and must team-up with them in order to stop a threat more powerful than Adam himself.
Moviefone recently had the pleasure of sitting down with Dwayne Johnson in-person to talk about his work on ‘Black Adam,’ why fans should be excited for the movie, and why Black Adam was the right super hero for him to play.
You can read our full interview below or click on the video player above to watch our interviews with Dwayne Johnson, Aldis Hodge, Pierce Brosnan, Noah Centineo, Quintessa Swindell, Sarah Shahi, Mohammed Amer.
Moviefone: To begin with, what would you say to your fans and DC Comics fans to get them pumped-up and ready to see this movie?
Dwayne Johnson: Oh, get ready because we are going to deliver something I think that you are already anticipating. I think right now they are hearing rumblings that the movie is pretty good.
They’re hearing rumblings about some other things that might be happening in the movie. They’re hearing rumblings about maybe somebody is joining us in this movie. They’re hearing a lot of rumblings.
So, I would say get your popcorn, get to the theater, the biggest, most immersive theater you can, but also know this because we as actors, we sell our movies. Get to the movies, you got to see it on the biggest screen.
I put all I had into this movie, and this has been a 10 plus year push, fight and journey to get it to this place where we could take something that I love, and I love the DC universe. I like Marvel and all those guys are my buddies.
But I love DC and this opportunity that we have to expand the DC Universe, introduce five new beloved superheroes, or four and one anti-hero, it’s just a great opportunity. So, I hope that fans, when going to their theater, I hope they feel the passion and the fight that went into this in ‘Black Adam.’
MF: Finally, I know it took a long time for you to get this movie made, and I’m sure you have been offered other super heroes to play over the years. Why was Black Adam the right character for you to portray on screen?
DJ: Because he represented so many characteristics that I have. Now, what I mean by that because that’s a tough one for me to say, is just that I have reached a point in my life right now as I sit and talk to you where I’m confident in who I am.
No one can tell me, “Hey, you can’t be like that. You have to walk like this, talk like this. Don’t call yourself “The Rock.” You can’t talk about pro wrestling. You’re too big, go lose weight.” All this stuff that I heard when I first got to Hollywood.
So, I’m at a point now in my life where I feel so confident about my steps, and I feel so present with everyone I talk to, like you and anyone. And Black Adam is that way. He’s lived a life. He is confident. He steps with purpose and with passion, deep passion.
Also, he does have great empathy and he does care about people who he loves, like I do. Now, if you mess with him, that’s a problem. You mess with me, that’s a problem. I’ll handle it. I might smile a little bit before I handle it, but it’s a difference.
Dwayne Johnson stars as Black Adam in New Line Cinema’s action adventure ‘Black Adam.’
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With movie releases in a relatively quiet period following the end of summer, many are looking to Dwayne Johnson and ‘Black Adam’ for the next big shot of moviegoing business.
The Rock is headed back to our screens with his first DC movie, which will see him playing the titular vengeful anti-hero whose approach to justice butts heads with the more straightforward likes of Superman.
And, as with all things Dwayne Johnson, expect something on a big scale, as the new trailer suggests.
Created by Otto Binder and C. C. Beck, the character is one of the archenemies of Shazam (as played in his own movies by Zachary Levi) and the nemesis of the Shazam Family. Black Adam first appeared as a one-time villain for the first issue of Fawcett Comics’ ‘The Marvel Family’ comic book December 1945 (a reminder here that Shazam was once known as Captain Marvel, before Marvel had Carol Danvers out there).
Black Adam was revived as a recurring character after DC Comics first licensed and then acquired the Fawcett characters and began publishing Shazam Family stories under the title ‘Shazam!’ in the 1970s.
While Johnson was at one point going to play the character as a direct villain to Levi’s Shazam, that plan evolved to give him his own movie (not a bad idea when you have someone with the Rock’s audience appeal). And in keeping with how he’s evolved in the comics, the tone shifted more towards him being an antihero rather than a straight up bad guy.
Jaume Collet-Serra, who worked with Johnson on ‘Jungle Cruise’, is in the director’s chair here, while the script has seen drafts from Adam Sztykiel, Rory Haines and Sohrab Noshirvani.
In the movie’s story, Johnson’s Teth Adam rose from being a slave, dying, being reborn a god and meting out his particular, powerful brand of justice in the society of Kahndaq 5,000 years ago. It didn’t end so well for him, after he’s betrayed and imprisoned.
But he returns to dispense some no-nonsense justice in the present day, something that will bring him into conflict with more straightforward heroes, including, in the film the Justice Society of America, including Hawkman (Aldis Hodge), Dr. Fate (Pierce Brosnan), Cyclone (Quintessa Swindell) and Atom Smasher (Noah Centineo). And yes, that’s Viola Davis popping up as Amanda Waller.
This latest look at the movie is full of action and shows Johnson going for a grittier, more serious performance than his usual charm-filled work of late.
And yes, the JSA are certainly concerned about Adam’s power and behavior, looking to lock down the near godlike warrior. And they’ve plenty of tools to try to make that happen (including a jet taking off from an underground facility beneath a mansion that ‘X-Men’ fans will find very familiar, but does come from the JSA comics.
After a couple of release date shifts, ‘Black Adam’ is ready to rock into theaters on October 21st.
‘Black Adam’ marks that rare superhero movie where the person playing the role is more famous than the character. Sure, we’ve had the likes of Robert Downey Jr., who was probably better known than Tony Stark when he starred in ‘Iron Man’, but Dwayne Johnson is undoubtedly a mega movie star, while to the average person Black Adam is unlikely to generate all that much recognition.
Your usual history lesson, then: created by Otto Binder and C. C. Beck, the character is one of the archenemies of Shazam (as played in his own movies by Zachary Levi) and the nemesis of the Shazam Family. Black Adam first appeared as a one-time villain for the first issue of Fawcett Comics’ ‘The Marvel Family’ comic book December 1945 (a reminder here that Shazam was once known as Captain Marvel, before Marvel had Carol Danvers out there).
Black Adam was revived as a recurring character after DC Comics first licensed and then acquired the Fawcett characters and began publishing Shazam Family stories under the title ‘Shazam!’ in the 1970s.
While Johnson was at one point going to play the character as a direct villain to Levi’s Shazam, that plan evolved to give him his own movie (not a bad idea when you have someone with the Rock’s audience appeal). And in keeping with how he’s evolved in the comics, the tone shifted more towards him being an antihero rather than a straight up bad guy.
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In the movie’s story, Johnson’s Teth Adam rose from being a slave, dying, being reborn a god and meting out his particular, powerful brand of justice in the society of Kahndaq 5,000 years ago. It didn’t end so well for him, after he’s betrayed and imprisoned.
But he returns to dispense some no-nonsense justice in the present day, something that will bring him into conflict with more straightforward heroes, including, in the film the Justice Society Of America, including Hawkman (Aldis Hodge), Dr. Fate (Pierce Brosnan), Cyclone (Quintessa Swindell) and Atom Smasher (Noah Centineo).
As shown in the trailer, Adam essentially has a choice – with his immense powers, he can choose to save the world… or he can destroy it. We’re fairly confident we know what he’ll end up doing, but it might be a close run thing. As one moment in the trailer has it, Hodge’s Hawkman tells him, “heroes don’t kill people.” “Well, I do,” comes the reply.
Tone-wise, the trailer switches between action blockbuster, portentous dialogue from The Rock about his past and some moments of comedy, such as flinging someone out into the ocean. And, of course, there are the “hero” shots – though to bring it back to ‘Iron Man’, there might be some who think that tackling a plane and catching a missile remind them of that movie.
The movie was written by Adam Sztykiel, Rory Haines, and Sohrab Noshirvani, and directed by Jaume-Collet Serra, reuniting with Johnson after they collaborated on Disney’s ‘Jungle Cruise’.
‘Black Adam’ will fly into theaters on October 21st.
In 2000’s “What Women Want” it might have been snarkily revolutionary, if way late even then, to suggest that members of the so-called “fairer sex” are complex, fierce and formidable. But 20 years and a gender-swapped premise later, “What Men Want” advances a depressing argument that guys are with few exceptions as competitive, sexist and simple-minded as they always were — but now, women are evidently changing to become more like them. Taraji P. Henson’s fearlessly committed performance almost rescues this story of a desperately ambitious woman gifted with the ability to hear men’s innermost impulses, but director Adam Shankman’s predilection for the broadest and dumbest possible execution of any given idea undercuts any comedic bite, genuine insight or emotional resonance the film potentially had.
Henson (“Hidden Figures”) plays Alison “Ali” Davis, an Atlanta sports agent growing increasingly tired of white, male colleagues getting praised and promoted while her own accomplishments are repeatedly undermined and disregarded. But while cutting loose at her friend’s bachelorette party, Ali drinks some funky tea given to her by a fortune teller named Sister (Erykah Badu) and ends up hitting her head, gaining the ability to hear her male colleagues’ thoughts. But after being promised the opportunity to make partner if she signs Jamal Barry (Shane Paul McGhie), the next basketball superstar, Ali discloses these newfound abilities to her long-suffering assistant Brandon (Josh Brener) and hatches a plan to outwit her competitors.
Unfortunately, Jamal’s future is being carefully controlled by his unpredictable father Joe “Dolla” (Tracy Morgan), whose thoughts reveal an unchecked id but little for Ali in the way of insights on how to win his confidence. But when Joe admits that he’s put off by Ali’s workaholic independence, she unwittingly enlists a recent one-night stand, Will (Aldis Hodge), and his six-year-old son Ben (Auston Jon Moore) to pretend to be her family in the hopes of scoring Jamal’s highly-coveted contract.
Paramount
Even before the first male thought is revealed on screen by writers Tina Gordon (“ATL,” “Drumline”) and Peter Huyck and Alex Gregory (shared alumni of “Veep,” “Frasier” and “The Larry Sanders Show”), the prospect of what little there is to be learned from that inner monologue feels like a joke whose punchline we already know. Consequently, the only revelations that Ali discovers are that (a) her colleagues are keeping her out of the loop, and (b) when she muscles her way back in, they know better how to strategize, coddle and outmaneuver fragile egos, both male and female, than she does. Though the panorama of perspectives that she soon becomes aware of occasionally includes an amusing non sequitur or unexpected earwig, most of those voices are effectively confirming not just what she already knows about her bullying, sexist colleagues, but what we (the audience) do as well.
What eventually becomes more of a priority to those screenwriters and Shankman as director is both empowering Ali and reminding her that in the boy’s club she desperately wants to be a part of, it’s better to be a woman who is not beholden to their expectations. But this unfortunately requires the character to shuffle through some painful rom-com cliches where Henson has to battle her way through some embarrassing, not especially funny scenarios, and eventually Ali learns life lessons at the expense of people she cares about the most. Thankfully, and in spite of the schizophrenic pendulum-swing of the main character’s behavior, the supporting cast strikes a comfortable equilibrium between the story’s sillier and more serious elements: Wendi McLendon-Covey (“The Goldbergs”), Phoebe Robinson (“I Love Dick”) and Tamala Jones (“Castle”) play Ali’s chorus of hilarious, exasperated BFFs, while Max Greenfield (“New Girl”), and Richard Roundtree (“Shaft”), as a work colleague and Ali’s father, respectively, supply some real talk about men (or at least themselves) that doesn’t require mind-reading.
Though Hodge plays a charming, convincingly saintly alternative to most of the rest of the men in Ali’s life, and Brener’s Brandon provides her with a suitably anxious sounding board-slash-Jiminy Cricket to fret over each new morally dubious gambit, the movie’s secret weapon is Badu, who defies its worn-out conventions and embraces the ethereal (and ridiculous) extremes of its premise. But even built on the sad continuing reality of disproportionate opportunities and pay between men and women (much less women of color), Henson’s flailing, frustrated character exposes few new truths about her male counterparts, and the movie as a whole says a lot less about gender disparities or the business world than it thinks. Ultimately, “What Men Want” showcases the kind of mainstream, multiracial comedies that audiences seem to want, but as a vehicle for a talented, hard-working performer like Henson to lead, it’s less than she deserves.
Preview:
