Warner Bros. was at San Diego Comic-Con sharing plenty of big news from the DC universe and beyond. There was plenty to be excited for as we got new insight into Black Adam and Shazam! Fury of the Gods.
The cast and crew of Shazam! kicked things off as we got our first trailer for the movie. Then it was Dwayne 'The Rock' Johnson's turn to wow the crowd as he appeared in full costume to tease Black Adam. If you weren't in Hall H, don't worry – we've got you covered, with everything we learned about the future of the DCEU at SDCC.
Shazam! 2 got its first trailer – as the cast unveils some key new plot details
First up at the panel was Shazam! as Zachary Levi took to the stage at Hall H to introduce some new teasers. We learned Shazam! Fury of the Gods will be set two years after the first film as well as getting some more insight into the characters joining the movie, including its villains. The Daughter of Atlas, led by Helen Mirren’s Rachel Zegler’s and Lucy Liu’s characters, will be the main baddies in the new movie.
We didn’t have to wait long for our first look at them in action as Warner Bros. released the first official trailer for the upcoming movie. Beginning with Shazam having an existential crisis about his place in the world of superheroes. Aquaman, the Batman, the Flash all appear in brief shots from previous movies as our protagonist is questioning what his place is among them. He’s soon joined by his Shazamily (the Shazam family) as the team has to band together to face a new evil.
Helen Mirren, who plays Hespera, added that she enjoyed "kicking the shit" out of Shazam actor Zachary Levi, and lauded the "pussy power" (her words, not ours) of the three female gods in Fury of the Gods. While Lucy Liu had nothing but praise for her newfound place in the DCEU. She told a frenzied Hall H crowd, "Being part of the DC universe is one of the most exciting things to happen in my career. I’m in a place where I’m home."
Levi also teased the future for his character in the DCEU. He admitted he "hopes" they’ll be back for Shazam! 3. “If you guys go and see this one, then there’s a good chance that the bosses will make another one,” he told the Hall H crowd.
Zachary Levi just emerged from the middle of the stage to talk #Shazam2 — and we just saw some new footage in which they joked about the heroes meeting at Comic-Con! #SDCC pic.twitter.com/rb2ELpSUu3July 23, 2022
Black Adam is the start of a new era of the DC universe
Dwayne Johnson appeared in spectacular fashion during the Black Adam segment of the panel promising, once again, that "the DC universe will never be the same." Johnson was overcome as he shared his excitement to be playing the anti-hero. "It’s been a long journey, one filled with passion and grit," he told Hall H. "It’s been an incredible one but, as many of you guys know, I love Comic-Con and being here representing Black Adam is a dream come true."
Director Jaume Collet-Serra revealed that the final cut of Black Adam is locked in and he showed it to the cast the day before the Warner Bros. panel. He also mentioned Black Adam is a "Dirty Harry-like character" who doesn’t operate in black and white.
The inclusion of the Justice Society of America in Black Adam (which includes Atom Smasher, Hawkman, and Doctor Fate) could be the preclude to something bigger. Johnson said, "Our goal is to build out a new era of the DC universe with the Justice Society."
“Our goal is to build out a new era of the DC universe with the Justice Society,” says @TheRock #BlackAdamJuly 23, 2022
Johnson was even asked by a cheeky fan whether Black Adam or Superman would win in a fight. His response? "It all depends on who is playing Superman."
Viola Davis will also be making a return in Black Adam as Amanda Waller, last seen in a brief role in Peacemaker.
Finally, the panel was wrapped up with a Black Adam trailer, which involved Pierce Brosnan’s Doctor Fate warning Johnson’s DC newcomer of the right path to walk down. It appears he doesn’t heed his words, as he’s seen fighting Aldis Hodge’s Hawkman in the most electrifying scene we’ve witnessed from the movie so far.
Henry Cavill was a no-show
Speculation that Henry Cavill would return sent the internet into meltdown earlier this week, but nothing was confirmed during the Warner Bros. panel. That's not to say the Man of Steel won't be back, but we were denied a great SDCC moment in today's panel.
Black Adam arrives on the big screen this October 21, with Shazam! Fury of the Gods following on December 21. In the meantime, catch up on the DCEU with our guide to watching the DC movies in order. You can also keep up to date on Comic-Con with our complete SDCC 2022 schedule.
