The actor of “Black Adam” Eldis Hodge talks about officially joining the DCEU franchise when he receives a surreal call from the star Dwayne Johnson for the role of the Hawk Man. After years of being stuck in the development hell, “Black Adam” will finally be in theaters this fall. Johnson, who got the role of Black Adam in 2014, was originally going to star in Shazam! as the cult antagonist of Billy Batson. However, Warner Bros. I decided to go in a different direction by making the movie “Black Adam” to give Johnson’s character an origin story on the big screen.
While “Black Adam” will be Tet-Adam’s live-action debut, the film will also feature several iconic DC comics characters in the DCEU. Since Black Adam is portrayed as an anti-hero, he will be rivaled by some traditional superheroes in the form of the Justice Society of America. Although there were several participants in the comics, the DCEU iteration will begin with Hawkman, Doctor Fate, Cyclone and Atom Smasher. In his cinematic debut, Hodge will revive Carter Hall, better known as DC’s winged warrior.
Since Hawkman will be joining the DCEU, which consists of several iconic DC heroes like the Justice League, what was Hodge’s experience like getting the role of Black Adam? In an interview with Collider at Comic-Con 2022 in San Diego, Hodge talks in detail about how he was chosen for the role of the Hawk Man, and that Johnson personally called him and informed him that he would join Black Adam. According to the actor, it was a surreal moment when he was not only honored to play the Hawk Man on the big screen, but actually dressed up as a DC icon, sharing the following:
The most surreal moment for me was the very first time — to be honest, there are a couple of moments — the moment when [Dwayne Johnson] called me and said I got the job because I didn’t believe him. And the moment I put on the costume for the first time, tried it on, and then the next moment is the moment when I was standing on the set. It was the first time we were all in costumes together and we thought, “Oh, that’s pretty damn cool.” We were kids, kids in a candy store. There are so many turning points in this experience that I will always keep to myself, and they are getting better and better. And now this, Hall H, is another one.
Although Hawkman may only be making his live debut now, the character has been used in several DC animation projects. Hodge’s comments are very appropriate, because not every actor in the world enjoys being involved to bring to life a cult superhero, whether it’s a DCEU movie or an Arrowverse show. As for live performances, Hodge will join Michael Shanks and Falk Hentschel, who played Carter in “Smallville Mysteries” and “Legends of Tomorrow,” respectively. Depending on how “Black Adam” arrives at the box office, this may be just the beginning for “Hawkman” and JSA in DCEU.
Given the great popularity of such a character as the Hawk Man, it would not be a shock if “Black Adam” leads to a number of spin-offs. Whether it’s a solo project “Hawk Man” or a full-fledged spin-off of “Justice Society of America” on HBO Max, Hodge and his colleagues in the film have great potential. Thanks to the Hawk Man’s connections with the JSA, as well as his romance with the Hawk Girl, who was almost in Black Adam, Carter as a character has a lot to explore. But to get to all of this, fans will have to follow the story of the Hawk Man in “Black Adam” this fall.
