Black Adam and Shazam are related by the fact that they both received their superpowers from Wizard Shazam, though they use them for different purposes.
The most recent movie from DC’s Extended Universe to have been released in 2019 was Shazam! Now fans of the DCEU are preparing for the premiere of the much-anticipated Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson fronted blockbuster, Black Adam.
In Shazam! Wizard Shazam teased the relationship between the two superheroes when he chose Billy Batson as his new champion, telling him about how the first champion that he chose did not use them for good.
But in Black Adam’s official trailer, this seems to be omitted, as it is meant to tell Black Adam’s origin story.
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Will Shazam appear in Black Adam?
Zachary Levi, who portrays Shazam, will not be part of the upcoming DCEU’s Black Adam expected in theatres on Friday, 21 October 2022.
This follows the sentiments shared by Dwayne Johnson, who during the first reading of the original Shazam! Script believed that each of the DCEU superheroes deserved a standalone movie.
He explained that, “We have to honour Shazam! and that origin story and what that is and what that can be for the fans and then we also have to tell our (Black Adam) story, too, as well.”
Shazam! Is premised on a young orphan, Billy Batson, who is in search of his mother. He gets chosen by Wizard Shazam to be his champion and to carry his powers.
As Wizard Shazam is showing Billy the Rock of Eternity and the seven thrones which are unoccupied, he briefly tells Billy about how that came about.
Wizard Shazam tells Billy how the wizards which used to occupy the thrones were killed over the years by the Seven Deadly Sins, which were let loose by the first champion that he had chosen who went rogue after he got his powers.
He did not mention a name, but after the release of the Black Adam trailer, it was easy to establish that Wizard Shazam was referring to Black Adam.
This establishes the relationship between Shazam and the superhero that is set to be his arch-nemesis, Black Adam.
Originally named Teth-Adam, Black Adam is the son of Egyptian Pharaoh Ramses ll, who was gifted his powers by Egyptian gods and deities, unlike the Shazam family who received their superpowers from Greek gods and deities.
However, as a result of Dwayne Johnson’s stance that Shazam and Black Adam should each receive their own origin story movies, the relation between the two superheroes is skimmed over without any true detail, so as not to prematurely suggest a crossover just yet.
Will Black Adam appear in Shazam! Fury of the Gods?
Due to the delays in the rollout of the Black Adam film, the release of the sequel to Shazam was also pushed back from its fall 2022 scheduled release.
Now, Shazam! Fury of the Gods is expected for release in March 2023. However, whether Dwayne Johnson could make a cameo in the sequel as Black Adam is a matter which has already been addressed.
Johnson will not appear in the upcoming sequel, meaning that the mystery of how the DCEU establishes the rivalry between Shazam and Black Adam remains.
When can we expect a Shazam and Black Adam showdown?
As soon as a Shazam movie was announced, fans of DC Comics were waiting for the showdown between the two arch-nemeses.
This is as before recent years where he is designed more as an anti-hero than a villain, Black Adam was set up as the greatest enemy that Shazam defeated. Therefore, fans looked forward to the epic battle between the two.
But that wait is going to be long as there is still the Black Adam 2022 release, Shazam! Fury of the Gods in 2023, and possibly a Black Adam standalone sequel impending before the much-anticipated Shazam 3, which is touted as the most likely movie to finally see the two arch-nemeses go power-for-power.
When can we expect a Superman, Shazam and Black Adam showdown?
In 2010, DC released the animated DCEU movie, Superman/Shazam! The Return of Black Adam. This animated film saw three of the most top-end powerful superheroes in the DCU and DCEU universes go into battle.
Superman teamed up with Shazam, whose powers are weak to magic, which Shazam and Black Adam both have.
Due to this showdown and the ongoing question about who is the strongest between the three superheroes, fans are waiting for a live-action version.
But that may be a long way off, and the best chance is that during Shazam! 3, Superman will also make a cameo during the expected epic battle between Shazam and Black Adam.
