Photo: Warner Bros. Pictures
Dwayne Johnson’s new movieBlack Adamis soaring him to new career box office heights.
On Monday, multiple outlets reported thatBlack Adam, which stars the 50-year-old actor as an enslaved man who is reborn with the magical powers of gods,won the domestic box office in its opening weekendwith $67 million to show for its first weekend in U.S. theaters.
That number makes for the largest domestic box office opening of Johnson’s career outside of films in the mainFast & Furiousseries, according toThe Hollywood Reporter. Johnson’s previous biggest domestic box office opener as a leading man was in 2019’sFast & FuriousspinoffHobbes & Shaw, which made $60 million in its first weekend in theaters, according toTHR.
Black Adammade $73 million in its opening weekend overseas, giving it a global box office opening of $140 million.
Johnson’s superhero passion project — which he’s been working to bring to the big screen for 15 years — received somewhat mixed reviews.
Dwayne Johnson inBlack Adam(2022).Courtesy Warner Bros. Pictures
ForEmpiremagazine, Helen O’Harawrotethat the movie is “sometimes a mess, but it’s a generally entertaining one.” But, since the PG-13 movie is “mixing family-film tropes with a protagonist who straight-up murders people,” there’s a “weird contradiction” at play, added O’Hara: The filmmakers “want edge, but without alienating family audiences. So you get massive action scenes without any obvious civilian casualties, and godlike powers without consequence.”
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The Hollywood Reporter’s John DeForesaidBlack Adamis “predictable,” and that most moviegoers will find it to be “another fine-not-great night of spandex mayhem and franchises hoping to be born.”
DeFore added that Johnson “creates a magnetic antihero” with the title character — and other critics weighed in on the movie star’s performance. Kirsten Acunawrote for Insiderthat Johnson “clearly understands this character, is believable in the role, and commands the screen every second he’s on it.”
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“Unfortunately, his performance is one of the film’s few highlights other than a shocking mid-credits reveal,” added Acuna.
Aside from Johnson as Black Adam, the film’s cast includesPierce Brosnanas Doctor Fate, Sarah Shahi as Adrianna Tomaz (the wife of Black Adam),Noah Centineoas Al Rothstein, Aldis Hodge as Carter Hall (Hawkman), Quintessa Swindell as Maxine Hunkel (Cyclone) and Odelya Halevi as Shiruta.
Black Adamis in theaters now.
source: people.com
