Black Adam is coming to cinemas next week, and we finally have the first reactions to Dwayne Johnson's DC movie.

The new movie sees Johnson play the titular character who, 5,000 years after he was imprisoned, is released into the modern world to dole out his unique form of justice, leading to a challenge from the Justice Society.

Johnson has long promised that Black Adam will change the hierarchy of power in the DC universe. Most importantly though, is it any good?

aldis hodge as hawkman, black adam
Warner Bros.

Reactions have praised the film, calling it a "game-changer" with emphasis on Johnson's powerhouse acting, calling it a role he was "born to play".

Pierce Brosnan also gets special credit, with one reviewer writing: "Pierce Brosnan kills it as Doctor Fate. He steals scenes. Charismatic as ever.

"Aldis Hodge’s Hawkman leaves a lot of meat on the bone for future stories to dig deeper into. His action scenes are terrific. #BlackAdam relies on action, lands some humour, and it’s bad-ass."

pierce brosnan, black adam trailer
Warner Bros.

Another wrote: "#BlackAdam is DC's most action-packed film to date. It's a non-stop thrill ride that is all about spectacle, and it knows it. There is barely anytime to breath, or even talk.

"@TheRock is a perfect Black Adam, plus Pierce Brosnon is a standout. The film will leave fans buzzing!"

Last month, Johnson surprised fans at a test screening of Black Adam, calling it "my passion project to the bone". "I'm so grateful to get these early reactions. Much work still to be done," he added.

The new movie will bring the Justice Society into the Worlds of DC which includes Doctor Fate (Pierce Brosnan), Hawkman (Aldis Hodge), Atom Smasher (Noah Centineo) and Cyclone (Quintessa Swindell).

preview for Black Adam - official trailer (Warner Bros)

Producer Beau Flynn said earlier this month that because of the Justice Society, Black Adam has a similarity with Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness.

"I think it's a really interesting set-up to see the Justice Society have to come together in order to kind of try and stop Black Adam," he explained.

"There is a little bit of that in [Doctor Strange 2] because of Scarlet Witch, but I just think it's such an interesting call to action to see the Justice Society have to assemble – they haven't been together in a while, and they have to try and apprehend one of the most powerful superheroes in the world."

Black Adam is released in cinemas on October 21.

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Movies Editor, Digital Spy  Ian has more than 10 years of movies journalism experience as a writer and editor.  Starting out as an intern at trade bible Screen International, he was promoted to report and analyse UK box-office results, as well as carving his own niche with horror movies, attending genre festivals around the world.   After moving to Digital Spy, initially as a TV writer, he was nominated for New Digital Talent of the Year at the PPA Digital Awards. He became Movies Editor in 2019, in which role he has interviewed 100s of stars, including Chris Hemsworth, Florence Pugh, Keanu Reeves, Idris Elba and Olivia Colman, become a human encyclopedia for Marvel and appeared as an expert guest on BBC News and on-stage at MCM Comic-Con. Where he can, he continues to push his horror agenda – whether his editor likes it or not.
 

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Catherine was Digital Spy's News Editor between 2018 and 2024. Prior to that she worked at OK! Online, and has interviewed a slew of celebrities across her career in entertainment news, including Tom Hanks, Cheryl and Noel Fielding. Catherine also has specialist knowledge in all things drag, interviewing a huge portion of RuPaul’s Drag Race stars, and getting her own drag makeover for Channel 4’s show Drag SOS.  LinkedIn