Dwayne Johnson's Franchise-Ending Sci-Fi Flop Officially Says Goodbye to Netflix

Dwayne Johnson is one of the few actors who have successfully transitioned from WWE superstar to blockbuster star. Over his long, illustrious career, he's played a variety of roles, from an action hero and a tooth fairy to a scorpion king, and even a dramatic turn in last year's Benny Safdie-directed The Smashing Machine. He's also been part of some of the best franchises, including The Fast and the Furious, The Mummy, and more.

This year, Johnson starred in the live-action Moana, which he also produced, and later this year, in December, Jumanji: Open World, the fourth installment in the long-running franchise, will entertain fans worldwide. However, one franchise didn't work for Johnson, even when he tried to change the superhero world's hierarchy. The franchise in question is the DCEU, started by Zack Snyder, with a muddied history that has drawn varied fan opinions. Back in 2022, when Warner Bros. was on the heels of a new regime with David Zaslav and co. taking over, Johnson's passion project Black Adam came out. This marked Johnson's foray into the superhero genre and was marketed to "change the hierarchy of the DC universe." But it didn't go as planned. While it was a genuine effort, the film failed to excite its audiences.

The movie serves as an origin story; in ancient Kahndaq, Teth Adam was bestowed the almighty powers of the gods. After using these powers for vengeance, he was imprisoned and became Black Adam. Nearly 5,000 years have passed, and Black Adam has become more than a man, a myth, a legend. Now free, his unique, rage-born form of justice is challenged by modern-day heroes who form the Justice Society: Hawkman, Dr. Fate, Atom Smasher, and Cyclone. Along with Johnson in the titular role, the movie casts Quintessa Swindell as Cyclone, Pierce Brosnan as Doctor Fate, Noah Centineo as Atom Smasher, and Aldis Hodge as Hawkman, among others.

Directed by Jaume Collet-Serra and written by Adam Sztykiel, Rory Haines, and Sohrab Noshirvani, the movie also features a cameo by Henry Cavill as Superman, and even that couldn't bring fans to theaters. It tanked because of repetitive, CGI-heavy action sequences, a weak, unmemorable villain (Sabbac), and a derivative script that felt outdated compared to modern superhero films. It earned $393.3 million worldwide, losing WB millions when a ballooned production budget is factored in.

'Black Adam' Is Leaving Its Streaming Home

Fans who'd like to check out the movie have little time left as Black Adam is leaving Netflix on November 1. Check it out for its relentless pacing, a high kill count, and the live-action debut of the Justice Society. The cherry on the cake is Pierce Brosnan's performance as Doctor Fate.