Dwayne Johnson has been working on BLACK ADAM for more than a decade, so the movie's release marks the end of an unusually long road.
We talked to Johnson about the work he has put into what he calls a "passion project," and what it means for the future of DC movies.
"I am running into the DC Extended Universe," Johnson says, "with passion, with fervor, with some intensity — because, again, I fought for this. I fought for Black Adam and we fought for the JSA."
The star argues for this movie's characters as a bold future for the DC landscape. "And I get it, it's human nature to see what's in front of you and what works: The Justice League, Superman, Batman, Wonder Woman. They all work. Great! But look past that, and if you look in the DC Bible, man, there's some really cool characters there that people will really like. You just got to get past what you see in front of you and have faith and be bold and showcase those other characters."
Johnson also talks about The Rock as a character, which is always fun to hear. "One of the characteristics that made The Rock relatable," he said, "is even if they disagreed with some of the stuff that I was doing to their heroes like Stone Cold Steve Austin or the Undertaker, they understood. Everybody understood."
One of the characteristics that makes a great villain is when you don't agree but you [understand them]. Same thing with Black Adam. People may not agree with his philosophy and how he handles his business — and how he has very little patience for people who try to harm him, or his people, his country, or who he loves because he'll kill them just like that — so you may not agree, but you understand."
Watch our full interview with Dwayne Johnson below:
BLACK ADAM opens on October 21.
All images courtesy of Warner Bros. Pictures.