Dwayne Johnson (also known as The Rock) has been a global phenomenon for nearly two decades. From his role as the Scorpion King to his Hobbs character in the Fast & Furious franchise, Johnson has taken on several heroic roles in which he's the nicest guy or the toughest dude in the room. He has a likable screen presence that makes him a major Hollywood star.
With Black Adam being Johnson's first supervillain role, he has an opportunity to tackle a more complex character and strip away his hero image. There have been a few occasions in which the actor has portrayed bad guys or men who do bad things in order to settle scores. He is also skilled in taking on the roles of conflicted men who do dangerous deeds for money or strive for vengeance.
Johnson is no stranger when it comes to playing characters who appear heroic but are actually flawed. Before turning into a CGI villain in The Mummy Returns, his Scorpion King character (in his solo film) is a mercenary who primarily kills for gold. However, he becomes a hero and a king by taking down his nemesis and saving a kingdom that needs proper leadership.
In the critically panned and box office bomb Doom (based on the hit video game of the same name), Johnson portrays Sarge, the leader of a military unit in the future, who initially appears to be a good soldier and a caring leader to his team. However, when Sarge becomes ruthless and goes against his men when they don't follow his orders, he is exposed as a villainous killer and mercenary who only cares about completing his mission thoroughly and getting paid, no matter who dies and gets hurt. Sarge becomes even more dangerous after he gets bitten by an evil monster, turning into a zombie-like creature himself while fighting the film's hero.
Johnson's portrayal of Hercules (the actor's first comic book feature) is an example of a tragic hero who may be as strong as a God but is morally conflicted (especially after losing his family and feeling guilty). Despite this, the mighty figure finds a way to fight back and conquer his enemies. His Hercules was also portrayed as a mercenary but ends up becoming a savior because of his heroism and humanity.
The actor's new role as Black Adam (based on the new DC FanDome teaser trailer) appears to be a combination of roles Johnson has tackled before (Hercules and the Scorpion King) due to his immense strength, his physicality, and the sense that the DC character resembles a mythical figure. However, Black Adam is Johnson's first supervillain role who (according to the trailer) is selfish and intends on fighting for personal vendettas rather than justice or heroism.
Black Adam also has qualities reminiscent of Wonder Woman because he is thousands of years old, and obtains knowledge of the past that nearly no one else in the present time knows about. He also shares common traits with Loki because of his ego, and the intent to only serve himself and destroy all his enemies.
One of those nemeses could inevitably include Shazam (who already had his own origin story and has a sequel already in production). Black Adam and Shazam are formidable foes since both of them obtain their magical powers by saying the word "Shazam!" This makes both DC characters strong, fast, and powerful.
As Black Adam, Johnson has the ability to be not only a bad guy but a villain who has moral reasoning behind his actions. A little over a decade ago, he starred in the underrated action thriller Faster, in which he portrayed a getaway driver with a group (including his brother) involved in a bank robbery. His name was simply Driver, and after serving time in prison, he mercilessly took down those responsible for his brother's death.
While Johnson's role in Faster wasn't necessarily a villain role, his character, Driver, was ruthless and cold-blooded in his quest for vengeance. Now, Black Adam won't be R-rated with graphic violence, but his DC character will undoubtedly be massive and dangerous when taking down his enemies since he seeks wrath against those who chained and imprisoned him many years ago. As Black Adam, Dwayne Johnson' can reveal his unrelenting side, showing no mercy towards others, and no holding back when revealing his powers.
Black Adam is also referenced in the 2019 Shazam! feature, where it was revealed that the DC supervillain exposed the Seven Deadly Sins on Earth, leading to the destruction of major civilizations. In Black Adam's solo feature (also a Shazam! prequel), there will be explanations as to why Black Adam wanted to unleash sin towards humanity, and how his feud with Shazam began, building up tension for their future battle.
Black Adam will be presented as a dangerous villain, but that doesn't mean he won't show humor and charisma. Perhaps, like Loki or Peacemaker, Black Adam will make fun of his powers and display egocentric behavior by claiming that he's more powerful than everybody else and that no one will be capable of taking him on in a battle.
Dwayne Johnson has an extensive history when it comes to portraying roles that require him to be tough, heroic, and conflicted. As Black Adam, he can shed his hero image and unveil his villainous qualities, making him a dangerous force to be reckoned with in the DC Extended Universe.