Black Adam's surprise post-credit cameo by Henry Cavill's Superman was top-secret. In fact, it was so top secret that not even the film's editors knew until shooting for the scene was already underway.
Black Adam has a production history going back 14 years. Originally announced in 2008, the Dwayne Johnson-starring superhero film has gone through many different iterations and existed before the DCEU even officially kicked off with 2013's Man of Steel. Since then, Cavill's Superman has gone through uncertain times as well. Prior to his cameo in Black Adam, it had actually been widely rumored that Cavill would not be returning to the role. Now, however, that cameo seems to be the first glimpse at Cavill's return as Superman.
In an interview with ComicBook.com, Black Adam editors Mike Sale and John Lee stated that they were largely unaware of Cavill's return until very late in the game. "It came about very, very late. We didn't even know they were shooting it. All of a sudden, it showed up one day," Sale said. Lee added, "I know they shot Henry in London, so we were walking around going, 'Hey, what are they shooting in London?' And then this footage shows up and we're like, 'Oh, okay.' Code of silence for everyone. We all took a pass at it. The producers were very involved, and I think we got it just right. We tested it and everyone just went through the roof. They went crazy when they saw him."
Sale, who grew up on Christopher Reeves' Superman, said the moment was a full circle moment for him. "The day that that footage came in and I was sitting in my editing room and I was like, 'Oh my God, I'm working on a movie that might have Superman in it.' I was just sitting there and it was just an emotional moment. I was just like, 'I hope this happens,'" he said. Of course, Black Adam presents an unanswered question: where will Superman show up next?
Johnson, who plays Black Adam, has previously commented on Cavill's return as Superman and warmly embraced his return. It seems, however, that he's eager to see Superman and Black Adam duke it out. The two probably represent the future of DC Films, which is currently aiming at restructuring following Warner Bros.' merger with Discovery. A Black Adam vs. Superman movie could help bring in audiences after DC's recent shaky film receptions.
Black Adam passed $250 million at the worldwide box office relatively quickly. In fact, it's the fastest DC film to cross the $100 million mark since Aquaman. That means the studio will probably focus more on the Black Adam character moving forward, despite the film's tepid critical response.
Black Adam is now in theaters.
Source: ComicBook.com