Dwayne Johnson desperately name-drops the MCU to try and prove ‘Black Adam’ isn’t a flop

DC fans are still reeling from the wave of bombshell announcements that signify new co-CEOs James Gunn and Peter Safran aren’t here to mess around, with the duo poised to tear up the franchise’s playbook in what appears to be an almost complete creative overhaul.

One major player who has serious skin in the game is Dwayne Johnson, with the actor and producer fighting back against accusations that Black Adam stands to lose up to $100 million by the time it leaves theaters. The Rock has already taken issue with his DC debut’s performance being compared to that of Marvel’s Black Panther: Wakanda Forever, and he’s at it again – this time invoking Captain America: The First Avenger as a reference point.

You can see where he’s coming from, but the differences are stark. For one thing, Black Adam‘s estimated $200 million production budget is substantially higher than the $140 million it cost to make Chris Evans’ debut as the star-spangled superhero. Secondly, The First Avenger was the fifth film in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, whereas Johnson’s flick marks the DCU’s 11th installment.

Then there’s the not-inconsiderable fact that the hulking former professional wrestler is arguably the single biggest and most popular movie star on the planet, something that couldn’t be said of Evans when he headlined his first MCU outing. It’s apples and oranges at the end of the day, and Hollywood accounting is a notoriously shady practice, so the jury remains well and truly out as to whether or not Black Adam is in the red or… well, the black.