Based on his recent and upcoming filmography, Dwayne Johnson is hardly averse to the idea of seeing one of his projects debut on streaming. The actor even stated that it was important for audiences to have the option of purchasing Jungle Cruise on Disney Plus Premier Access, and strong sales combined with solid box office saw a sequel given the green light in short order.
Star-studded Netflix actioner Red Notice arrives in November, while last year he and Emily Blunt attached themselves to the platform’s comic book adaptation Ball & Chain. The world’s highest-paid movie star is also set to headline Amazon’s festive action comedy Red One, but he’s reportedly not even considering any options for Black Adam other than an exclusive theatrical release.
We’re hearing from our sources – the same ones who told us Riri Williams would make her Marvel Cinematic Universe debut in Black Panther: Wakanda Forever long before it was confirmed – that Johnson instantly shut down any talk of sending his long-awaited debut in the superhero genre to HBO Max the same day it hits theaters.
Warner Bros. are adamant about moving back to the standard theater-only model next year, but nobody knows for sure what the landscape of the industry is going to be ten months from now when Black Adam is gearing up to hit the big screen. You’d hope that things are back to normal by then, but these are highly unpredictable times we currently live in, and gazing too far ahead is a fool’s game.