Even the prowess of Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson is not enough to stop Black Adam from sliding into the abyss of failing movies. Far from the hype of announcing the film in 2019, the movie never seemed to find its footing at the box office when it hit theaters in October. Recent reports from the trades have suggested Black Adam will lose $100 million for Warner Bros. Discovery, a report Johnson himself has since refuted.
On Monday, Variety revealed that Black Adam was looking to lose $10 million from Warner Bros. Discovery. The report came after the film, which has only earned $387 million worldwide, hit streaming at the end of November. Per Variety, the Warner Bros. DC Universe film took $195 million to produce with an $80 global advertising budget. Unfortunately, the film has only generated $387 million worldwide, well below the projected break-even point of $600 million. Experts believe Black Adam will stall at around $400 million, severely impacted by the shifting home entertainment landscape. Industry experts say these ancillary revenue streams are growing more profitable when paired with a shorter theatrical release. For example, films hit platforms in 33 days versus the standard 75, reducing the money needed to revive campaigns. At any rate, “Black Adam” could be on the losing end for the foreseeable future.
Johnson, however, took to Twitter on Wednesday to say the film will see a profit between $52 million and $72 million, according to financiers he spoke with. He then compared Black Adam‘s box office with what Captain America: The First Avenger did back in 2011.
The actor also shared an analysis from Deadline, where the outlet reports the film should break even. The analysis, unsurprisingly, seems to match Johnson’s tweet word-for-word, with Deadline even citing The First Avenger‘s box office, stating Black Adam could still prove to be a franchise starter.
The movie industry is still struggling to reclaim its glory despite the growing pivot to normalcy as the pandemic shifts. Relying on outsized attendance isn’t enough anymore. Admittedly, Johnson has been open about creating a sequel to Black Adam, but the question remains: will audiences share his same passion? And is the film’s box office performance enough for the new folks in charge of DC to want to revisit this story?
