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Dwayne Johnson took a moment on the Oscars red carpet to reflect on the DC Universe overhaul that thwarted his plans for a Black Adam-Superman crossover film. diversitySenior culture and events editor of , Marc Malkin, met with Johnson and asked if Cavill’s Superman was being axed from the DC Universe, despite his hailed comeback in Johnson’s Black Adam.

“All I could do and all we could do when we were making ‘Black Adam’ was do our best, surround ourselves with the best people and make the best film that we could,” he said Johnson. “Our viewership was in the 90s. Critics have taken a few shots, but that’s just the thing.”

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“It’s almost like you have a pro football team and your quarterback wins championships and your head coach wins championships and then a new owner comes along and says, ‘Not my coach, not my quarterback. I’m going with someone new.’”

Johnson is, of course, referring to new DC Studio bosses James Gunn and Peter Safran, who were announced as the new architects of the DC Universe just days after Black Adam hit theaters last October. By bringing back Cavill’s Superman for a post-credits scene appearance, Johnson laid the groundwork for his own DC Universe, which would portray Black Adam and Superman’s relationship in several films. Black Adam’s lukewarm box office hit (it didn’t even make the $400 million mark worldwide) and the hiring of Gunn and Safran thwarted Johnson’s plan.

“James Gunn and I have bonded, and Black Adam will not be in her first chapter of storytelling,” Johnson said told fans last December. “However, DC and Seven Bucks have agreed to continue researching the most valuable ways Black Adam can be used in future chapters of the DC Multiverse.”

The story goes on

Johnson added, “After 15 years of tireless hard work to finally make Black Adam, I am extremely proud of the film that we have delivered to fans worldwide. I will always look back on the fan reaction to ‘Black Adam’ with great gratitude, humility and love.”

After the opening weekend of Black Adam, Henry Cavill publicly announced his return as Superman on social media. Two months later, Gunn announced that Cavill would not actually be a Superman in the new DC Universe, as he was writing a new Man of Steel film focused on a younger iteration of the superhero. That movie, Superman: Legacy, is slated for release in 2025. Gunn and Safran are also developing Supergirl: World of Tomorrow and a Batman and Robin film, The Brave and the Bold, as part of the new DC Universe.

Before Black Adam was released, Johnson and his producing partner Hiram Garcia produced gave several interviews with the Press in which they faced Johnson’s Black Adam and Cavill’s Superman on the big screen.

“We really want to create a long form of storytelling and show that these two characters exist in the same universe and will often interact with each other, either on the same side or opposite sides,” says Garcia said CinemaBlend. “Hopefully they will clash at some point, but it’s not just a ‘one-on-one’ situation. That was never our dream. That doesn’t reward the fans. Fans want to feel a journey between these guys, knowing that these guys exist in the same universe.”

Watch Johnson’s full Oscars red carpet interview in the video below.

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