While his wrestling days are over, Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson hasn’t forgotten how to put on a show.
The actor not only surprised fans Saturday at San Diego’s Convention Center for this year’s annual Comic-Con, but emerged in full regalia to promote DC Film’s latest superhero movie, “Black Adam,” to the cheers of rabid fans inside Hall H, according to Deadline.
Panels for DC Films, a subsidiary of Warner Bros. Pictures, have long been publicly scheduled and highly anticipated by convention-goers, according to The Wrap. While fans were well aware Johnson would appear to promote “Black Adam,” he still made quite an entrance.
“Hall H, you have been warned,” Johnson’s voice boomed over the speakers. “The DC universe will never be the same again.”
With a colossal screen behind him depicting a flurry of lightning effects, Johnson raised his arms in a power pose only a superhero — or antihero — could. Black Adam is best known as a supervillain who wields all the powers of Superman without the impediment of a conscience, after all.
Johnson ultimately laid pageantry aside after concluding his entrance and returned to the stage to discuss the film in further detail. Joining him were “Black Adam” director Jaume Collet-Serra and cast members Aldis Hodge, Noah Centineo and Quintessa Swindell.
“I heard Black Adam was here,” joked Johnson.
While the film’s premise of Black Adam being released after 5,000 years of imprisonment only to seek vengeance has been clear since the first trailer was released in June, fans got an exclusive look at new footage featuring Viola Davis as her unscrupulous character of Amanda Waller.
The new clip showed explorers disturbing an ancient tomb — only for Black Adam to crash down and kill everyone in sight. The footage also showed the Justice Society — composed of Atom Smasher, Hawkman, Cyclone and Dr. Fate — trying to stop him.
“It has been a long journey filled with passion and grit to push ‘Black Adam’ along — it has been over 10 years,” said Johnson. “To be here at Comic-Con, Hall H, representing a DC hero, an antihero, is a dream come true.”
While fans also heard Hodge admit that being cast in the film “was one of the best moments of my career” and Centineo admitted that “it blew my mind to be part of this universe,” none were likely as happy as Johnson himself — as he’s attended Comic-Con for decades.
“When I started 20 years ago, many moons ago, I would bring movies here and hope people would love it,” he said. “How can we create something that is fresh and unique … show and create something that’s never been done? My goal is to usher in a new era in the DC universe.”
“Black Adam” will hit theaters in the United States on Oct. 21.