It Took "10 Minutes" To Film [Spoiler]’s Cameo In Black Adam Post-Credit Scene

Please, please, please skip this story if you haven’t seen Black Adam or are planning to watch it and want to be surprised: it references a major reveal in the end-credits scenes for Black Adam.  

Again, we implore you, dear readers: spoilers ahead, please approach with caution. But if you’re spoiler-immune or have no intention to watch Black Adam anytime soon, step right up.

Last warning: You're in spoiler territory. Okay then...

By now, you’re probably seen/heard that Henry Cavill reprised the role of Superman in the post-credits scene of Black Adam, where the Man of Steel warns Dwayne Johnson’s titular anti-hero to play nice.

The special appearance marks the first time Cavill donned the Superman outfit since 2017’s Justice League (or 2021's Zack Snyder's Justice League) — and it almost didn’t happen, according to cinematographer Lawrence Sher.

Speaking on The Hollywood Reporter’s Behind the Screen podcast, Sher was told by Black Adam director Jaume Collet-Serra of Superman’s cameo at the eleventh hour. Sher remembers Collet-Serra telling him, “Let’s just quickly take this throne room set that we were working in…We’re going to create something for Dwayne to walk into…And we’re going to shoot it in like 10 minutes.”

The Rock’s half of the scene was filmed as the final shot on the final day of additional photography. After which, Collet-Serra & Co. put together the Supe’s half of the scene with a body double and a version of John Williams’ 1978 Superman theme. In this take of the scene, Superman’s face was never shown, just the insignia on his chest.   

Sher said, “Watching an actor come out of a full silhouette into that, was actually goosebumps. ‘Wow, this is 100 percent going to work. Now they need to figure out if they can get the guy with the head to be there.”

The test screenings for the movie with the Superman cameo were through the roof. It was obvious at that point: It’s crazy not to have Cavill in the picture.

Just one problem, though: Then-DC Films boss Walter Hamada wasn’t too thrilled with the Cavill cameo because he had his own plans for Superman. But Johnson insisted on having things his way. So he went around Hamada’s back and got permission from Michael De Luca and Pamela Abdy, the newly-appointed co-chairpersons and CEOs of Warner Bros Pictures Group, which includes  Warner Bros Pictures, New Line Cinema, DC-based film production, and Warner Bros Feature Animation).

And the rest is history. (Apparently, so is Hamada.)

Sher shot the cameo remotely last month (September!): Cavill was in the London whereas Sher was in either LA or New York (where he was presumably knee-deep in prepping Joker: Folie à Deux, which is expected to commence principal photography in December).

To see Cavill back as Superman was a sight to behold, said Sher. “There are certain people that are iconic as the characters that they play, and he’s really one of them.”

And for a while, Superman’s return was a closely guarded secret until someone leaked the footage onto social media platforms (which was swiftly removed it) a week ahead of Black Adam’s theatrical rollout (Oct 21 in the US, Oct 20 in Singapore).

Despite the poor reviews (39% on Rotten Tomatoes), Black Adams ruled the US weekend box-office with US$67 million (S$95 mil), the biggest domestic opening of Johnson’s career outside of the Fast & Furious franchise. Black Adam, which reportedly cost US$195 million, made US73 million from 77 international markets; in Singapore, it opened at No.1.

Listen to the full episode of the Behind the Screen podcast below.

Black Adam (PG13) is now in cinemas.

Photo: TPG News/Cilck Photos