2022 has been a worst year for DC – yet that isn’t a surprise! The year ended with a massive shakeup of the superhero roster for the DC Universe.

Dwayne Johnson, the Black Adam star trying to control DC.

Just to recap the events of 2022, Ezra Miller was arrested dissenting because she doubted The Flash movie would premiere. DC Films was involved in the highly-publicized legal battle between Amber Heard and Johnny Depp. The new batgirl movie got canceled and used to write off the studio’s tax notices.

Walter Hamada stepped down as director of DC Films as well as the acquisition of James Gunn and Peter Safran in the new studio. Henry Cavill was the first to come back as a Superman but became angry a few months later. Shazam!: A sequel to the gods and an original poet pushed back to 2023 while another novel was cancelled.

It was a very tough year for DC Films and Warner Bros. A new Variety report shows that in the chaos of 2022, one group tried to gain control of the DC region.

Johnson directed an open pitch to Warner Bros. CEO David Zaslav, and then started upset the cast for DC films.

In April 2022, Dwayne Johnson pitched a multiyear plan for Black Adam and Henry Cavills Superman to Warner Bros. CEO David Zaslav. According to sources, the plan was to bring forth an inevitable clash between the Black and the Steele. The black-a-year producers Hiram Garcia and Beau Flynn were in the group hoping to find a new way for DC.

The play on DC was made during a turbulent time when DC Films Walter Hamada and Warner Bros were preparing to retire. Sources revealed that the move by Johnson’s group was reportedly upset by some people within the organization. “Don’t you walk around the whole thing, this didn’t really sit well,” says one source.

Michael De Luca and Pam Abdy, co-founders of Warner Bros. Pictures approved the cameo of Cavills in Black Adam. In 2018, the former boss decided to cast a new actor as Superman at the moment.

Johnsons Black Adam was unfortunate that he went to the box office. The movie only took home three91 million dollars worldwide on a reported budget of 191 million dollars and four hundred dollars for reshoots after the failed attempt. The mediocre appearance at the box office eventually sealed the fate of Black Adam and spoiled the return of Cavill as Superman.

According to sources, Johnson made several demands that led to his relationship with Warner execs.

Sources also revealed that Johnson’s relationship to Warner Bros was souring after a series of demands. Johnson pushed for a higher credit for the DC Super-Pets. The sources suggest that the actor did little to promote the film.

One-time reporter said that Johnson insisted on the addition of a tequila bar at the event of Black Adam in New York. The tequila bar, when rated as the film PG-13, was carried by Johnsons Teramana.

One insider notes that “his demands increased and the return just didn’t arrive.”

Paul Dergarabedian, an analyst for Box office, says the budget is for Black Adam. If a talent is the key, you can’t have a more modest budget, says Dergarabedian. “Deaths are proportionate to the talent involved. Something with a lower budget like Shazam! is called a hit because there’s more time for them to pay attention to”

Shazam! earned $366 million worldwide against a budget of $100 million. Dergarabedian notes that Black Adam made the US domestic box office top 10. However, the movie isn’t on the top ten in the global global index.

James Gunn announced that Johnson won’t be part of the new DC Universe.

Johnson adamantly defended Black Adam and insisted it would turn a profit. The actor could’ve overestimated his box office appeal with the anti-hero film. This movie has now been moved to HBO Max.

Well, now is up to Peter Safran and James Gunn to turn things around at DC Studios. Gunn announced that Cavill and Johnson won’t be part of the DC Universe soon. The move spawned rumors that Gunn denied a universe-wide recasting. The director may also indirectly alluded to Johnson’s play for control when he said that the new DC Studios will have less studio interference.

After all, we’ll see the effects of Gunn and Safrans takeover. Gunn promised to the audience that the studio is focused on the largest story ever told.

For Johnson, his next movie project is Red One, which is now in production. The film, Amazon Studios, will debut in the holiday season of 2023.