As someone who cosplays regularly, is built like a Greek god (the Disney version of Dionysus to be exact), let me tell you guys something; Spandex is a bastard. As most costume designers have discovered over the years, no matter how chiseled the physique of an actor is, spandex will always rob them of their gains.
That problem has since been solved by simply adding a decent level of padding to the bodysuit that actors don, with the textured garment glued on top over it to create a comic book accurate appearance. It worked for Henry Cavill and Ben Affleck, two actors who had enough muscle on their frame to look like a Rob Liefeld sketch of Captain America circa the Heroes Reborn era coming to life, and it has since become the default technique for superhero costumes.
One actor who won’t be adding any of that padding to his superhero costume though? Dwayne Johnson, better known as The Rock to local stone quarries. Speaking to Muscle & Fitness, Johnson’s fitness coach and former bodybuilder Dave Rienzi explained that because of Johnson’s stupidly massive physique, the actor could don a costume that will Egyptian god-like character look more natural, “with no padded superhero suit necessary.”
Not exactly surprising. As a WWE superstar, Johnson was required to be in top condition at all times and once he split from Vinny Mac’s house of chest slaps he continued to stay in shape, adding more and more muscle to his body over the years. Seriously, the dude can flex a bicep and someone near him will lose an eye. It’s absolutely amazing what constant exercise, a calculated meal plan, and a personal trainer can transform you into over several years of non-stop effort.
As for the rest of Black Adam, the film is shaping up nicely! Pierce Brosnan has been added to the cast and will play DC’s master of the mystic arts aka Doctor Fate. Black Adam is currently still scheduled for a 22 December 2021 release, though we’ll see if that changes due to pandemic reasons. It’s fellow sibling Shazam! Fury of the Gods, which sees director David F. Sandberg returning, is currently set to hit screens on 2 June 2023.
And ahead of all that, there’ll be a new DC Fandome event kicking off on October 16, which will likely see new details on those films revealed.