15 Actors Perfect for the Role of the Black Adam in the DCU

Black Adam—Teth-Adam of Kahndaq—debuted in DC comics in 1945 as an adversary to the Marvel Family, created by writer Otto Binder and artist C. C. Beck. Across decades of publication, the character’s history has linked him to ancient Egyptian pantheons, with powers commonly described as deriving from deities like Shu, Heru, Amon, Zehuti, Aton, and Mehen, and storylines spanning the rise, fall, and rule of the fictional nation of Kahndaq. On screen, the character headlined the 2022 feature film ‘Black Adam’, directed by Jaume Collet-Serra and written by Adam Sztykiel, Rory Haines, and Sohrab Noshirvani, which situated Teth-Adam within the prior DC Extended Universe continuity.

With the DCU under the stewardship of James Gunn and Peter Safran, multiple characters are being reimagined and introduced through a coordinated film and television slate. The role of Black Adam intersects with DCU themes of myth, geopolitics, and superhuman power—elements that have been explored in comics arcs involving the Justice Society, Shazam, and Kahndaq’s sovereignty—making casting choices particularly consequential for future stories across interconnected projects.

Marwan Kenzari

Marwan Kenzari is a Tunisian-Dutch actor known internationally for roles in projects such as ‘Aladdin’, in which he portrayed Jafar under the direction of Guy Ritchie, and ‘The Old Guard’, led by director Gina Prince-Bythewood and based on the comic by Greg Rucka and Leandro Fernández. His filmography also includes appearances in ‘The Mummy’ (2017) with director Alex Kurtzman and ‘Murder on the Orient Express’ directed by Kenneth Branagh, where he worked alongside an ensemble cast.

On television and in European cinema, Kenzari has credits in Dutch-language films and series before transitioning to English-language productions. His work spans genres from historical epics to contemporary action-fantasy, collaborating with writers and directors across studios and streaming platforms, and engaging with characters that draw on Middle Eastern and Mediterranean settings.

Oded Fehr

Oded Fehr is an Israeli actor recognized for his portrayal of Ardeth Bay in ‘The Mummy’ and ‘The Mummy Returns’, both directed by Stephen Sommers. He also appeared in the ‘Resident Evil’ film series as Carlos Oliveira, working with directors Paul W. S. Anderson and Alexander Witt, and has credits in features like ‘Deuce Bigalow: Male Gigolo’ and ‘The Mummy’ (1999) franchise spinoffs.

Fehr’s television work includes recurring and guest roles in series such as ’24’, ‘Covert Affairs’, and ‘NCIS’, often within espionage and military narratives. His voice acting includes characters in animated projects and video games, expanding his range across formats while maintaining a steady presence in action-adventure storytelling.

Tahar Rahim

Tahar Rahim is a French-Algerian actor whose breakout role came in ‘A Prophet’, directed by Jacques Audiard, a crime drama that garnered international awards attention. He later starred in ‘The Mauritanian’, directed by Kevin Macdonald and adapted from Mohamedou Ould Slahi’s memoir, and in the limited series ‘The Serpent’, dramatizing the crimes of Charles Sobhraj in a production developed by BBC and Netflix.

Rahim’s body of work includes collaborations with directors such as Ridley Scott in ‘Napoleon’, as well as appearances in projects like ‘The Eddy’, associated with filmmaker Damien Chazelle. His roles frequently intersect with historical and legal narratives, featuring multilingual performances across French- and English-language productions.

Mena Massoud

Mena Massoud is an Egyptian-Canadian actor who headlined Disney’s live-action ‘Aladdin’ as the title character, directed by Guy Ritchie and co-starring Naomi Scott and Will Smith. His feature credits also include ‘Run This Town’, a political drama, and appearances in thrillers and independent productions.

In television, Massoud starred in the series ‘Reprisal’, produced for Hulu, and has guest roles across network and streaming projects. He has also engaged with voice and animated work and participated in global press and promotional tours associated with high-profile studio releases.

Fares Fares

Fares Fares is a Swedish-Lebanese actor known for roles in ‘Zero Dark Thirty’, directed by Kathryn Bigelow, where he portrayed a Jordanian intelligence officer within a film centered on the hunt for Osama bin Laden. He has also starred in the Danish ‘Department Q’ crime films, including ‘The Keeper of Lost Causes’ and ‘The Absent One’, adapted from Jussi Adler-Olsen’s novels.

Fares appeared in HBO’s ‘Chernobyl’, created by Craig Mazin and directed by Johan Renck, contributing to a dramatization of the 1986 nuclear disaster. He led ‘The Nile Hilton Incident’, directed by Tarik Saleh, a crime thriller set in Cairo, further establishing his presence in international cinema with roles spanning political and investigative narratives.

Amr Waked

Amr Waked is an Egyptian actor with major credits including ‘Syriana’, written and directed by Stephen Gaghan, a geopolitical drama featuring an ensemble cast. He played Captain Pierre Del Rio in Luc Besson’s science-fiction film ‘Lucy’, acting opposite Scarlett Johansson in a story exploring enhanced human cognition.

Waked co-starred in ‘Salmon Fishing in the Yemen’, directed by Lasse Hallström and adapted from Paul Torday’s novel, and has continued to work across Arabic- and English-language productions. His career encompasses theater, film, and television, often intersecting with narratives about diplomacy, security, and cross-cultural encounters.

Mehdi Dehbi

Mehdi Dehbi is a Belgian-Tunisian actor who led the Netflix series ‘Messiah’, created by Michael Petroni, in a story that examines the global reaction to a mysterious figure. He appeared in ‘A Most Wanted Man’, directed by Anton Corbijn and based on John le Carré’s novel, set within the post-9/11 intelligence landscape.

Dehbi’s earlier work includes European productions across France and Belgium, with roles in dramas that explore identity and migration. His filmography illustrates collaboration with international filmmakers and participation in festival-circulated features and limited series.

Sullivan Stapleton

Sullivan Stapleton is an Australian actor known for starring in ‘300: Rise of an Empire’ as Themistocles, directed by Noam Murro as a companion to Zack Snyder’s ‘300’. He headlined the action series ‘Strike Back’, a Sky/Cinemax co-production adapting Chris Ryan’s novel, focusing on special operations missions.

Stapleton also starred in NBC’s ‘Blindspot’ as FBI agent Kurt Weller, a procedural-serial hybrid created by Martin Gero. His film credits include ‘Animal Kingdom’, an Australian crime drama that launched multiple careers, and roles in studio projects such as ‘Gangster Squad’, directed by Ruben Fleischer.

Joe Manganiello

Joe Manganiello is an American actor recognized for his role as Alcide Herveaux in HBO’s ‘True Blood’, created by Alan Ball from Charlaine Harris’s novels. His film credits include ‘Magic Mike’ and ‘Magic Mike XXL’, directed by Steven Soderbergh and Gregory Jacobs respectively, where he appeared as Richie within an ensemble cast.

Manganiello appeared as Slade Wilson/Deathstroke in ‘Justice League’ and additional DC-related footage tied to earlier continuity. Beyond acting, he has credits as a producer and director and has participated in action, thriller, and genre projects across film and television.

Luke Evans

Luke Evans is a Welsh actor whose credits include ‘Fast & Furious 6’, directed by Justin Lin, in which he portrayed Owen Shaw within the franchise’s heist-action framework. He played Bard the Bowman in ‘The Hobbit’ trilogy overseen by Peter Jackson, contributing to adaptations of J. R. R. Tolkien’s work.

Evans starred as Vlad in ‘Dracula Untold’, directed by Gary Shore, and portrayed Gaston in Disney’s live-action ‘Beauty and the Beast’, directed by Bill Condon. His filmography covers historical epics, musicals, and thrillers, alongside television appearances in limited series and miniseries formats.

Dacre Montgomery

Dacre Montgomery is an Australian actor known for portraying Billy Hargrove in Netflix’s ‘Stranger Things’, created by the Duffer Brothers. He led the 2017 ‘Power Rangers’ reboot as Jason Scott, directed by Dean Israelite, adapting the long-running franchise for a contemporary feature release.

Montgomery has also appeared in independent films such as ‘The Broken Hearts Gallery’, produced by Selena Gomez and written/directed by Natalie Krinsky. His work includes short films, music videos, and voice/narration projects, alongside training and credits in stage performance.

Manu Bennett

Manu Bennett is a New Zealand actor whose credits include Crixus in Starz’s ‘Spartacus’, created by Steven S. DeKnight, which dramatized gladiatorial Rome. He portrayed Slade Wilson/Deathstroke in ‘Arrow’, developed by Greg Berlanti, Marc Guggenheim, and Andrew Kreisberg, contributing to the CW’s interconnected DC television universe.

Bennett performed as Azog the Defiler in ‘The Hobbit’ films through motion capture under Peter Jackson’s direction. His broader credits span action and fantasy features, as well as appearances in genre television programming across U.S. and Australasian markets.

Liev Schreiber

Liev Schreiber is an American actor and filmmaker known for his lead role in Showtime’s ‘Ray Donovan’, created by Ann Biderman, depicting a fixer in Los Angeles and later New York. He appeared in ‘Spotlight’, directed by Tom McCarthy, as editor Marty Baron in a film chronicling investigative journalism at The Boston Globe.

Schreiber portrayed Victor Creed in ‘X-Men Origins: Wolverine’, directed by Gavin Hood, and has significant stage credits including Shakespearean roles. He has also narrated documentaries and voiced animated characters, contributing to projects across film, television, and theater.

Yahya Abdul-Mateen II

Yahya Abdul-Mateen II is an American actor who portrayed Black Manta in ‘Aquaman’, directed by James Wan, and returned to DC-related productions in subsequent announcements and projects. He starred in HBO’s ‘Watchmen’, developed by Damon Lindelof from the comic by Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons, where he played a central role in the limited series.

Abdul-Mateen led ‘Candyman’ (2021), directed by Nia DaCosta and produced by Jordan Peele, continuing the horror franchise with a contemporary narrative. His additional credits include ‘The Matrix Resurrections’, directed by Lana Wachowski, and roles in films and series spanning drama, science fiction, and superhero genres.

Dwayne Johnson

Dwayne Johnson starred in ‘Black Adam’ directed by Jaume Collet-Serra, bringing the character to the big screen alongside members of the Justice Society such as Hawkman and Doctor Fate. His broader filmography includes action-adventure projects like ‘Jumanji: Welcome to the Jungle’ directed by Jake Kasdan and entries in the ‘Fast & Furious’ series.

Johnson’s production company, Seven Bucks Productions, has overseen large-scale features and franchise development, coordinating with writers and directors on world-building and stunt-driven set pieces. His experience collaborating with visual effects supervisors, second-unit teams, and large ensembles directly corresponds to DCU-style filmmaking logistics.

Share your thoughts in the comments: which actor would you cast as the DCU’s Black Adam, and why?