While the producers’ commitment to the source material is commendable, it almost cost Black Adam the PG-13 rating. As Flynn tells us, it took “four rounds [with the MPAA], and [the movie] just got the PG-13, I think, maybe four or five weeks ago.” That’s the very definition of a close call. But the producers and Johnson didn't want to compromise what makes the antihero so interesting. As Flynn says, “It was an obligation that we had to the fans.”
But what did get lost while Flynn, Garcia, and Johnson tried to negotiate with the MPAA? According to the producers, Black Adam had almost twice the number of scenes where Johnson kills an enemy with extreme violence. Flynn revealed: