Superman/Shazam!: The Return of Black Adam

We fight for those you can't fight for themselves!

RELEASED 16 Nov 20100h 25m★ 7.0 TMDB

Chosen the world’s protector against the Seven Deadly Enemies of Man – pride, envy, greed, hatred, selfishness, laziness and injustice – young Billy Batson accepts his destiny as Captain Marvel. Battling alongside Superman against nefarious Black Adam, Billy soon discovers the challenge super heroes ultimately face: is it revenge or justice?

WATCH NOTE

This entry covers the Superman/Shazam!: The Return of Black Adam short, not the entire DC Showcase Original Shorts Collection. That collection also packages extended versions of The Spectre, Jonah Hex and Green Arrow. Those are separate stories; watching both cuts of Green Arrow repeats its adventure. Their runtimes and characters are excluded from this entry. Packaging does not establish required viewing or shared continuity.

Watch these first

4 titles to watch before Superman/Shazam!: The Return of Black Adam — 21h 55m in total.

Justice League: Crisis on Two EarthsOptional background1h 15m★ 7.3
A separate adaptation of Superman; useful for comparison, but unrelated to Superman/Shazam!: The Return of Black Adam’s story continuity.
DC Super Friends: The Joker's PlayhouseOptional background0h 17m★ 5.2
A separate adaptation of Superman; useful for comparison, but unrelated to Superman/Shazam!: The Return of Black Adam’s story continuity.
MADOptional background19h 4m★ 8.0
A separate adaptation of Superman and Shazam; useful for comparison, but unrelated to Superman/Shazam!: The Return of Black Adam’s story continuity.
Superman/Batman: ApocalypseOptional background1h 19m★ 7.2
A separate adaptation of Superman; useful for comparison, but unrelated to Superman/Shazam!: The Return of Black Adam’s story continuity.

Opens the planner with just these titles, so you can set your own pace.

How these titles are selected

Story prerequisites are curated. Likely prerequisites are inferred from sequel numbering or explicit synopsis references. Recommendations are earlier stories in the same continuity; background picks are separate adaptations. Series lists cover whole shows, not an episode-by-episode watch order.

Explore the full viewing guide

Where it fits in the DC universe

Watch this short for Billy Batson’s encounter with Superman. Home-video collections package it with other DC Showcase shorts, each of which has a separate protagonist and viewing entry.

Explore this viewing sequence