It looks like Jaume Collet-Serra's Black Adam will be the last DC film of the year, as Deadline is reporting that Warner Bros. has pushed David F. Sandberg's Shazam! Fury of the Gods from this December to March 17, 2023.
That date was previously held by James Wan's Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom, which is now heading to Christmas 2023, where it will open in the same release window as its predecessor. The release date change was heavily rumored for weeks, but it's now been made official as the Jason Momoa-starrer needed additional time to complete post-production.
As for the Zachary Levi-fronted Shazam sequel, its move should be quite beneficial as it will now be able to open in premium format screens, including IMAX, and no longer has to compete with the juggernaut that is 20th Century Studios' Avatar: The Way of Water.
Both release date shifts will likely be huge boons for the box office, as the first Aquaman grossed $1.148 billion globally back in 2018, while the original Shazam! racked up $366 million from its April 2019 opening. More recently, The Batman collected $770.8 million from the same March window, so WB is likely banking on Shazam 2 to receive a similar boost, and may be hoping it can reach the heights of the Matt Reeves-directed blockbuster.
In related news, WB has granted a theatrical release window for both New Line's House Party (December 9) and Lee Cronin's Evil Dead Rise (April 21, 2023).
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