Shazam! Fury of the Gods has begun arriving in theaters following yesterday evening's premiere in Hollywood, and all eyes are now on whether the film can escape the same fate as last October's Black Adam.
Excitement for the sequel appears to be somewhat muted, no doubt a result of numerous delays and the fact a DCU reboot is fast approaching. We're not gonna write this one off, but regardless of whether you've already seen the film or just want a better idea of what to expect, we have you covered with a breakdown of the Shazam! follow-up's ending.
Delving into the way this story wraps up, we explore the massive final act and what it could mean for Shazam in both a possible third film and the evolving DCU under DC Studios' watch.
It goes without saying MAJOR SPOILERS for Shazam! Fury of the Gods follow from this point, so you'll need to click the NEXT/VIEW LIST buttons below to see our full breakdown.
The Final Battle
Shazam! Fury of the Gods ends with Kalypso making her sinister intentions known. Shazam manages to convince her sister, Hespera, to put a dome over a nearby stadium so he can fight the villain and unleash the full power of The Wizard's staff without putting innocent lives at risk.
She does so with her dying breath after being impaled by her sister and a huge battle follows.
Using his powers to supercharge the staff, one final cry of "Shazam!" sees Billy put an end to Kalypso and her dragon. It seems the heroes have won the day, but as she and her demons turn to dust, we find the teenager dead and the staff drained of its powers.
A funeral is held, but Shazam gets to live and fight another day thanks to an unexpected ally...
Wonder Woman Lends A Helping Hand
The Wizard explains that only the spark of a God can restore his staff, but there are none left, and that means he's unable to revive Billy.
What he's forgetting is there is, in fact, still one.
With that, Gal Gadot's Wonder Woman enters the scene, using her powers to charge the staff up and bring Shazam back to life. It's an epic moment and a fun showcase for the Amazon Warrior after some gags earlier in the movie with a faceless version of the character. From there, however, the scene is mostly played for laughs.
Back among the land of the living, Shazam hits on Diana Prince but she makes it clear he's a little too young for her. And yes, Warner Bros. really did spoil this final act cameo in a TV spot!
Meet Shazam
As the Shazam Family repairs their home (destroyed earlier in the movie), The Wizard - now decked out in modern clothing and clean-shaven - shows up and reveals he intends to explore the world.
Taking his staff, the ancient hero prepares to leave when Billy asks what his superhero name is supposed to be.
The Wizard pauses and simply says, "Shazam." That pays off a running gag throughout the movie, though an unimpressed Freddy points out he can likely think of something better.
That's where the movie ends, but is the stage set for a third film?
Are We Getting A Third Film?
There are two post-credits scenes - read about both of them here - both of which lay the groundwork for Shazam to continue playing a role in the new DCU moving forward.
The end of Shazam! Fury of the Gods goes a long way in establishing Billy Batson as a legit superhero in this world, and it would be a shame if this is where his story ends. Director David F. Sandberg has previously said there's nothing in this sequel that contradicts DC Studios' future plans, but that doesn't mean Shazam will stick around.
Ultimately, he's a DCEU character and one who is starring in a sequel that's not exactly projected to break box office records.
If the movie can exceed box office expectations, we'd like to think Shazam will get the chance to return one day.