In recent years, China has significantly reduced the number of Hollywood movies released there. However, between strict COVID protocols and a lack of titles that appeal to wider audiences, theaters in the Middle Kingdom are nearing bankruptcy, with the entire industry potentially on the brink of collapse.
That would explain the recent decision to allow both Black Panther: Wakanda Forever and Ant-Man and The Wasp: Quantumania to be released there, and it seems Shazam! Fury of the Gods is next!
An outlet affiliated with the Chinese government has confirmed the news, though we don't currently have a release date. Still, this bodes well for the Shazam! sequel, especially with so much uncertainty surrounding the likelihood of actors and characters from the DCEU making the leap to DC Studios' new DCU.
It was easy to bid Black Adam star Dwayne Johnson farewell after that movie flopped, but if Shazam! Fury of the Gods is a mega-hit, then Zachary Levi may well get the chance to stick around as the Big Red Cheese.
Those box office numbers will be worth keeping an eye on, that's for sure...
Shazam! Fury of the Gods continues the story of teenage Billy Batson who, upon reciting the magic word "SHAZAM!," is transformed into his adult Super Hero alter ego, Shazam.
The sequel's cast includes Zachary Levi as Shazam, Asher Angel as Billy Batson, Jack Dylan Grazer as Freddy Freeman, Adam Brody as Super Hero Freddy, Ross Butler as Super Hero Eugene, Meagan Good as Super Hero Darla, D.J. Cotrona as Super Hero Pedro, Grace Caroline Currey as Mary Bromfield/Super Hero Mary.
Djimon Hounsou returns as the Wizard, while Rachel Zegler, Lucy Liu, and Helen Mirren have all joined the movie as newly created villains.
Shazam! Fury of the Gods is set to be released on March 17, 2023.