SHAZAM! FURY OF THE GODS Star Zachary Levi Addresses DC Future After The Sequel Bombed

SHAZAM! FURY OF THE GODS Star Zachary Levi Addresses DC Future After The Sequel Bombed

Shazam! Fury of the Gods star Zachary Levi has addressed the sequel's failings, admitting he's now unsure what the future holds in store for his version of the Big Red Cheese in DC Studios' new DCU...

By JoshWilding - Jul 26, 2023 07:07 AM EST
Source: The FilmUp Podcast

Shazam! was a critical and commercial hit when it was released back in 2019. While it didn't exactly break box office records, it was an undeniable success and remains one of the DCEU's best-reviewed movies. 

In comparison, Shazam! Fury of the Gods was a dismal failure. Making a mere $133 million worldwide and receiving a clearly mixed response from critics (it has 49% Rotten Tomatoes), it's still hard to pinpoint where exactly things went so badly wrong for the sequel. 

The gap between the first and second instalments was perhaps a little too big, leading to reduced interest in another story revolving around the hero. The decision to introduce newly created villains instead of picking up on the previous movie's post-credits scene tease was also questionable. 

Black Adam, meanwhile, did little to help matters. 

During a recent interview with The FilmUp Podcast, Shazam himself, Zachary Levi, was asked whether he'll be part of James Gunn and Peter Safran's new DCU. The latter produced the Shazam! franchise and is close friends with Levi, but after previously saying his future under DC Studios hinged on the sequel's success, the actor doesn't seem convinced. 

"I don’t know what the future holds for it all because, unfortunately, the second movie was not as well received," he admitted. "I have no idea where we go from here." 

Levi would go on to say that he believes the movie is one which will one day be revisited by fans and perhaps viewed in a different light.

"I just hope that or believe that history will show…it will be one of those things that people will go back, people will watch ‘Fury of the Gods’ on home streaming or on a plane or whatever, and it will be this movie that they heard so much shit about and then they will be like, ‘Well, wait a minute.'"

It's always possible but Shazam! Fury of the Gods does look like it might be the end of Levi's time as the Big Red Cheese. Between some divisive social media activity and relatively widespread criticism of his performance in the movie, that's not something a lot of fans will be upset about either. 

Do you think we'll see Levi's Shazam in the DCU?

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AC1
AC1 - 7/26/2023, 7:32 AM
The whole DCU should be a clean-slate reboot. Still not totally keen on the pick and choose approach Gunn and Safran seem to be rolling with when it seems like they're binning 90% of the DCEU anyway, but I'm still cautiously optimistic about Superman Legacy purely based on Gunn's track record.
AliX
AliX - 7/26/2023, 9:38 AM
@AC1 - Its a complete reboot, its just some actors will return to play the same charecters from the DCEU but from what he said it'll be a completl diffrent take.
GhostDog
GhostDog - 7/26/2023, 7:41 AM
The meltdown he had when it was first released and not being well received was some pathetic shit to behold
mastakilla39
mastakilla39 - 7/26/2023, 8:14 AM
If Gunn brings him back, he needs to at least play Shazam differently. That dumb, immature, and quips per minute Shazam was so annoying in part 2. Give us the more serious and scarred up Shazam from flashpoint because we need a new refreshing take on him.
BlackStar25
BlackStar25 - 7/26/2023, 8:19 AM
Shame....Thought this was a good movie. Still thought this should have been Shazam Vs Black Adam tho easily...
Matador
Matador - 7/26/2023, 9:01 AM
@BlackStar25 - That would have at least drawn in multiple audience's would have been like a pay-per view match up Shazam vs. Black Adam; too bad Johnson didn't want to play ball and his ego got bigger than his head.
HulkisHoly
HulkisHoly - 7/26/2023, 8:28 AM
Wasn’t a bad film. But it just couldn’t justify its existence with the coming DCU hanging over it.

Personally, I think Levi should just be cast as a different character for the DCU.

If they bring Shazam it should be a different actor/ reboot.
DevilsDreams
DevilsDreams - 7/26/2023, 8:53 AM
49% on critic reviews, but 86% audience score... does paint a bit of a picture itself.

OK whilst it didn't do great at the box office, you have to wonder if the discussion of the DCU reboot impacted those figures?

Overall the first is the better of the two films, well paced and enjoyable, it definitely feels the second film struggled with character development and pacing, maybe it could have done better with a younger or slightly less jaded Billy Batson, whilst Asher's performance isn't bad, you have to bare in mind that he was what 18-19? while filming Shazam 2, so when Zachary is playing Shazam as a goofy youngster it doesn't feel like it's the embodiment of the same character that Asher is playing.
slickrickdesigns
slickrickdesigns - 7/26/2023, 9:02 AM
Let me finish that.
Wait a minute… this 20 year old dude is supposed to be the same character as this guy in his 40’s?
TheHumanSpider2
TheHumanSpider2 - 7/26/2023, 9:44 AM
Zack should be happy Blue Beetle is about to take his spot as the lowest grossing DCEU movie ever.
Forthas
Forthas - 7/26/2023, 9:55 AM
The problm is not so much the movie for me...it is the tone it sets for the DC film universe. The wacky, slapstick humor was over the top. If you want to sell this as a children's stand alone then great do that. But if they want to sell this as part of a larger universe that should appeal to children and adults, then WB should keep that sh*t to themselves.
Tufasrox
Tufasrox - 7/26/2023, 12:51 PM
The fact that they didn't do S vs BA or Mister Mind after the tease just goes to show how dumb they were. Made up generic crappy villains and overly annoying Shazam killed this. And rightly so, it was a terrible movie.
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