The DCEU’s latest film ‘Shazam! Fury of the Gods’ failed to live up to the expectations as it had an underwhelming opening at the box office. The film which has Zachary Levi in the lead role only managed to collect $30 million in the opening weekend. The movie also failed to get anywhere near the previous Shazam movie’s opening collections. The 2019 film ‘Shazam!’ had an opening of $53.5 million.
One person who is held responsible for the failure of the movie is actor Dwayne Johnson. The Hollywood megastar is blamed by many for ruining the franchise during the recent film, ‘Black Adam’ which also had an underwhelming show at the box office.
Dwayne Johnson reportedly used his influence and made massive changes in the script to suit his ego. The actor changed the original script of Black Adam and removed Shazam from it. He also brought Henry Cavill’s Superman back but the whole situation ended up being a mess. Cavill soon after was told that he won’t be playing part in the franchise anymore by new DC CEOs James Gunn and Peter Safran.
The Rock refusing to play ball with Shazam kinda killed both franchises. Very frustrating. Shazam 2 could’ve easily been a Black Adam vs Shazam movie with Superman. And you would’ve seen all the money at the box office. https://t.co/woCHyvxa9Y
— RJ (@ResonantJustice) March 18, 2023
Zachary Levi through his social media confirmed that he was denied a cameo appearance by The Rock in the Black Adam movie. Levi shared a report from The Wrap on his Instagram story with the caption: “The truth shall set you free.”
Zachary Levi posted this on his Instagram story.
— Home of DCU (@homeofdcu) March 21, 2023
☕️ pic.twitter.com/5N3hx6a93r
The report also says that the WWE legend blocked the Justice Society from Black Adam from appearing in the latest Shazam movie. Due to Johnson denying access, David F Sandberg had to make changes at the last minute. The post also says that the Jumanji actor wanted him and Henry Cavill as the centerpiece of the DCEU.
Shazam 2’s disappointing box office numbers might end Zachary Levi’s DCU run
Zachary Levi’s future in the DCU is one of the biggest talking points among fans. After the arrival of James Gunn and Peter Safran at the helm of the DC Studios, the futures of some of the big-name actors in the franchise is in doubt. James Gunn in January 2023 had already mentioned that he’s interested in having Levi onboard for the rebooted edition of the DCEU but following the failure of Shazam 2, the actor’s future is unclear. While the post-credit scenes in Shazam! Fury of the Gods may suggest the actor staying with the franchise but as of now, there are no confirmations.
BREAKING: David F. Sandberg said he is “definitely done” with superheroes for now. He plans to return to horror and try some new things.
— Home of DCU (@homeofdcu) March 20, 2023
This being said, it looks like we won’t get a continuation of Zachary Levi’s Shazam in the DCU, at least for the first chapter or two. pic.twitter.com/OHSrhbW48l
The new regime has already announced the upcoming projects for the DCU. Chapter one will be titled “Gods and Monsters.” and will have five movies and five TV series. This will include the films: Superman: Legacy, The Authority, The Brave and the Bold, Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow and Swamp Thing. The TV series will have shows like Waller, Creature Commandos, Lanterns, Paradise Lost, and Booster Gold.
Here are just a few of our plans. Up, up, and away! #DCStudios #DCU @DCComics pic.twitter.com/8XNDNLUEPq
— James Gunn (@JamesGunn) January 31, 2023
DC fans are keeping a close eye on the situation and are expecting big things under the new leadership. Many believe that the reboot will help the DCU achieve success moving forward.
