Shazam! Fury of the Gods looks to be director David F. Sandberg’s last ride in the DC Universe. And it doesn’t seem like he wants to do anything in the Marvel Cinematic Universe either. According to the filmmaker, he is walking away from superhero movies for a while. He will be returning to the world of horror following a six-year journey making two huge comic book blockbusters.
Sandberg made the reveal on Twitter following the opening weekend of Shazam! Fury of the Gods. The sequel to 2019’s Shazam bombed at the box office, pulling in just $30.5 million on its opening weekend against a $125 million budget. It currently sits at just $65.5 million worldwide, making it a huge misfire for DC and Warner Bros. Commenting on the matter somewhat indirectly, Sandberg took to Twitter to say the following.
On Rotten Tomatoes I just got my lowest critic score and my highest audience score on the same film 🤷♂️ I wasn’t expecting a repeat of the first movie critically but I was still a little surprised because I think it’s a good film. Oh well.
— David F. Sandberg (@ponysmasher) March 20, 2023
“On Rotten Tomatoes I just got my lowest critic score and my highest audience score on the same film. I wasn’t expecting a repeat of the first movie critically but I was still a little surprised because I think it’s a good film. Oh well. As I’ve been saying for a while now I’m very eager to go back to horror (as well as trying some new things). After six years of Shazam I’m definitely done with superheroes for now.”
DC Studios co-heads James Gunn and Peter Safran are getting ready to reboot the DC Universe. While it seemed like there may have been a place for Shazam in the future, that no longer is the case. A full reboot is coming, and DC has already announced the first wave of new movies and TV shows. Speaking further, Sandberg expressed his gratitude for the experience, while explaining that he’s ready to get away from superhero movie discourse.
“Just to be clear, I don’t regret even for a second making the Shazam movies. I’ve learned so much and gotten to work with some truly amazing people. Will forever be grateful that I got to direct two of these! They’ve been very challenging but valuable experiences. One thing I’ve really been looking forward to is disconnecting from the superhero discourse online. A lot of that stresses me out so much and it will be nice not having to think about that anymore.”
Here is the synopsis for Shazam! Fury of the Gods.
“Bestowed with the powers of the gods, Billy Batson and his fellow foster kids are still learning how to juggle teenage life with having adult Super Hero alter-egos. But when the Daughters of Atlas, a vengeful trio of ancient gods, arrive on Earth in search of the magic stolen from them long ago, Billy—aka Shazam—and his family are thrust into a battle for their superpowers, their lives, and the fate of their world.”
The cast for the sequel includes Zachary Levi (Thor: Ragnarok) as Shazam, Asher Angel (Andi Mack) as Billy Batson, Jack Dylan Grazer (It Chapter Two) as Freddy Freeman, Adam Brody (Promising Young Woman) as Superhero Freddy, Ross Butler (Raya and the Last Dragon) as Superhero Eugene, Meagan Good (Day Shift) as Superhero Darla, D.J. Cotrona (G.I. Joe: Retaliation) as Superhero Pedro, Grace Caroline Currey (Annabelle: Creation) as Mary Bromfield, Faithe Herman (This Is Us) as Darla Dudley, Ian Chen (A Dog’s Journey) as Eugene Choi, Jovan Armand (Second Chances) as Pedro Pena, Marta Milans (White Lines) as Rosa Vasquez, Cooper Andrews (The Walking Dead) as Victor Vasquez and Djimon Hounsou (A Quiet Place Part II) as Wizard.
Shazam! Fury of the Gods is in theaters now.
What do you think? Would you like Sandberg to direct another superhero movie? Are you sad Shazam probably won’t be part of the new DCU? Join in on the conversation over on Facebook or Twitter!
