Shazam 2 is expected to have ‘one of the worst’ domestic openings for any DC movie with just $30M
The superhero movie Shazam! Fury Of The Gods seems headed for a major box office disappointment.
The film, which hit theaters this weekend, had a rocky domestic opening, grossing a projected $30 million, making it one of the worst openings for any DC movie, according to TMZ.
If projections hold up, the David F. Sandberg-directed sequel will drop 44% from the $53.5 million the first film cost in 2019.
The Shazam sequel is the first of four DCEU movies to arrive in 2023, followed by The Flash (June 16), Blue Beetle (August 18) and Aquaman And The Lost Kingdom (December 25).
Zachary Levi, who debunked rumors that he was to be recast in December, returns as the title character, the adult superhero Billy Batson (Asher Angel) becomes after being granted incredible powers by a wizard (Djimon Hounsou). in the original movie.
Issue: Shazam! Fury Of The Gods appears headed for a box office disappointment, taking in a projected $30 million in its opening weekend; Zachary Levi pictured in a still from Shazam
Worst Opening for a DC Movie: The film’s harsh domestic opening is “one of the worst for any DC movie” according to TMZ; Levi pictured in a Shazam still
Shazam! Fury Of The Gods and The Flash are among four films still remaining from the former regime at DC Films, directed by Walter Hamada, which has since been given to James Gunn, 56, and Peter Safran, 57.
Shazam was the first of these projects to hit the movies, followed by The Flash, starring embattled actor Ezra Miller.
Also scheduled for release this year are Blue Beetle and Aquaman And The Lost Kingdom on Christmas Day.
Gunn previously called The Flash, “probably one of the best superhero movies ever made.”
Last year, amid a series of shakeups at DC Studios involving multiple superhero projects, Levi debunked rumors that he would appear in the film again.
Levi quoted and retweeted a Tweet about the rumour, writing: ‘Oooh I really wouldn’t believe everything you see on the internet. I’m Gucci, Ash. We are all Gucci.
He also quoted and retweeted another tweet suggesting Gunn will recast the roles of the younger actors, calling the 42-year-old Levi “grandpa” while Levi responded, “Ageist,” with a smiley emoji.
Levi’s first foray into the DC Extended Universe was 2019’s Shazam, based on the DC Comics character created in the 1940s by Bill Parker and CC Beck.
The story follows young Billy Batson (Asher Angel), who finds new superpowers that turn him into an adult superhero (Levi) when he simply says the word ‘Shazam.’
The first film was a hit with critics (90% on Rotten Tomatoes) and fans alike, earning $140.4 million domestically and $366 million worldwide on a $100 million budget.
It’s been a little over a month since Gunn laid out his DC Studios roster, and it looks like there’s a lot more to be announced.
Gunn and Safran were announced as the new heads of DC Studios in late October, with Gunn promising to submit his first slate of projects by February 1.
Worse than the first: If projections hold up, the David F. Sandberg-directed sequel will command 44% less than the first film’s $53.5 million opening in 2019; Lucy Liu and Helen Mirren in a still photo
Debunking: Amid a series of shakeups at DC Studios involving multiple superhero projects, Levi debunked rumors that he would appear in the film again last year.
Ageist: He also quoted and retweeted another tweet suggesting Gunn will recast the roles of the younger actors, calling the 42-year-old Levi ‘grandpa’ when Levi replied, ‘Ageist’ with a smiley emoji.
New Boss: Shazam and The Flash are among four films still remaining from the previous regime at DC Films, which has since been handed over to James Gunn, 56, and his partner Peter Safran, 57; Gunn photographed in 2022
Coming Soon: The filmmaker unveiled his first projects earlier in the year, and they include Superman: Legacy, Booster Gold, The Brave and the Bold, and more; In the photo 2023
True to his word, the Guardians of the Galaxy filmmaker unveiled the first projects on January 31, including Superman: Legacy, Booster Gold, The Brave and the Bold, and more.
Gunn unveiled 10 projects that will be part of the DC Extended Universe (DCEU), along with a sequel to The Batman starring Robert Pattinson, one of the studio’s Elseworld projects outside of the DCEU.
While no more projects have been announced since then, Gunn teased that there’s a lot more in the works, when responding to a fan on Twitter.
The new head of DC Films has also puzzled many fans, after he canceled Wonder Woman 3, fired Henry Cavill as Superman, and turned down a Black Adam sequel (for now).