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Credit: DC/Warner Bros.While Shazam! Fury of the Gods (2023) received poor reviews from critics and bombed at the box office; there is still hope that a third film could become a reality.
Shazam! (2019) was one of the biggest surprises in the history of DC films. What many people thought would be a one-off film turned out to be one of the highlights of that era of the DC Universe. It follows the story of Billy Batson (Asher Angel), who is chosen to be a wizard’s champion, giving him the ability to turn into a mighty hero (Zachary Levi) by shouting the word, “Shazam!” It was silly, fun, and action-packed.
While fans were excited to see a sequel release, it didn’t quite live up to the expectations set up by its predecessor. Despite having the star power of Helen Mirren, Lucy Liu, and Rachel Zegler, Shazam! Fury of the Gods felt like standard superhero fare compared to the first film.
Now, with James Gunn taking control of DC Studios, it’s hard to see a future for the little movie that could. It’s hard but not impossible.
‘Shazam 3’ Could Still Happen
While the DCU has already begun recasting some of its former stars, some actors have remained in their roles, including Viola Davis as Amanda Waller, John Cena as Peacemaker, and Sean Gunn as the Weasel. Gal Gadot has even confirmed that she will most likely be returning as Wonder Woman. Who’s to say that Zachary Levi can’t return as Shazam?
Levi wants to see that happen, having told Entertainment Tonight, “Listen, I’ve talked to Peter [Safran] a good bit; we’re gonna talk more on this tour. Certainly, the idea is to continue the character, this world. It’s a really enjoyable extension of the DCU. It has DNA that a lot of the other characters and extensions don’t necessarily have because we are a more family [movie]… [That] kind of franchise comes with a lot of fun.”
Related: ‘Shazam 2′ Star Fires Back At Critics And Their “Political Agenda”
One person who is particularly hopeful is director David F. Sandberg. In the same interview, the director noted, “What they’ve said is that what we’ve done in these two Shazam movies doesn’t contradict anything they’re doing with their new plans, which is great. It means that you could do Shazam movies if you wanted to. We’ll see how that all works out.”
Basically, it is entirely possible that Shazam, as we know him, can remain in the DCU. It’s unlikely, but there is definitely a chance.
…But It Probably Won’t
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Let’s be honest here. Shazam! Fury of the Gods flopped. Hard. It wasn’t as big of a failure as The Flash (2023), but it barely managed to make more than its budget, and that’s not even including the money spent on marketing the movie. While the first film was a surprise, the second failed to meet its loftier expectations.
On top of this, Zachary Levi has proven divisive recently. Not only has he attacked “toxic” DC fans, calling them “very powerless people,” but he has also gone after Hollywood. In an appearance at Fan Expo Chicago, he referred to the products released by Hollywood studios as “garbage.” That being said, one other person is standing in the way of more Shazam movies: Dwayne Johnson.
Related: Zachary Levi Confirms Dwayne Johnson Sabotaged DC
It has been reported that Johnson was never a fan of his Black Adam (2022) character facing off against Shazam, despite Black Adam being one of his archenemies. Instead, Johnson wanted to have his character face off against Henry Cavill’s Superman, but that is definitely not going to happen now.
In the end, most signs seem to point to Shazam! 3 never seeing the light of day, which is a real shame. While the sequel was disappointing, the first movie was an absolute blast and a refreshing break from the dour nature of Zack Snyder’s DC films. Hopefully, James Gunn can find room for the character in his version of the DCU.
Would you like to see a third Shazam! movie? Let Inside the Magic know in the comments down below!