Credit: Warner BrosThe poster for the next Zachary Levi film has just been released, and people across the internet are already claiming that the film will be a flop.
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At one point, Zachary Levi was one of the brightest stars in Hollywood, having played multiple beloved characters, including the titular heroes in Chuck and Shazam! (2019), as well as Flynn Rider in Tangled (2010), Dr. Benjamin Ettenberg in The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, and Fandral in Thor: The Dark World (2013) and Thor: Ragnarok (2017). That’s right, he’s appeared in Disney, the DC Universe, and the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
However, public opinion of the actor has changed over time. Not only was Shazam! Fury of the Gods (2023) a flop, but the Tony Award-nominated actor garnered controversy with perceived anti-vaccine views and throwing around blame for Fury of the Gods‘ failure. Now, the posters for his newest film have dropped, and fans are convinced his star will fall even further.
Zachary Levi Starring in ‘Harold and the Purple Crayon,’ and Fans Are Confused
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On March 13, 2024, the internet was shocked to see the poster for Harold and the Purple Crayon (2024). An adaptation of the classic children’s book written by Crockett Johnson, the poster seemed to not reflect the book at all. Instead of a simple and charming story of a boy and his imagination, fans were instead greeted by a strange fantasy epic with purple animals.
However, the most shocking part of the film is that Zachary Levi Pugh, a 43-year-old man, is taking on the role of Harold, a four-year-old child. While this has not been confirmed, Levi is wearing a blue jumpsuit similar to Harold’s blue onesie, and he is holding the titular crayon.
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This threw the internet for a loop, especially for those who grew up reading the classic story. Most didn’t understand the casting choice, while others were surprised that ” he fell off so hard after Shazam!” One person even claimed that they could already see the film getting 0% on Rotten Tomatoes while another said, “This downgrade needs to be studied.”
While there are definitely questionable choices in this adaptation, it doesn’t seem fair to judge the movie before it has been released. Director Carlos Saldanha has directed Oscar-nominated films, and it also stars Lil Rel Howery, Zooey Deschanel, and Jemaine Clement. Hopefully, this film will be able to stand on its own and not ruin the reputation of its source material when it debuts in theaters on August 2, 2024.
What do you think of this new adaptation of the classic children’s book? Let Inside the Magic know in the comments down below!