Credit: DC/Warner Bros.It seems like Shazam! (2019) star Zachary Levi has resigned himself to the likelihood that he won’t be suiting up again as the iconic superhero ahead of James Gunn and Peter Safran’s DC takeover.
Related: Zachary Levi Pitches ‘Shazam! 3’ “Buddy Comedy” Starring Familiar DC Hero
When Shazam! first flew into theaters in April 2019, it was met with generally positive reception from audiences — a sorely needed win for DC Studios and Warner Bros. coming on the heels of lackluster film entries such as Suicide Squad (2016) and Justice League (2017). The lighthearted origin story of Billy Baston (Asher Angel) and his “Shazamily,” while not without its issues, was likable enough to constitute a sequel, which, as many know, ended in a disaster of superhero proportions.
Shazam! Fury of the Gods (2023) hit theaters earlier this year and became one of the lowest-earning DCEU entries of all time with a box office gross of just $134 million worldwide against a production budget of $125 million, thus losing Warner Bros. an estimated $150 million. The comic book sequel was one of many in a string of commercial flops for DC, with Dwayne Johnson’s Black Adam (2022) and the more recent Blue Beetle (2023) also failing to break even.
Related: James Gunn Confirms Lex Luthor Casting in ‘Superman: Legacy’
Levi has since leaped to the film’s defense, doubling down on his assertion that he’s still “really proud” of the Shazam! movies, despite the sequel falling short with audiences. The actor recently told ComicBook.com, “I’m really proud of both films. I really think the second film was, in some respects, better than the first. And the first was really good. I’m really proud of both of them.” But he didn’t stop there.
The Shazam! star then raised eyebrows by throwing in a quick jab at fan-favorite filmmaker James Gunn and his brother, Sean Gunn, after the latter was confirmed to be replacing Pedro Pascal as the villainous Maxwell Lord in his and Safran’s rebooted DCU. During the interview, Levi decided to throw a little shade at Gunn’s casting, saying, “When you’re the brother of the guy who runs DC, I guess you get to play who you want.”
Check out the full clip (via @DCFilmNews on X) below:
Zachery Levi on if he’s interested in going the Jason Momoa and Sean Gunn route in playing a whole new character in James Gunn’s DCU:
“When you’re the brother of the guy who runs DC, I guess you get to play who you want.”
Zachery Levi on if he’s interested in going the Jason Momoa and Sean Gunn route in playing a whole new character in James Gunn’s DCU:
“When you’re the brother of the guy who runs DC, I guess you get to play who you want.”
[Via: https://t.co/94G0twnFNj] pic.twitter.com/sxBwdSbTWg
— DC Film News (@DCFilmNews) December 11, 2023
Sean Gunn’s casting for his brother’s newly-rebooted DCU is far from the first time they’ve collaborated onscreen, as he played Ravager Kraglin in Marvel’s Guardians of the Galaxy franchise and Weasel in The Suicide Squad (2021). He’s also set to lend his voice to Lobo in the upcoming Creature Commandos series for Warner Bros. and Max.
Because of this, many accused the actor of benefiting from “nepotism” — something James Gunn adamantly disputed in a now-deleted social media exchange. Responding to a fan, he wrote, “I said, very clearly, actors will generally only be playing one character on screen, and said, in the same response, that for voice actors, it’s not the same. Sean, Alan Tudyk, Maria Bakalova, Steve Agee, etc, all play multiple roles in Creature Commandos. That doesn’t mean they won’t play different characters onscreen.”
Continuing his scathing rant, the DC Studios co-chairman and co-CEO added, “So, what’s the need you have (and a handful of others) to [so] desperately need to believe I’m lying that you seem to purposefully ignore certain parts of what I said?”
The backlash to Sean’s casting as Max Lord was likely amplified due to the internet’s newfound obsession with Pedro Pascal, who played the supervillain in Patty Jenkins’ Wonder Woman 1984 (2020) alongside Gal Gadot. Even so, DC fans appear to be sick of seeing the younger Gunn pop up in nearly every one of his brother’s projects — a similar complaint that surfaced online when James’ wife, Jennifer Holland, appeared in the post-credits for Shazam! Fury of the Gods.
It’s hard to say if Levi is actually bitter about Sean Gunn’s DCU casting or if he’s just poking fun at his colleague. Regardless, it’s important to note that Sean had established himself as an actor long before his brother began putting him in his movies and that it’s hardly a rarity to see a big-time Hollywood director continuing to work with a group of people he can rely on.
There’s also the chance that this could be a bit of pent-up frustration with his experience at DC on Zachary Levi’s end, which doesn’t exactly make his Shazam! 3 prospects look promising. For now, only time will tell if Billy Baston and Co. will find their way into James Gunn’s newly-rebooted DCU or if Levi will hang up his superhero suit once and for all in pursuit of new opportunities.
Do you agree with Zachary Levi’s comments about Sean Gunn, or was he out of line? Share your thoughts in the comments below!