The superhero flick Shazam! Fury Of The Gods appears to be heading for a major disappointment at the box office.
The movie, which hit theaters this weekend, got off to a rocky start domestically and is expected to gross $30 million, making it one of the worst starts for any DC movie, according to TMZ.
If projections hold true, the David F. Sandberg-directed sequel will be 44% below the $53.5 million opening of the first film in 2019.
The Shazam sequel is the first of four DCEU films coming in 2023, followed by The Flash (June 16), Blue Beetle (August 18), and Aquaman And The Lost Kingdom (December 25).
Zachary Levi – who busted rumors he’d be recast in December – returns as the title character, the adult superhero who becomes Billy Batson (Asher Angel) after being given amazing powers by a wizard (Djimon Hounsou) in the original film became.
Issue: Shazam! Fury Of The Gods looks set to be a disappointment at the box office as it is expected to gross $30 million in its opening weekend; Zachary Levi in a Shazam freeze frame
Worst Opening for a DC Movie: The film’s bumpy 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 the four films remaining from the previous regime at DC Films – run by Walter Hamada – which have since been handed over to James Gunn, 56, and Peter Safran, 57.
Shazam was the first of those projects to hit theaters, followed by The Flash, starring embattled actor Ezra Miller.
Also planned for this year are Blue Beetle and Aquaman And The Lost Kingdom on Christmas Day.
Gunn previously called The Flash “probably one of the greatest superhero movies ever made.”
Last year, amid a series of reshuffles at DC Studios involving multiple superhero projects, Levi debunked rumors he was being recast for the film.
Quoting a tweet about the rumor, Levi wrote: “Oooh I really wouldn’t believe everything you see on the internet. I’m Gucci, Ash. All of us Gucci.”
He also quoted another tweet suggesting Gunn would recast younger actors, and called Levi, 42, a “grandpa,” when Levi responded with a smirking “Ageist” emoji.
Levi’s first foray into the DC Extended Universe was 2019’s Shazam, based on the DC Comics character created by Bill Parker and CC Beck in 1940.
The story follows young Billy Batson (Asher Angel) as he finds new superpowers that transform him into an adult superhero (Levi) simply by saying the word “Shazam”.
The first film was a hit with critics (90% on Rotten Tomatoes) and fans alike, grossing $140.4 million domestically and $366 million worldwide on a budget of $100 million.
It’s been a little over a month since Gunn unveiled his DC Studios plaque, and it seems there’s still a lot more to announce.
Gunn and Safran were announced as new heads of DC Studios in late October, with Gunn promising to unveil his first set of projects by February 1st.
Worse than the first: If projections are correct, the David F. Sandberg-directed sequel will be down 44% from the first film’s $53.5 million premiere in 2019; Lucy Liu and Helen Mirren pictured in a still
Debunking: Amid a series of reshuffles at DC Studios involving multiple superhero projects, Levi debunked rumors that he was recast for the film last year
Agest: He also quoted another tweet suggesting Gunn would recast younger actors, and called Levi, 42, a “grandpa,” when Levi responded with a smirking “Ageist” emoji
New Boss: Shazam and The Flash are among four films remaining from the previous reign at DC Films, which has since passed to James Gunn, 56, and his partner Peter Safran, 57; Gunn pictured in 2022
Coming up: The filmmaker unveiled his first projects earlier this year, including Superman: Legacy, Booster Gold, The Brave and the Bold and more; Pictured 2023
True to his word, the Guardians of the Galaxy filmmaker revealed the first projects on January 31st, including Superman: Legacy, Booster Gold, The Brave and the Bold and more.
Gunn revealed 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 set outside of the DCEU.
While no other projects have been announced since then, when replying to a fan on Twitter, Gunn teased that there’s a lot more in the works.
The new head of DC Films has also unsettled many fans after canceling Wonder Woman 3, firing Henry Cavill as Superman and turning down a Black Adam sequel (for now).