Following the release of Shazam! Fury of the Gods, DC fans may be wondering if our hero will be incorporated into James Gunn’s DC Universe.
It’s understandable to have this question, considering Gunn and DC Studios co-CEO Peter Safran have declared their intentions to launch their DC Universe, titled Gods & Monsters, with the first installment being Superman: Legacy in 2025.
Before that, Warner Bros. Discovery has a few DC movies from the prior administration to release, one of which is Shazam! Fury of the Gods.
With the global release of Shazam! Fury of the Gods, fans may be wondering whether this will be the last appearance of Zachary Levi and Asher Angel as Shazam or if there’s a possibility of the duo reprising their roles in Gunn’s new universe.
The Shazam 2 post-credits scenes provide some insight into the character’s future in the DC Universe, but ultimately, it hinges on the box office performance of the film.
During the DC Studios presentation in January, James Gunn and Peter Safran did not verify whether figures from any of the remaining DCEU movies would persist in the new DC Universe.
Nevertheless, director of Shazam! Fury of the Gods, David F. Sandberg, disclosed that he has been informed that nothing in the film opposes Gunn and Safran’s intentions, and if it’s prosperous, there could be more Shazam.
If this is accurate, then Shazam! Fury of the Gods has already set the stage for the protagonist to carry on in the DC Universe.
If Shazam! Fury of the Gods manages to recover its expenses and become a triumph, it is conceivable that it may make an appearance in the DC Universe, particularly since the first credits scene features characters from Gunn’s works.
Emilia Harcourt (Jennifer Holland) and John Economos (Steve Agee) can be seen in the Shazam 2 post-credits scene trying to persuade Shazam to join the Justice Society.
These characters previously appeared in Gunn’s The Suicide Squad before being featured in the Peacemaker spinoff. They appear to be the Nick Fury of the DC Universe, potentially setting up Shazam’s future as a member of the Justice Society if the latter also makes it to Gods & Monsters.
Currently, Peacemaker season 2 is still believed to be part of Gunn’s DC Universe future, although the director has no knowledge of its release date. The Suicide Squad and Peacemaker spinoff were confirmed to be part of Gods & Monsters.
Therefore, it seems that this section of the DCEU, including Economos and Harcourt, will continue in the new DC Universe. The Flash movie, which is meant to reset the universe, might be used to explain the franchise’s soft reboot, enabling certain characters to persist while others are re-casted, such as Henry Cavill’s Superman.
The fate of Shazam in the DC Universe hinges on the box office performance of Shazam! Fury of the Gods. Director David F. Sandberg hinted that whether or not there will be more Shazam movies depends on whether audiences come out to see the sequel.
If the box office results are successful, this could open the door for Shazam 3 and the character’s inclusion in Gunn’s Gods & Monsters. However, if the sequel underperforms, then it may mark the end of the franchise.
Initial box office tracking predicts a lower opening weekend for Shazam! Fury of the Gods compared to its predecessor, but factors like the changed theatrical landscape and HBO Max release may impact the final results.
While it’s possible that Shazam’s box office earnings may be lower, but it still gets a future in the DC Universe, a significant underperformance could spell trouble for the character. It remains to be seen if Shazam will have a place in Gunn’s DC Universe after the release of Shazam! Fury of the Gods.
About Shazam! Fury of the Gods
Shazam! Fury of the Gods is an upcoming American superhero film based on the DC Comics character of the same name. It will be a sequel to 2019’s Shazam, directed by David F. Sandberg, who’s returned for the sequel.
Shazam! Fury of the Gods follows Billy Batson and his superhero siblings take on Hespera and Kalypso, daughters of Atlas, who have come to strip the six heroes of their powers, claiming the wizard Shazam’s decision of giving Billy the power of the gods was a mistake.
The movie starring Zachary Levi, Jack Dylan Grazer, Lucy Liu, and Helen Mirren, is set to release on March 15, 2023.
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