'Shazam!' Director Responds To Reddit Rumors That He's Been Fired

The DC Extended Universe has plenty of rumors currently surrounding it, but it looks like Shazam! [...]

By Jenna Anderson

The DC Extended Universe has plenty of rumors currently surrounding it, but it looks like Shazam! director David F. Sandberg is taking them in stride.

The director recently poked fun at the Internet's recent speculation on his Twitter account, where he highlighted a passage from the subreddit DCEULeaks. In it, the poster claims that Sandberg was fired for wanting to make a "gritty" R-rated version of Shazam!, and was kicked out of the Warner Bros. offices because of it. Sandberg very casually debunked that claim, simply saying that reading the subreddit is "the best."

Obviously, this particular rumor is pretty false, considering what we know about Shazam! (as well as the current state of the other films mentioned, Chris McKay's Nightwing and Joss Whedon's Batgirl). Zachary Levi, who is set to star as Shazam's titular hero, recently compared the film to a family-friendly classic.

"Look the movie I think, ultimately the hope is it's going to feel like the movie Big but with superpowers," Levi said. "I mean that's what Shazam is. Billy Batson who's 13 gets this magical power, he says Shazam, he becomes Captain Marvel Shazam, long story we'll get into that later, and then he becomes me. So you've got to have the heart of that kind of Tom Hanks of the kid in you."

This isn't the first time that Sandberg has poked fun at this kind of speculation, jokingly asking one Redditor if he can "take the day off" and sleep in because of these cancellation rumors.

Judging by recent updates, Shazam! is showing no sign of slowing down. Alongside Levi, the film will star Asher Angel as Billy Batson, Mark Strong as Dr. Sivana, and Grace Fulton in a mystery role.

Justice League is now in theaters; Aquaman arrives on December 21, 2018; Shazam on April 5, 2019; Wonder Woman 2 on November 1st, 2019; Cyborg on April 3, 2020; and Green Lantern Corps on July 24, 2020.

0comments
Start the Conversation

of