Zachary Levi Addresses DCU Future After Shazam! Fury of the Gods Flop
Shazam! star Zachary Levi is unsure of his return after the recent sequel was "not well received."
The DC Universe is at an interesting turning point, with James Gunn and Peter Safran stepping in to lead DC Studios over the next few years. Gunn and Safran have already announced their plans to "reset" much of the franchise's onscreen canon, recasting and rebooting many characters, while keeping some elements like Peacemaker and Blue Beetle. One character who has still been on the bubble for the new DCU is Billy Batson / Shazam!, after Zachary Levi portrayed the character in previous films. In a recent interview with The FilmUp Podcast, Levi revealed that he currently doesn't know if he will be reprising his role as Shazam! going forward, after Shazam! Fury of the Gods underperformed at the box office earlier this year.
"I don't know what the future holds, because Fury of the Gods was not well received," Levi explained. "I have no idea where we go from here."
What Is on the DC Universe Slate?
As Gunn and Safran revealed earlier this year, the initial DC Studios slate for "Gods and Monsters" will include movies for Superman: Legacy, The Brave and the Bold, Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow, Swamp Thing, and The Authority. It will include the HBO Max television shows Waller, Booster Gold, Lanterns, Paradise Lost, and an animated Creature Commandos series.
Legacy has already been recast and set for a Summer 2025 release date, with a cast that includes David Corenswet as Clark Kent / Superman, Rachel Brosnahan as Lois Lane, Edi Gathegi as Mister Terrific, Isabela Merced as Hawkgirl, Nathan Fillion as Guy Gardner, and Anthony Carrigan as Metamorpho.
What Is Shazam! Fury of the Gods About?
Shazam! Fury of the Gods continues the story of teenage Billy Batson (Asher Angel) who, upon reciting the magic word "SHAZAM!," is transformed into his adult Super Hero alter ego, Shazam. Bestowed with the powers of the gods, Billy Batson and his fellow foster kids are still learning how to juggle teenage life with having adult Super Hero alter-egos. But when the Daughters of Atlas, a vengeful trio of ancient gods, arrive on Earth in search of the magic stolen from them long ago, Billy-aka Shazam (Zachary Levi)-and his family are thrust into a battle for their superpowers, their lives, and the fate of their world.
From New Line Cinema, the film also stars Jack Dylan Grazer ("It Chapter Two") as Freddy Freeman; Adam Brody ("Promising Young Woman") as Super Hero Freddy; Ross Butler ("Raya and the Last Dragon") as Super Hero Eugene; Meagan Good ("Day Shift") as Super Hero Darla; D.J. Cotrona ("G.I. Joe: Retaliation") as Super Hero Pedro; Grace Caroline Currey ("Annabelle: Creation") as Mary Bromfield / Super Hero Mary; Faithe Herman (TV's "This Is Us") as Darla Dudley; Ian Chen ("A Dog's Journey") as Eugene Choi; Jovan Armand ("Second Chances") as Pedro Pena; Marta Milans (TV's "White Lines") as Rosa Vasquez; Cooper Andrews (TV's "The Walking Dead") as Victor Vasquez; with Djimon Hounsou ("A Quiet Place Part II") as Wizard, Rachel Zegler ("West Side Story"), with Lucy Liu ("Kung Fu Panda" franchise) and Helen Mirren ("F9: The Fast Saga").
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