DC’s “Shazam! Fury of the Gods,” was released on March 17 and has failed to live up to anticipations, with a projected $30m opening in the US and Canada, down 44% from the original 2019 movie.
Despite being a family movie, it is unlikely to meet its initial projection of $35m-$40m. Poor audience response for “Shazam! Fury of the Gods” suggests a lack of demand among core DC fans.
Shazam! Fury Of The Gods Flops at the Box Office
On its opening day, “Shazam! Fury of the Gods” brought in $11.7 million at the box office, including $3.4 million from Thursday previews. However, this is almost half of what the original movie earned on its first day in 2019, which eventually accumulated $53 million.
The production budget for “Shazam! Fury of the Gods” is $125 million, $25 million more than Shazam. Despite being released in 4,071 theaters, the superhero sequel is predicted to face difficulties achieving a $30 million debut. The critics’ response is also very septical for the movie, with only 53% rating of 171 reviews on Rotten Tomatoes.
The Reason for Shazam! Fury of the Gods being a Flop
Though some might suggest, Its exclusion from the DC multiverse, which is being revised by DC bosses James Gunn and Peter Safran, has damaged its appeal. This was worsened by marketing materials considered overly silly and a perceived deflation of the movie’s central conceit.
If there is to be a third movie in the franchise, star Zachary Levi said it would depend on whether audiences want it. Despite the apparent failure of the sequel, the Shazam franchise has successfully carved out its niche, in contrast to the more gravitas-heavy franchises of Batman, Wonder Woman, Aquaman, and Flash.
The only hope for DC Universe is The Flash, Starring Ezra Miller
The DC Universe has been going through a crisis over the years, with many fans wondering if any hope was left for the franchise. However, all of that may change with the upcoming release of The Flash, starring Ezra Miller. This highly anticipated film is set to introduce new characters to the DC Universe and bring back some fan-favorite actors in exciting new roles.
One of the most exciting parts of The Flash is the return of multiple Batman actors. Ben Affleck and Michael Keaton are both set to reprise their roles as the Dark Knight in different universes. This means fans will get to see two different versions of Batman on screen simultaneously, which is a dream come true for many DC fans. Michael Shannon is also set to appear as the villainous Zod from the Superman franchise, further tying the film to the broader DC Universe.
Tom Cruise praised The Flash
Even Hollywood icon Tom Cruise has expressed his excitement for the upcoming DC film Flash, which has generated significant buzz in the entertainment industry. Cruise, who was lucky enough to catch a sneak peek at it.
Warner Bros. Discovery CEO David Zaslav was so impressed with Cruise’s enthusiasm that he arranged a private screening of Flash for the actor. After watching the movie, Cruise had nothing but positive things to say about it, calling it “everything you want in a movie” and “the kind of movie we need right now.”
