After a period of instability -- where directors fled projects like Wonder Woman, The Batman and The Flash movie (twice) -- DC and Warner Bros. are taking strong steps forward on highly anticipated projects for the next few years. Matt Reeves, of Planet of the Apes fame, is in talks to take over The Batman from Ben Affleck. And now we are learning that the Shazam movie, tentatively down for 2019, could land in the lap of Lights Out director David F. Sandberg.
David F. Sandberg has cut his teeth, to date, in the horror genre, having helmed Lights Out before lining up his next project, Annabelle 2 (also at Warner Bros.) A Swedish filmmaker, Sandberg busted out a series of chilling shorts before getting the opportunity to expand on Lights Out for a 2016 feature. The movie made money, earning $67 million at the summer box office, and also landed solid reviews. It has a 76% Fresh on Rotten Tomatoes.
The Wrap characterizes David F. Sandberg as being "in talks" with the studio to helm the Shazam movie, though given his good standing at WB, it's understandable why they might want to hand over this potential project. Maybe they got a good look at the work that he did on the horror sequel Annabelle 2, due in theaters August 11, and realized he'd be a good fit in the DCEU? Maybe Sandberg brought the studio a strong pitch for the superhero storyline?
In a certain sense, it looks like DC has opted to take a page out of Marvel's playbook with this particular director choice. With his clear pedigree for horror films and supernatural thrillers, David F. Sandberg's filmography bears quite a bit of resemblance to the resume of Scott Derrickson -- who recently helmed Marvel's own magic-based superhero movie in the form of Doctor Strange. The Sorcerer Supreme's first solo adventure has since gone on to become a bonafide hit for Marvel Studios, so all eyes are on Sandberg to pull off a similar feat for DC when Shazam finally makes its way to theaters.
Of course, David F. Sandberg potentially tackling Shazam's directing duties only represents the tip of the iceberg for this particular DC adventure. Despite the fact that it's one of the oldest films on DC's existing slate, all we know about it is the fact that Dwayne Johnson has signed on to portray the villainous Black Adam. We still need to know who will play the titular hero, we still need to know who will play his younger Billy Batson form, and we still definitely need to know what the overall story of the film will look like.
What do you think of this option, DC fans? Is David F. Sandberg the right choice to helm the Shazam solo movie? Let us know what you think in the comments section below!
Shazam is currently slated to hit theaters on April 5, 2019.
