James Wan Gave Shazam!’s Director Advice On How To Deal With Trailer Backlash
Warner Bros dropped the first trailer for Shazam! last year at San Diego Comic-Con. In the last month, we’ve also been treated a nearly-minute long preview and a behind-the-scenes featurette incorporating existing footage, but many fans are clamoring for another full-length trailer to be released before Shazam! arrives in the spring. Not being a stranger to the reactions of comic book movie fans, Aquaman director James Wan gave Shazam! director David F. Sandberg some advice on how to handle the backlash online. He wrote:
James Wan provided this advice after David F. Sandberg said on Twitter that there weren’t any specific updates on the next Shazam! trailer he could provide, though because the movie is coming out in less than two months, obviously there won’t be any shortage of marketing for the World’s Mightiest Mortal’s first theatrical movie in these coming weeks. In any case, Wan offered his two cents on how to deal with fan concerns and complaints, from some fans being upset about the Aquaman trailer taking so long to arrive to other fans being displeased with how much footage the later previews were showing. Whatever flews his way, Wan stayed focused on Aquaman and ignored folks complaining on social media.
That’s good advice for David F. Sandberg to consider, especially with Shazam! so close to hitting the big screen. Having made over $1.1 billion worldwide, clearly tuning out the noise and distraction worked for James Wan on Aquaman. Whether or not Shazam! comes anywhere close to hitting Aquaman’s level of commercial success, judging by what he initially posted, Sandberg already knows to make sure the final product turns out well and to just have fun with all the demands for the next Shazam! trailer, like turning Mark Strong’s Thaddeus Sivana blue to poke fun at the Aladdin Genie controversy.
Partially adapted from the character’s New 52 origin story, but also bringing in other elements from his decades-long comic book history, Shazam! will see the adolescent Billy Batson meeting the mysterious Wizard and being given the ability to turn into a mighty, adult superheroes. With the help of his foster brother Freddie, Billy will have to get the hang of his new powers quickly, as he’ll eventually clash with Dr. Sivana, a scientist whose unlocked the secrets of magic after not being chosen as the Wizard’s champion when he was a child.
Shazam! will work its magic in theaters on April 5, so stay tuned to CinemaBlend for continuing coverage. Aquaman is wrapping up its time on the big screen, but you’ll be able to watch the movie in the comfort of your own home when it comes on Digital HD March 5, with the Blu-ray and DVD copies following on March 26.
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Connoisseur of Marvel, DC, Star Wars, John Wick, MonsterVerse and Doctor Who lore, Adam is a Senior Content Producer at CinemaBlend. He started working for the site back in late 2014 writing exclusively comic book movie and TV-related articles, and along with branching out into other genres, he also made the jump to editing. Along with his writing and editing duties, as well as interviewing creative talent from time to time, he also oversees the assignment of movie-related features. He graduated from the University of Oregon with a degree in Journalism, and he’s been sourced numerous times on Wikipedia. He's aware he looks like Harry Potter and Clark Kent.