In recent months, the DC Universe (formerly known as the DC Extended Universe) has been paused, broken and reformed again, with current DC Film honchos James Gunn and Peter Safran laying out their vision of what the new universe will look like. While Batman will make a double return, there has been no word on ongoing franchises like Aquaman and Shazam!. All this uncertainty is only complicated by the upcoming release of Shazam! Fury of the Gods. While the boyish superhero’s future is questionable, franchise star Zachary Levi shared his hopes for the DCU’s future.
The Shazam! star was level-headed and optimistic about the situation while promoting the upcoming sequel with Yahoo. His view shouldn’t be too surprising, as Levi vouched for Gunn and Safran during the initial DC shakeups. Despite his reassurances, fans have still voiced concern over Billy Batson’s future as rumors of his departure have run rampant. All the commotion didn’t deter Levi from continuing his praise as he voiced his confidence in the duo’s upcoming plans.
This whole, this industry is constantly shifting. This world is constantly shifting. I think James Gunn and Peter Safran are gonna be great leaders and I think they have great ideas and I'm just trusting whatever their vision is.
Levi has been in Hollywood long enough to know change and upheaval are just part of the entertainment industry. As a major figure in the universe, he might know information fans aren’t learned yet. However, compared to past DCEU films, Shazam! was a critical and commercial hit for DC and Warner Bros. So the upcoming franchise might not be on the chopping block, as Gunn pointed out the sequel and other upcoming DC movies fit well with his vision.
Zachary Levi’s confidence in DC Films hasn’t wavered. However, that doesn’t mean the stakes aren’t high for Shazam! 2 to do well. Levi signaled it’s up to moviegoers to let Warner Bros. and DC know they want more movies featuring the teen-turned-superhero, saying to the publication:
As far as Shazam! is concerned, we got to make a sequel because enough people saw the first one. So if enough people go and see this one, then we'll get to make another one. I hope, you know? I don't see anything standing in the way of that. As a franchise we have kind of been doing our own thing, anyway. We weren't really tied to a lot of what already existed. So as long as they see fit to want to keep making Shazam! movies, and it's right for me in my life, I'll keep playing this role as long as I can.
Right now, the franchise’s future is left in the hands of fans over whether they will get more adventures from Billy Batson and co. The Shazam! sequel’s box office reception will determine its place in the DCU. Fury of the Gods director David F. Sandberg echoed the same sentiment in his honest answer about the Shazam! film series continuing past the upcoming sequel.
For now, Shazam is safe, as Shazam! Fury of the Gods gears up to hit theaters on March 17. Following the DC blockbuster, Zachary Levi will appear in other 2023 new movie releases, including the feature adaptation of the classic children’s book Harold and the Purple Crayon. To get more updates about the Shazam! sequel, check back with CinemaBlend for the latest news.
