Shazam 2 Has Been Hit With A Crushing Delay
Those who are patiently waiting to see Zachary Levi take on the superhero role again, will have to wait a bit longer. Shazam 2 has unfortunately been hit with a delay.
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DC fans just can’t seem to catch a break as Deadline is reporting the release of Shazam! Fury of the Gods has been delayed. This isn’t the first time Warner Bros. has shuffled the release date for the long-awaited sequel. Originally, the film was supposed to arrive on April 22nd, 2022, before it was bumped to November 4th, 2022, and then to June 2nd, 2023 due to the Covid-19 pandemic. Prior to its most recent date shift, the movie was set to hit theaters this December. Now, we’ll have to wait until March 17, 2023, to watch Shazam 2.
Following the Warner Bros. and Discovery merger, the studio has done quite a bit of major restructuring for their streaming platform, HBO Max. For instance, Batgirl was recently completely shelved due to poor test screenings and the company taking a tax write-off on it. Additionally, two movies originally set to premiere exclusively on HBO Max are now getting theatrical releases. Evil Dead Rise, which was set to drop on the streaming platform later this year, will now see a big screen release on April 21st, 2023. Meanwhile, House Party will hit theaters this December. It’s possible the delay of Shazam 2 is a result of the studio’s decision to give theatrical releases to titles previously planned to be HBO Max exclusives, but it’s more likely a strategic move by Warner Bros. Discovery to avoid having to compete with Avatar: The Way of the Water.
Although Shazam 2 being delayed comes as a major blow to those of us eager to see Zachary Levi (Shazam) and the gang back in action, it’s not all bad news. The Batman opened in the month of March to tremendous box office numbers. Warner Bros. Discovery may very well be attempting to recreate the same success with Shazam 2. Plus, with Avatar: Way of the Water no longer in the way, the superhero sequel won’t have to compete for IMAX screens. Winning!
The first Shazam opened on April 7th, 2019, and it was an instant hit with critics and audiences alike. The film was far from a box office juggernaut, but it still managed to turn enough of a profit for Warner Bros. to greenlight a sequel. Working with a budget of $100 million, the flick raked in a worldwide box office total of $366 million, which isn’t bad considering the DC Extended Universe was still struggling to recover from its poor reputation after the release of Batman V. Superman: Dawn of Justice, Justice League, and Suicide Squad. Hopefully, Warner Bros. Discovery can strike gold again with Shazam 2.
Shazam 2 will follow teenager Billy Batson and his foster siblings, who transform into adult superheroes by saying “Shazam!”, as they battle the daughters of Atlas. Now arriving in theaters on March 17th, 2023, the film stars Zachary Levi, Adam Brody, Asher Angel, Ross Butler, Meagan Good, Djimon Hounsou, Lucy Liu, Helen Mirren, Ross Butler, and Rachel Zegler. David F. Sanberg returns to direct from a script by Henry Gayden and Chris Morgan.
