It’s no secret what misfortune befell DC’s Shazam! Fury of the Gods, and if people thought director David F. Sandberg was surprised with the box office outcome – he wasn’t. The sequel to the 2019 Shazam! marks the worst opening for any DCEU franchise despite being released in theaters in the post-pandemic era.
Even the entire opening weekend did not help save the film, and as the weeks rolled by, the figures looked more and more depressing. Needless to say, Shazam 2 was a major box office flop and a disappointing project for Zachary Levi and the whole team.
David F. Sandberg Responds To Comments About Shazam 2’s Box Office Failure
In a Reddit comment from David F. Sandberg, the director revealed his reaction toward the film’s box office performance. Surprisingly, he was sort of nonchalant about its failure and even joked that, at least, he got his pay:
“No worries. It’s not like this comes as a surprise. I saw where this was heading a long time ago. I’ll be alright though. I got paid all my money upfront [smiley emoji].”
A Twitter user happened to take Sandberg’s answer from a different angle, saying:
“The director of ‘SHAZAM! FURY OF THE GODS!’ saying he knew the movie was going to be a flop so he got paid up front is a bananas thing to say in public.”
Sandberg replied and further explained what he meant in his answer:
“The director of ‘Shazam’ has also been following you on Twitter for a long time… That’s not what I meant. I meant I knew what the box office tracking was looking like. The pay comment was just me being cheeky, hence the [smiley emoji].”
Shazam 2 certainly struggled and had some issues even before its premiere, and with poor marketing management, the movie failed to live up to the hype of the original Shazam! movie.
Why Shazam 2 Failed To Impress The Audience
Many fans already saw it coming, but there’s nothing wilder than hearing its own director admit he knows his project would fail. The reviews on Rotten Tomatoes did not help advertise the movie either, and like wildfire, negative word-of-mouth happened.
What could have been the culprit behind Shazam 2’s failure remains a mystery. As many speculated about the subpar promotion of the movie, there is also the huge controversy surrounding DC’s reboot under James Gunn and Peter Safran’s legacy. The Zachary Levi-led sequel is still under the old DCEU, one of the last few projects to be released before the complete overhaul of the DC enterprise.
Unfortunately, the project’s failure to churn money also means an uncertain future for Zachary Levi’s Shazam. The actor has expressed interest in making a third installment and even sharing his dream concept in case it materializes. No one knows what would happen to the franchise under Gunn’s supervision, though there is always a chance it might find a place in the new world of DC.
As Shazam! Fury of the Gods expects to end its theatrical run with $155M, Sandberg remains unbothered by all the criticisms thrown at him, and he takes every single one of them in stride.
