Zachary Levi blames 'Shazam' sequel flop on 'insanely unkind' haters (2024)

Zachary Levi is serving a ferocious ka-pow to Shazam! Fury of the Gods haters.

Four months after the big-budget DC superhero film flopped with critics (49 percent on Rotten Tomatoes) and at the box office ($57 million domestically), the star hit back at the film's detractors on Tuesday's episode of The FilmUp Podcast.

"As an experience, I really enjoyed making that movie and I really enjoyed playing that part. I don't know what the future holds for it all, because, unfortunately, the second movie was not as well-received. The audience score is still quite good, but the critics score was, I don't know, very oddly and perplexingly low, and people were insanely unkind," he said when asked about the prospect of another Shazam! film. "Listen, I've been a part of things and as much as I wish that they were good, I know that they're okay, I know they missed a lot. I'm not saying Shazam! Fury of the Gods is some perfect Orson Welles masterpiece, but it's a good darn movie."

The 42-year-old said he thinks director David F. Sandberg "made a really fun movie" in the sequel, but that "the world has shifted so much" in the four-year gap between the first hit movie (which grossed $367 million globally, versus the sequel's $134 million).

"Social media has shifted so much, online hate and haters and trolls and factions and all of that has just gotten more galvanized in its toxicity, and I think that there are people that genuinely, unfortunately, want to destroy certain projects because they don't like them or they don't like me or other people involved in them or whatever," he said, later adding: "I just hope or believe that history will show. It will be one of those things that people will go back, people will watch Fury of the Gods on home streaming or on a plane or wherever, and it'll be this movie they heard so much s--- about, and they'll be like, Well, wait a minute. It is what it is."

Sandberg previously tweeted that the reaction to the film soured him on making superhero movies for a while.

"I wasn't expecting a repeat of the first movie critically but I was still a little surprised because I think it's a good film. Oh well," he tweeted in March. "As I've been saying for a while now I'm very eager to go back to horror (as well as trying some new things)," he continued. "After six years of Shazam I'm definitely done with superheroes for now."

Zachary Levi blames 'Shazam' sequel flop on 'insanely unkind' haters (1)

During a fan Q&A that same month, Levi cited the film's "marketing" as the "biggest issue" contributing to its underperformance.

Shazam! Fury of the Gods — also starring Rachel Zegler, Lucy Liu, Helen Mirren, and Djimon Hounsou — is now streaming on Max.

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Zachary Levi blames 'Shazam' sequel flop on 'insanely unkind' haters (2024)

FAQs

Zachary Levi blames 'Shazam' sequel flop on 'insanely unkind' haters? ›

"The audience score is still quite good, but the critics' score was, I don't know, very oddly and perplexingly low, and people were insanely unkind," he said last month, after previously blaming the movie's marketing.

What did Zachary Levi say about Shazam 2? ›

The audience score is still quite good, but the critics' score was very oddly and perplexingly low, and people were insanely unkind.” “I've been a part of things, and as much as I wish they were good, I know they're okay,” he added. “I know that they miss a lot. And I'm not saying 'Shazam!

How bad is the new Shazam movie? ›

Not as good as the first one but still better than the recent Marvel slate Content collapsed. Shame the fun of the first movie is turned into cliches and boring story here. The villains, if you can call them that, turn into boring standard superhero cliches and the fun isnt present here.

Was Zachary Levi really buff in Shazam? ›

Muscles Were Fake. The former Chuck star discusses his transformation into a D.C. superhero. Levi also responds to internet gossip that his Shazam! muscles aren't all legitimate.

Will Zachary Levi be replaced as Shazam? ›

Zachary Levi attempted to assuage the ire of fans over rumors that he would be replaced as Shazam. The actor is on track to reprise Shazam in the upcoming sequel, Shazam: Fury of the Gods. The Shazam sequel and its lead actor will be part of the rebooted DC film universe, pending studio changes.

Why don't people like Shazam 2? ›

Many felt that the movie lacked character development, had a predictable plot, and was mediocre compared to its predecessor. The negative word-of-mouth created a lack of excitement and anticipation around the movie, leading to low box office numbers. Even fans of the first Shazam!

Why was Gal Gadot not in Shazam 2? ›

Gal Gadot's cameo as Wonder Woman in Shazam! Fury of the Gods suffered massively due to conflicts with both her schedule and Warner Bros. ' While Gadot's time as Wonder Woman is almost certainly at an end, she made one final appearance as the Amazonian warrior in the DCU's most recent theatrical release, Shazam 2.

Why did Shazam 2 get bad reviews? ›

First, I think we're in a weird transitory time in DC, where there's some confusion about the destruction of the current canon and where things are going. Second, Shazam is still not quite an A-lister compared to Batman, Superman, Wonder Woman or even Aquaman. Third, the movie just… didn't look terribly appealing.

Why did Shazam 2 fail? ›

But for now, it's likely that the DC sequel's failure at the box office was that it wasn't good enough to persuade potential viewers to ignore the critics and show up. Shazam! Fury of the Gods is out now in cinemas.

Is Shazam 3 happening? ›

A 2028 release date is possible unless there are changes to the production schedule. Here is everything known about Shazam 3, including the Dceu movie's release date, story, cast, and more updates. The Shazam franchise continued in 2023 with the release of Shazam! Fury of the Gods to the Dceu timeline in March.

Did Zachary Levi wear a padded suit? ›

Sandberg's Shazam!. So with the film already a success and a fan defending him, Zachary Levi finally spills the beans. The actor comes clean and admits that Shazam's physique wasn't 100% Zachary Levi and that there was some padding used to fill out that suit.

How much weight did Zachary Levi gain? ›

Levi: 220. Before I got the role, I was about 200 pounds. I've hovered around 200 pounds most of my adult life. You've gained 20 pounds in a month?

Who is stronger Silver Surfer or Shazam? ›

Shazam is very powerful and can fight most beings to a standstill, but the Silver Surfer is way out of his league. Silver Surfer can move at the speed of light. Shazam is fast, but he isn't nearly fast enough.

Was Shazam 2 a flop? ›

Bottoming out of a forgetful box office run, Shazam! Fury of the Gods has earned $133.4 million worldwide. This marks the lowest-grossing film in the DCEU's history since kicking off in 2013.

Will gal gadot be in Shazam 2? ›

Gal Gadot's Wonder Woman in 'Shazam 2' Was Not a Deepfake, Director Says: She 'Shot in England' and 'I Directed Remotely' - IMDb. “Shazam! Fury of the Gods” seemingly confused a lot of moviegoers with its surprise cameo featuring the return of Gal Gadot's Wonder Woman.

Who is the new girl in Shazam 2? ›

Rachel Zegler as Anthea / Anne: The youngest daughter of Atlas, who has reality manipulation abilities, and Freddy's love interest. Ross Butler and Ian Chen as Eugene Choi: Billy's younger foster brother who is an obsessive gamer.

Will there be a Shazam 3? ›

A 2028 release date is possible unless there are changes to the production schedule. Here is everything known about Shazam 3, including the Dceu movie's release date, story, cast, and more updates. The Shazam franchise continued in 2023 with the release of Shazam! Fury of the Gods to the Dceu timeline in March.

Who is the worm at the end of Shazam 2? ›

Mister Mind is a two-inch alien caterpillar of high intelligence with telepathic powers who usually carries out his villainous plans through an organization called the Monster Society of Evil.

Why was Mary wearing glasses in Shazam 2? ›

In one scene, Darla, the youngest, is unaware that Mary has a hangover. She precedes to ask Mary why she is wearing sunglasses indoors. Mary quickly says she went to the eye doctor. She believes Mary that she really went to the eye doctor.

Is there anything inappropriate in Shazam 2? ›

Alcohol, drugs and other substances. Shazam! Fury of the Gods has some substance use. For example, Mary is seen wearing dark glasses and suffering from a 'good night out'.

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