Regardless of whether Shazam is a massive hit for the Worlds of DC like Aquaman or not, fans may be waiting a while for a sequel… if it happens at all.
Next year will see the release of the first live-action movie featuring the character since the 1940s, with Asher Angel playing a young orphan named Billy Batson who can transform into the all-powerful Shazam (Zachary Levi).
The project has recently completed a round of extensive reshoots ahead of its release next year, and it sounds as if they've understandably taken a toll on director David F. Sandberg.
A fan recently tagged both Sandberg and Aquaman director James Wan on social media to express sadness that both wanted to take a break from comic book movies after completing their movies, seemingly ruling out sequels.
Sandberg appeared to confirm that was the case, responding: "It’s just that it takes a crazy amount of work to do a movie like this. It’s like asking a runner at the end of a marathon if they feel like doing another one. You need some time to rest and forget how difficult it was."
His answer didn't rule out the possibility of ever doing a Shazam 2, but it seems clear that he wants a substantial break. The question is whether Warner Bros be willing to wait for him, if Shazam is a success.
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For his part, Zachary Levi has previously said that he would like to reprise his role as Shazam in order to cross paths with the other superheroes in the Worlds of DC going forward.
"I would lose my shit if that happened, I would lose all of the shits," he said.
"I remember thinking, 'If I get this and if this movie does well enough and if Justice League does well enough and they make another Justice League… maybe I'll be on that next poster with all those guys'."
Shazam! will be released in the UK and US on April 5, 2019, with another trailer arriving in the New Year.
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Justin is a freelance entertainment journalist and writer. He first joined Digital Spy as a freelance entertainment reporter in 2010 and also worked as a sub-editor for the brand, serving as Night News Editor from 2016 to 2024. Over more than a decade, Justin has covered numerous major entertainment events from the US and has interviewed a wide-ranging group of public figures, from comedian Steve Coogan to icons from the Star Trek universe, cast members from the Marvel Cinematic Universe and reality stars from numerous Real Housewives cities and the Below Deck franchise. Justin has also been on the ground to cover major pop culture events like the Star Wars Celebration and the D23 Expo. He's written for titles across the Hearst network, plus the likes of CBR and Us Weekly.
