The sequel to the 2018 hit Shazam! has proven to be a disappointing flop, earning only $133.4 million worldwide and becoming the lowest-grossing film in the history of DC Extended Universe (DCEU).
Shazam! Fury of the Gods opened to $30.5 million in its first week at the domestic box office, a 43 percent drop from Shazam!’s opening weekend. It was also out-grossed by two films that were released day-and-date on HBO Max during the COVID-19 pandemic (Wonder Woman 1984 & The Suicide Squad).
The poor performance of Shazam 2 may be attributed to several factors, including bad reviews, weak marketing, and a lack of direction within the DCEU. The film received a 53 percent on Rotten Tomatoes, but an 82 percent audience score, identical to Shazam!’s Rotten Tomatoes audience score. However, the positive word-of-mouth did not translate into ticket sales.
Shazam 2 was also released in March 2023, after Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson’s Black Adam film and before James Gunn’s DC Universe begins. Black Adam featured an exciting, confusing, and out-of-touch post-credits scene featuring Henry Cavill as Superman. Gunn, who is heading the new DC Studios with producer Peter Safran, said “Shazam has always been off in his own part of the DCEU.”
The future of Shazam and his family remains uncertain as Warner Bros. prepares for a soft-reboot of the DCEU with James Gunn’s new slate of films and series.
Reference:
- Shazam 2: The lowest box office earner in DCEU history | Sportskeeda | May 15, 2023
- Shazam 2 Has One of the DCEU’s Worst Opening Weekend Box Office | Screen Rant | Mar 20, 2023
- Shazam 2 Becomes the Worst-Ever Box Office Earner In DCEU History | The Direct | May 14, 2023