Shazam star Zachary Levi says Synder fans are rejoicing DC's failure

Actor Zachary Levi, who plays the titular character in the Shazam films, recently tweeted his thoughts on the film's poor box office performance.

While some have pointed fingers at Snyder fans for the film's lackluster reception, Levi believes the marketing campaign was the main issue. Despite being a perfect family movie, the marketing did not effectively showcase this aspect of the film, leading to lower-than-expected box office numbers.

Although the sequel may not have reached the same critical success as its predecessor, the cast and crew of Shazam! Fury of the Gods can still take pride in creating an entertaining film that families can enjoy.

With a focus on fun and lightheartedness, the Shazam franchise stands out in the crowded superhero genre, and Levi's comments remind us of the importance of marketing in reaching the right audience.

Shazam star Zachary Levi speaks out on Zack Snyder fans' rejoicing over DC's failure

Zachary Levi believes that some Zack Snyder fans are rejoicing at the failure of Shazam! Fury of the Gods (Image via Warner Bros)

Zachary Levi, the lead actor in the Shazam franchise, recently spoke on Twitter about the film's disappointing box office performance and the influence of Zack Snyder's fans on its failure.

While he did not explicitly blame the fans for the underwhelming box office numbers, he did acknowledge that many Snyder fans wanted Shazam! Fury of the Gods to fail as a means of revenge against Warner Bros. for dropping Snyder's DC Universe.

Levi's comments on Twitter after the film's release echoed this sentiment, with many Snyder fans expressing their desire for all DC films that do not involve Snyder's direction to fail. Levi believes this is not genuine love for the DC universe but rather an unhealthy obsession with Snyder and his directorial style. He said:

"This is also true. Sad, but true. How much that actually affects the box office is anyone's guess. But I think the biggest issue we're having is marketing. This is a perfect family movie, and yet a lot of families aren't aware of that. Which is just a shame."

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While the extent of Snyder fans' influence on the film's box office success is uncertain, Levi believes that marketing is the main issue. The film was a perfect family movie, yet many families were unaware of it, and the marketing campaign did not effectively communicate this, leading to disappointing box office numbers.

Levi feels that Shazam was under-marketed

Despite being a perfect family movie, marketing was the biggest issue that led to disappointing box office numbers for Shazam! Fury of the Gods (Image via Warner Bros)

Zachary Levi's opinion that marketing was the biggest issue for the underwhelming performance of Shazam! Fury of the Gods is not unfounded. Despite being a family-friendly movie, the marketing campaign did not emphasize this aspect of the film, which resulted in many families needing to be made aware of its suitability for all ages.

Instead, the campaign focused more on the action and superhero elements, which may have turned away some audiences looking for a lighthearted and fun movie to enjoy together.

In the case of Shazam! Fury of the Gods’ family-friendly nature was a critical selling point that should have been better emphasized in its marketing campaign. Failure to do so likely led to missed opportunities to attract a more significant portion of its target audience, resulting in a less successful box office performance.

Box office and critical reception

The sequel has received lackluster box office numbers and critical reception compared to its predecessor (Image via Warner Bros)

The box office performance and critical reception of the sequel has been disappointing. The film's domestic box office debut earned only $30 million, a significant decrease from the $53 million, original Shazam! made in 2019.

Additionally, the sequel received a 53% rating on Rotten Tomatoes, a notable decline from the first film's 90% rating.

Director David F. Sandberg expressed his disappointment with the sequel's reception on Twitter, noting that while he was not expecting the same critical success as the first film, he still believes Fury of the Gods is a good movie.

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He also expressed his eagerness to explore new things and return to the horror genre, suggesting that he may not be interested in directing more superhero movies for the time being.

Final thoughts

The cast and crew of the movie can take pride in creating an entertaining film, despite its financial performance (Image via Warner Bros)

In the end, it's clear that Shazam! Fury of the Gods faced internal and external challenges. While the Snyder fan backlash may have contributed to the film's disappointing box office performance, it's important to remember that marketing played a significant role in its underwhelming reception.

However, the cast and crew should be proud of their work in creating an enjoyable film showcasing the DC universe's fun and lighthearted side.

Moving forward, it will be interesting to see how DC responds to these challenges and what changes it may make to its marketing strategies. Regardless, the movie will always be a testament to the creativity and hard work of the cast and crew and a reminder that sometimes, even the most entertaining films can struggle to find their audience.

Edited by Vinay Agrawal