Shazam! Fury of the Gods? More like whimper of the gods. The sequel to 2019’s Shazam! has sputtered and collapsed at the box office, earning a paltry $30 million over its opening weekend to earn the miserable distinction of being the lowest opening of any theatrically released DC movie that didn’t debut day-and-date on HBO Max.
Many were predicting a relatively poor showing from Fury of the Gods, though indications are it’s failed to even meet these low expectations. Even director David F. Sandberg doesn’t seem too surprised at the reception, noting (in a now-deleted Reddit comment) that “I got paid all my money upfront” and “I saw where this was heading a long time ago.”
Now, in an effort to squeeze at least some profit out of this bomb, it seems that Warner Bros. is going to rush it to a digital release in less than a month’s time, with the movie’s Prime Video page listing a release date on April 17. This puts it roughly in line with the release schedule for the studio’s other recent superhero flop Black Adam, which was released on Oct. 21 and was available for digital purchase one month later on Nov. 22.
We suspect Fury of the Gods failing isn’t going to give James Gunn any sleepless nights. This is one of the final DCU movies not produced under his watch, and it underperforming only strengthens his case for a Herculean clearing of the Augean stables at Warner Bros. Indeed, after this, many fans are arguing that his soft reboot doesn’t go far enough, and he should simply wipe the slate clean and start over.
Honestly, after seeing Fury of the Gods, it’s difficult to argue with that.
Shazam! Fury of the Gods is now in theaters.
Published: Mar 21, 2023 02:14 am