The Marvel Cinematic Universe’s drastic downturn in quality being exacerbated by the reception to Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania has created more concern than ever before that the superhero bubble is about to burst, but the latest box office projections for Shazam! Fury of the Gods hint that it’s not only Kevin Feige’s franchise that should be concerned.
It’s worth noting that in terms of its critical and commercial performance, Zachary Levi’s first outing as the title character ranks as one of the DCU’s finest-ever offerings. A 90 percent Rotten Tomatoes score puts it second on the all-time rankings behind only Wonder Woman, while it’s additionally one of the saga’s most profitable features after ending up $74 million in the red.
However, based on the most recent figures from BoxOfficePro, Fury of the Gods is facing an uphill battle to match its predecessor. Not only is the sophomore outing significantly more expensive than its predecessor by an estimated 25 percent or more, but it’s currently tracking to earn less through not just its opening weekend, but entire domestic run.
Whereas Shazam! scored a $53.5 million debut and topped out with a theatrical haul of $140.5 million in the United States, BoxOfficePro puts the respective figures for Fury of the Gods – at the highest end – at $52 million and $136 million. While there’s not much of a discrepancy there, it’s worth noting those are the maximum predictions being put forward just weeks out from release.
As a general rule of thumb, sequels to well-received superhero blockbuster almost open higher and make more money than their predecessors, so we’ll be intrigued to discover how fly Shazam! Fury of the Gods really flies come March 17.
