Spoilers are part and parcel of internet culture, and very rarely does any high-profile movie arrive on the big screen with its deepest, darkest secrets fully intact. That being said, matters aren’t helped when the studio behind the project goes ahead and rolls out a TV spot a week ahead of release that ruins a massive surprise, as Shazam! Fury of the Gods director David F. Sandberg has discovered to his detriment.
We’re not going to reveal what happens here, but if you’ve been following the rumor mill revolving around Zachary Levi’s second solo outing, then there’s a distinct possibility you’ll be completely aware that a major figure from the DCU has been heavily touted to make a “secret” guest appearance.
That’s been proven 100 percent accurate, but Sandberg was left disappointed that Warner Bros. opted to include what should have been a crowd-pleasing moment in a 30-second promo.
Unfortunately, Shazam! Fury of the Gods is tracking for one of the weakest box office runs in DCU history, leading Sandberg to reflect on the spoilerific marketing potentially turning out to be a blessing in disguise if it convinces audience that the presence of a bona fide superhero A-lister is reason enough to put their hands into their pockets and make a trip to the multiplex.
Having worked so hard to deflect the chatter regarding the cameo in question – only to see it ruined well ahead of time by the people who footed the bill – maybe Sandberg will be forced to think twice about keeping his cards so close to the chest in future.
