Shazam Director Says He's 'Definitely Done with Superheroes' After Mixed Reaction to Sequel
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The director of Shazam! Fury of the Gods is declaring he's done with superhero movies "for now."
The movie opened to $30.5 million domestically on its opening weekend, according to Variety, which noted that its production budget was $110 million, not including the estimated $100 million used to promote it.
Starring Zachary Levi, Helen Mirren, Lucy Liu, Rachel Zegler and more, the sequel to the 2019 DC film has a 53 percent Rotten Tomatoes score among critics and 87 percent among moviegoers.
Director David F. Sandberg reacted to his movie's response on Twitter, writing, "On Rotten Tomatoes I just got my lowest critic score and my highest audience score on the same film. I wasn't expecting a repeat of the first movie critically but I was still a little surprised because I think it's a good film. Oh well."
On Rotten Tomatoes I just got my lowest critic score and my highest audience score on the same film 🤷♂️ I wasn’t expecting a repeat of the first movie critically but I was still a little surprised because I think it’s a good film. Oh well.
— David F. Sandberg (@ponysmasher) March 20, 2023
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"As I've been saying for a while now I'm very eager to go back to horror (as well as trying some new things). After six years of Shazam I'm definitely done with superheroes for now," added Sandberg, who also made Lights Out (2016) and Annabelle: Creation (2017).
Sandberg clarified that he does not "regret even for a second" making the Shazam movies: "I've learned so much and gotten to work with some truly amazing people. Will forever be grateful that I got to direct two of these! They've been very challenging but valuable experiences."
RELATED: Rachel Zegler Says She Joined the DCEU with Shazam! Fury of the Gods Because She 'Needed a Job'
But he noted he won't miss the online conversations among die-hard fans of the genre. Said Sandberg, "One thing I've really been looking forward to is disconnecting from the superhero discourse online. A lot of that stresses me out so much and it will be nice not having to think about that anymore."
Courtesy of Warner Bros. Pictures
In an interview with The Hollywood Reporter, Sandberg reiterated that he's ready to move on to a different genre for his next projects.
"That's definitely how I feel right now, yeah. I started my Shazam journey right after Annabelle: Creation in 2017, and so it's been quite a few years of just Shazam," he said. "So I'm very ready to move on and go back to horror and just try some other things."
Levi, 42, who plays the lead superhero in the films, said it's "sad but true" that some comic-book fans hoped the new movie would flop at the box office. "But," he tweeted, "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."
Shazam! Fury of the Gods is in theaters now.
