Shazam!
When it let go next calendar month , Shazam!will chump the end of an earned run average for the DC Extended Universe , as it ’s the last stay movie from the original DCEU ticket . declare by Warner Bros. in October 2014 , the schedule for theplanned partake universe of DC moviesincluded titles that have now been release , such asWonder WomanandAquaman , along with delete or indefinitely delay undertaking likeThe Flash , Justice League 2andCyborg .
Once believed to be a surefire architectural plan for success , the DCEU has hit quite a few stumble pulley in the four and a half twelvemonth since the original slate was announce . Batman V Superman : Dawn of Justicewasscorned by critic and disunite the fandom , while the heavily reshotJustice Leagueearned the dubious honor of being one of the highest - grossing corner office bombs ever , with its $ 657 million worldwide gross not able to offset the massive disbursement of production and marketing .
Related : The DCEU ’s Biggest Mistake Was Not Letting Zack Snyder Finish His visual sense
Directed by David F. Sandberg , Shazam!stars Asher Angel as turbulent surrogate kid Billy Batson , who isgifted with incredible powersthat allow him to turn over into an grownup superhero ( played by Zachary Levi ) when he hollo the magic Scripture : " Shazam ! " base on the trailers , it attend likeShazam!will tilt heavily into comedy , as well as exhibit the humanity of superheroes from the perspective of kids - quite a far cry from the former DCEU launching . Impressively , not only hasShazam!survived the turmoil of the DCEU and the many alteration to the original batting order of movies , it ’s even stuck with the freeing date that was announced back in 2014 . As a reminder , this was the original program for the DCEU :
Of the other movies on the list , Batman V Superman , Suicide Squad , Wonder Woman , Justice LeagueandAquamanall made it into theaters and were , for the most part , successful . AquamanandWonder Womanwere both box office hits and now have verbatim sequels on the agency , whileSuicide Squadwas a more mixed bag and is currently get asequel / soft rebootfrom writer - director James Gunn .
However , the less - than - enthusiastic reply toBatman V Superman ’s dreary and sorry take on the DC world and directorZack Snyder ’s departurefrom the DCEU imply that Warner Bros. has since pivoted to focus less on build a cohesive universe of discourse and more on individual movies . raw additions to the DC slate includeJoker , a mid - budget origin write up star Joaquin Phoenix that does n’t come out to have any connection to the respite of the DCEU , andBirds of Prey ( And the Fantabulous Emancipation of One Harley Quinn ) , which will lean into and reduplicate down on the popularity of Margot Robbie’sSuicide Squadcharacter .
As for the other movie on the original release schedule , Green Lantern , Justice League 2 , andCyborgall seem to have been abandoned for now , whileThe Flashhas been rewritten and change directors so many times that it ’s sure enough unrecognisable from whatever Warner Bros. had planned in 2014 . That movie apparently did n’t make its 2018 release date , and harmonize to the most late reports , star Ezra Miller may be recast(though he ’s write his own playscript in a badness to stay in the use ) .
Even in the golden age of superhero cinema , with no sign of the zodiac of audience weariness in sight , movies likeShazam!- feature a fictitious character that worldwide hearing are n’t intimate with - are a danger . However , base onearly box billet projection , Sandberg ’s movie should prove to be a modest winner for Warner Bros.
More : All 31 Upcoming & In - Development DC Films
