The DCEU's Shazam! films may be a part of James Gunn and Peter Safran's upcoming DCU franchise in the future.
Many fans questioned in the past what the future of the DCU would be after The Flash. James Gunn revealed his Chapter 1: Gods and Monsters slate giving insight into what is to come while also confirming that it wouldn't be a full reboot.
This revelation opened the door a bit wider for some DCEU actors such as Zachary Levi, Gal Gadot, and Jason Momoa to reprise their roles as their respective characters moving forward.
Some thought that of all the possible DCEU characters that could transition into the DCU, Levi's Shazam would be the most likely. Recently the director of the Shazam! films cast some doubt on that possibility, but now it seems as though it could still happen.
Shazam! in the New DCU
In an interview with Entertainment Tonight, Shazam! Fury of the Gods star Zachary Levi discussed his potential future in James Gunn's DCU.
Levi optimistically mentioned that his character and the stories told in both Shazam! films could continue to move forward into the DCU when the new franchise gets started after the events of The Flash.
Levi specifically stated that "the idea is to continue the character," and that the Shazam! stories serve as an "extension of the DCU:"
"Listen, I've talked to Peter a good bit, we're gonna talk more on this tour. Certainly, the idea is to continue the character, this world. It's a really enjoyable extension of the DCU. It has DNA that a lot of the other characters and extensions don't necessarily have because we are a more family [movie]... [That] kind of franchise comes with a lot of fun."
Levi also touched on the nature of the upcoming movie, comparing it to popular "adventure" flicks such as The Goonies and Indiana Jones:
"It's a throwback to... stuff like Goonies and Indiana Jones and all those things that evoke that kind of adventure in you."
The actor also encouraged fans to go watch Fury of the Gods in theaters because "the idea is to keep" the character in the DCU moving forward, and if fans support this upcoming film they will have "a better shot of making more in the future."
The director of both Shazam! films, David F. Sandberg, also chimed in about the future of the character, saying there are "a lot more stories you can tell with these kinds of worlds."
Sandberg also spoke about his knowledge of Shazam's future, saying that he was specifically told that both movies "(don't) contradict anything" anything Gunn and Safran have planned for the future:
"What they've said is that what we've done in these two Shazam movies doesn't contradict anything they're doing with their new plans, which is great. It means that you could do Shazam movies if you wanted to. We'll see how that all works out."
The director also took to Twitter to respond to a fan saying that they aren't interested in watching the new film, which is currently getting lukewarm reactions from critics.
Echoing Levi's comments, Sandberg encouraged the fan to support the upcoming film because "if people don't go see the movie," there is a good chance that the story of this Shazam won't be continued into the DCU. The director also added that "the possibility for more Shazam is there" even in the new DCU:
"He definitely won’t if people don’t go see the movie. What I’ve been told is that there’s nothing in the Shazam films that contradict the future plans for DC. So the possibility for more Shazam is there and if that’s what you want your best bet is to go see the film."
Does Shazam Have a Place in the DCU?
James Gunn recently revealed his and Safran's plans for Chapter 1 of the DCU, and the slate notably didn't include anything Shazam-related.
However, as Sandberg and Levi pointed out, Shazam! doesn't really connect with anything else in the DCEU, and apparently, Fury of the Gods won't either.
There were previous plans to have Shazam interact with Dwayne Johnson's Black Adam at one point in Fury of the Gods, but it was revealed that Johnson wasn't interested in being in the film.
There is a good chance that Gunn has at least already roughly mapped out what he wants to happen in Chapter 1 of the DCU. It is safe to say that Shazam probably isn't in those plans at the moment, but if Fury of the Gods performs well enough at the box office (which, unfortunately, doesn't seem to be the case at this point) and fans seem to be interested in seeing the character again, the door won't be completely shut on Billy Batson's on-screen return.
Shazam! Fury of the Gods is now in theaters.
