The DC Extended Universe is currently in a major state of flux after recent delays to the franchise's release schedule, most immediately affecting David F. Sandberg's Shazam!: Fury of the Gods. The director has been fairly open about developments regarding his second DC movie, although he's certainly had a tough go of things considering the consistent release delays that Shazam! 2 has faced.
Sandberg has been able to poke fun at the situation on numerous occasions, joking that the original delay messed up his plan to let The Flash retcon everything that would happen in his movie.
While it's unclear what the DCEU's timeline will look like after his latest solo movie, there are certainly concerns about why Warner Bros. decided to delay Shazam! 2 along with Jason Momoa's Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom. The reasoning behind Aquaman 2's delay seems to be a little more plausible considering the drama surrounding leading actress Amber Heard, but the same can't be said with Zachary Levi's second solo outing.
Now, Sandberg has taken to social media to clear the air after reports detailed that Shazam! 2 would be "retooled" using reshoots and the additional time ahead of release caused by the sequel's delay.
Shazam! 2 Director On Reported Retooling
Shazam!: Fury of the Gods director David F. Sandberg took to Instagram to address the reports that his movie would be retooled ahead of its release in theaters.
When asked if the movie is doing any reshoots, Sandberg mentioned the reports about the film being "retooled" before confirming the final cut "has been locked for quite some time." He noted that the studio, which is "happy" with the sequel, believed Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom's old release date worked well for Shazam! 2, making it clear that no more material will be shot:
"No. I’ve seen reports that Shazam is being ‘retooled’ but it’s not true. The cut has been locked for quite some time and we’re doing final mix, color, and vfx right now. Everyone is happy with the film and we’re not going to work longer on it just because of the release date shift.
They figured Aquaman’s previous release date was better for us and that’s the reason we moved.
Definitely not shooting more."
Shazam! 2 Final Cut Set In Stone
Warner Bros. has its work cut out with the DC Extended Universe after a number of delays to its release schedule, especially with the future so wide open after the next three films' release. There were even rumors of things having to be changed around due to Ben Affleck's unexpected inclusion in Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom, leading to those same concerns coming for Shazam! 2's production as well.
But considering what Sandberg says here, it seems pretty clear that the team is sticking to its original plan for Billy Batson's journey through the DCEU. It's difficult to tell where that journey will go after next year's sequel, but this post indicates that nothing has changed and that there are no reshoots set to take place anytime soon.
Fans got the first full look at Shazam! 2 when its first trailer debuted at San Diego Comic-Con 2022, bringing an all-star cast and a story that will only expand the mighty hero's mythology in his theatrical setting. But even with this news, fans will keep an eye on anything Shazam-related after the first film became so beloved amongst its DCEU peers.
Shazam!: Fury of the Gods is set to premiere in theaters on March 17, 2023
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