Shazam! Fury of the Gods is months away from its premiere, but it seems that it didn't stop fans from criticizing the DCU sequel, leading to director David F. Sandberg responding to their comments.
Marketing for Shazam 2 has been on and off lately, mainly due to the delays that it experienced in the past year. Despite that, Warner Bros. Discovery's panel at this year's San Diego Comic-Con officially unveiled its first trailer, showcasing new footage of Zachary Levi's titular hero.
Aside from Levi's DC hero at the forefront, the trailer is also filled with the usual humor and family-friendly vibe that echoed the first Shazam! movie. However, it seems that not all fans are on board with one common trope that the latest trailer included in its official footage.
Shazam Fans Criticize Trailer's Comedic Scene
Shazam! Fury of the Gods' latest trailer featured a scene where Zachary Levi's DC hero threw a truck at a dragon. During this brief moment, Shazam says "I just threw a truck at a dragon. I love my life."
This is a common trope in modern movie/comic book movie humor, where characters point out an obvious thing for comedic effect.
Apparently, some fans went to Twitter to criticize this particular scene.
@InsaneLetterbox claimed that it's "absolutely" the worst thing that comic book movies ever created:
"Absolutely the worst thing comic book movie humor ever created was this trope."
@TheWolfSpirit1 included Shazam! director David F. Sandberg in her tweet, noting that it is quite "unfortunate" that the line made it in the trailer:
"It's unfortunate because [David F. Sandberg] seems like a great guy and has made some really interesting content on YouTube going over his directing decisions. The first Shazam movie gave me massive "ehh" vibes and I'm not holding my breath for the second one."
This led to Sandberg responding to the Twitter users, with the director confirming that the "line is not in the movie:"
"FYI that line is not in the movie. It’s just in the trailer."
Will Shazam 2's Humor Elevate the Sequel?
Shazam! Fury of the Gods director David F. Sandberg's confirmation that the criticized line is not in the sequel's final cut offers a sigh of relief for fans who have concerns about the movie's comedic elements. However, this still doesn't discount the fact that there are hesitations from viewers on how Shazam 2 will deliver in terms of its humor.
While Shazam! had its fair share of ups and downs in terms of its comedy, the first movie still managed to showcase a memorable humorous sequence when Billy Batson's foster brothers and sisters shout his name instead of Shazam before transforming into heroes during the final battle.
This moment is a fitting reminder that Sandberg and his crew have the means to create original and hilarious moments that stand out, and this could be the key to producing more such scenes in the sequel.
While fan criticisms are understandable, the final verdict still remains upon watching the finished product. Hopefully, Shazam 2 delivers on its comedy while still maintaining the superhero element that fans know and love.
Shazam! Fury of the Gods is set to premiere in theaters on Friday, March 17, 2023.
