2022 is an exciting year for DC Comics fans. While 2021 only held The Suicide Squad, the roster of films now boasts Robert Pattinson’s The Batman and Dwayne Johnson’s Black Adam. For many, however, the most anticipated DCEU project doesn’t hit until next year: Shazam! Fury of the Gods.
The superhero film, starring Zachary Levi, isn’t set to come out until 2023–a whopping four years after the original was released in theaters. The story sees kid Billy Batson being granted powers by a wizard that allows him to become one of the strongest people on Earth with the mention of a single word.
Not much is known about the second movie’s plot—just that Helen Mirren is among the villains going up against Levi’s titular heroes, and she is among what seem to be entirely original villains.
Mark Strong, who played Dr. Savana in Shazam!, doesn’t seem to be returning to the fold despite the post-credits sequence of the first film teasing otherwise. There’s not even a hint of Mister Mind, the other villain shown in the same bit, returning for the sequel
However, despite it being said otherwise, it looks like at least Strong’s bad guy might make the cut for the sequel after all.
Mark Strong & Mister Mind to Return?
According to The Cosmic Circus, Mark Strong’s Dr. Sivana, the villain from 2019’s Shazam!, will be returning for Fury of the Gods.
Strong supposedly filmed a new appearance for the DCEU in the U.K.; however, it couldn’t be determined which upcoming film it could be for.
Despite former comments last year from Strong about not being in the film, The Cosmic Circus wrote that the situation is believed to have changed since then. Whatever was filmed is likely to be a post-credits scene.
The site then points out a listing for voice actor Anthony Gabriel, who voiced the caterpillar Mister Mind, seen with Sivana in prison, which claims he is appearing in Shazam! Fury of the Gods.
However, according to director David Sandberg on Twitter, that voice actor "[isn't] the voice of Mr. Mind," but he did "do something for [them] on set:"
"There's been a misunderstanding somewhere. That actor did do something for us on set, that's true, but he's not the voice of Mr. Mind or any other character in the film:"
Sivana & Mister Mind At it Again
It was a little strange for Shazam! to tease and set up Mister Mind, an obscure character, only to not plan on using him for the sequel. The same goes for a return by Mark Strong’s Dr. Savana.
If they only appear in a post-credits sequence, then will the film be truly teasing a return for the two of them? Or will it just be a silly tag that doesn’t lead to anything new—much like the first one?
If these potential filmed returns aren’t for Fury of the Gods, after all, there’s a good chance that they could be for the Multiversal adventure of The Flash. The movie, set to release November 4, 2022, provides plenty of opportunities to bring fun cameos and appearances. The project was also filmed in the U.K., while Fury of the Gods never left Atlanta, Georgia.
If fans don’t find out the details of their appearances this November, they’ll have to wait until June 2, 2023 for when Fury of the Gods hits theaters.
