After a recent report revealing potential meddling by Black Adam's Dwayne Johnson in Shazam! Fury of the Gods' post-credits scene, DC star Zachary Levi sounded off with his thoughts.
Coming off the heels of last fall's Black Adam, many were wondering if Levi's Shazam would crossover with Dwayne Johnson's Teth-Adam on the big screen.
With Shazam 2 now out in theaters, it is now known that was not the case. Johnson made it clear that he did not want the two heroes to cross paths before reports of the actor's "thinly veiled disdain" for the Shazam character began to make their way out to the public.
Warning - The rest of this article contains spoilers for Shazam! Fury of the Gods' mid-credits scene.
This was emphasized even further when it was reported Johnson had actually shut down ideas of having Black Adam characters show up in the Fury of the Gods post-credits stinger, one that saw Emilia Harcourt and John Economos offer Shazam a seat at the Justice Society of America (JSA) table.
Zachary Levi on the Dwayne Johnson Drama
In a post on his personal Instagram story, Shazam! Fury of the Gods star Zachary Levi responded to a report that Dwayne Johnson had vetoed a Black Adam crossover set for the Shazam 2's post-credits stinger.
The star's story reads "The truth shall set you free" overlayed on top of a caption from The Wrap's initial story revealing the Dwayne Johson drama.
Both Levi's DC hero (Shazam) and Johnson's Black Adam have been connected everywhere but on-screen for months, as many wondered if the two characters - who are closely tied in the world of DC Comics - would cross over in the DCU in any way.
Levi previously addressed the prospects of a Black Adam and Shazam crossover, staying adamant that all those sorts of decisions were "so far above [his] pay grade," while appearing to be "totally open to" a crossover should one come to pass:
“That’s all so far above my pay grade. I have no idea. I know that in the comics, and even in some animation, there’s been some really cool, epic battles between Shazam and Black Adam… Shazam, Superman and Black Adam. I know a lot of fans wanted that. I know I was totally open to that, but that’s all I know.”
A Deeper Look at Shazam's Post-Credit No-Show
Dwayne Johnson's general distaste for the Shazam! franchise is well-worn territory at this point, but this is taking that to a whole different level.
Johnson has not made many fans in this effort to distance himself and his DC hero from Levi and the Shazam Family, and that seems to also be the case amongst the stars of the DCU.
It is not a good look to have one's dirty laundry hung out like this, especially with stars as big as Levi now confirming that what was initially thought as rumor was, in fact, true.
While this post-credit Justice Society of America reveal may come to mean nothing with the new DC Studios regime taking over (despite what Zachary Levi may say), it is still disheartening to hear that not only was Johnson against himself cameoing in the Shazam! sequel, but also other actors from his DC debut.
Now that the Black Adam star has left the franchise, all of this fuss may have been for naught, but if he ever wanted to be invited back to the world of DC storytelling, executives are going to look at stories like this and perhaps think twice before picking up the phone.
Shazam! Fury of the Gods is playing in theaters worldwide now.
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