For the past decade or so, the superhero film genre has been in a bit of a renaissance. While it isn’t definitive, this arguably began in 2008 when Robert Downey Jr. was cast in the titular role of Iron Man and breathed new life into the franchise; since then, an entire Avengers franchise, Downey included, has come and gone. While spinoffs are still emanating out of the Avengers universe, like the incredibly successful Wonder Woman franchise, other superheroes outside of this aforementioned realm are finding life either for the first time or as a revival. One of the most recent endeavors has been 2019’s Shazam!, which originally entered pre-production in 2009 and took a decade to reach theaters and rake in $400 million in box offices worldwide. Fans won’t have to wait long for a sequel however, as Shazam! Fury of the Gods is set to begin filming this upcoming May.
With a budget just shy of $100 million for the 2019 film, it was definitely a success financially to say the least. Reviews on the film highlight that the success wasn’t just financial however as Zachary Levi’s performance garnered a 90% rating on Rotten Tomatoes. While it may have taken the better part of a decade to bring the film to life, it apparently was worth the wait to both investors and fans as everyone seemingly walked away after the film with a smile on their face. Now, during a rather quiet time for the film industry given the COVID-19 pandemic, those responsible for this success look to be capitalizing upon its momentum as the next chapter in the Shazam! franchise is set to begin filming in a few short months. This was confirmed by Meagan Good, who plays a superhero named Darla in the film, on The Carl Watson Show earlier this week when discussing her upcoming schedule: “and, god willing and by the grace of god, Shazam 2 starts in May.”
While most film studios are delaying production plans and steering clear of entering production on new projects due to the COVID-19 pandemic still taking place globally, Warner Brothers is doing the opposite. After waiting a decade for this franchise to take off, the film studio does not want to risk losing the momentum it has generated thus far with the release of the 2019 film, nor does it want to take the risk of the young cast of actors aging out of their roles. The film’s release has actually already been delayed a year, from 2022 to 2023, to account for the COVID-19 pandemic, however those in charge want to get ahead of schedule in preparation for this impending release and will begin filming this upcoming Spring. While many movie fans have been disappointed by the multitude of delays and cancellations as of late, this is one they can look forward to hit theaters on June 3rd, 2023.
