The following contains minor spoilers for Shazam! Fury of the Gods, now playing in theaters.
Black Adam star Dwayne Johnson reportedly vetoed the inclusion of Zachary Levi's Shazam in one of the 2022 film's post-credits scenes.
According to The Wrap, two high-level Hollywood insiders disclosed that Johnson privately vetoed a planned post-credits scene in Black Adam, which would have seen Hawkman (Aldis Hodge) and the rest of the Justice Society offer Levi's Shazam a spot on the superhero team. Although cut from the 2022 film, the scene was later repurposed for the mid-credits scene in Shazam! Fury of the Gods. However, instead of the Justice Society, Peacemaker characters Emilia Harcourt and John Economos were shown attempting to recruit Billy into the Justice Society on behalf of Amanda Waller.
Per The Hollywood Reporter, Shazam! Fury of the Gods star Zachary Levi has since responded to The Wrap's report via his Instagram story. On March 21, Levi shared a post that referenced The Wrap's report and wrote in the caption: "The truth shall set you free." The initial report regarding Johnson's involvement in Fury of the Gods' post-credit scene has not been officially confirmed.
The Wrap's insiders also noted that Johnson's disregard for Black Adam's connection to Shazam! may have played a role in Fury of the Gods underperforming at the box office. They pointed out that Johnson did plenty of work undermining the Shazam! franchise in public, mostly through teasing a future clash between Superman and Black Adam despite the latter being Shazam's archnemesis. The mid-credits scene that Johnson did approve for Black Adam featured his titular antihero meeting Superman, played for the final time by Henry Cavill.
Black Adam Is Not Part of James Gunn's Initial DCU Plans
Johnson repeatedly expressed interest in seeing Black Adam's DC Universe journey culminate with a Black Adam vs. Superman film. However, following James Gunn and Peter Safran's appointment as co-CEOs of DC Studios, Johnson shared that all future DCU plans involving Black Adam had been put on hold while Gunn and Safran crafted their 10-year vision for the shared universe. "James Gunn and I connected, and Black Adam will not be in their first chapter of storytelling," he revealed in December 2022. "However, DC and Seven Bucks have agreed to continue exploring the most valuable ways Black Adam can be utilized in future DC multiverse chapters."
What Does the Future Hold for Shazam?
With Shazam! Fury of the Gods releasing before the start of Gunn and Safran's rebooted DCU, many fans have wondered if Levi will continue to portray the film's titular superhero or if the franchise will also be placed on hold. While nothing has been said at this time about the cast continuing in Gunn's rebooted timeline, Levi previously stated that a robust showing at the box office would show DC Studios that there is still interest in the Shazam Family. Unfortunately, Fury of the Gods has so far underperformed at the box office, opening vastly lower than the $53.5 million its predecessor, Shazam!, opened to in 2019. With the upcoming The Flash slated to reboot the shared universe's timeline, fans may have seen the last of Levi's Shazam in the DCU.
Black Adam is available to stream on HBO Max while Shazam! Fury of the Gods is currently playing in theaters.
Source: The Wrap, The Hollywood Reporter