David F. Sandberg, the director of Shazam! Fury of the Gods, revealed that he agrees with the film's recent delay from Dec. 21, 2022 to March 17, 2023.
On an Instagram story, Sandberg responded to a fan's question regarding how he feels about the film's new date, writing, "On the one hand I'm very eager for the movie to come out, but March is probably a better date for it." He continued, "I think we could have done decently in December but we wouldn't have had imax screens etc. At least it's earlier than our original date in June."
Sandberg mentioned that a lack of IMAX screens would have been an issue in Shazam! 2's previous December release date. Following news of the delay, the director tweeted that the move "makes sense since Avatar was taking all IMAX/PLF screens," adding, "Fury of the Gods is a big movie & should be seen big!"
Rachel Zegler, an actor in the film, also alluded to the new Avatar film taking Shazam! 2's spot. Following the delay, she posted a Shazam! BTS photo on her Instagram story, cheekily adding, "But hey, enjoy Avatar!"
Warner Bros. Is Rumored To Have Financial Trouble
But some say that the push might be more about Warner Bros. Discovery's financial troubles than Avatar. One reporter suggested that the studio "has only enough cash to release 2 movies from now to the end of this year (Don't Worry Darling and Black Adam)."
Warner Bros. Discovery has been the subject of many controversies lately, as the studio recently announced several delays for its upcoming film slate and a full-on cancellation for the already-shot Batgirl. One inside source says the studio canceled the film due to an "irredeemable" test screening. At the same time, studio insiders "insist the decision was not driven by the film's quality or the filmmakers' commitment, but by the desire for the studio's slate of DC features to be at a blockbuster scale."
The studio is also in hot water ahead of the 2023 release of The Flash, the future of which has been unclear due to the recent erratic and illegal behavior of its star, Ezra Miller. Miller recently apologized to Warner Bros.' chairs, who allegedly considered canceling the film altogether. An insider said this was because "[Miller cares] about The Flash. It's one of their favorite characters to play."
Shazam! Fury of the Gods has an expected release date of March 17, 2023.
Source: Instagram