Shazam! director David F. Sandberg seems unenthused about the prospect of an HBO Max premiere for the upcoming sequel, Shazam! Fury of the Gods.
On Twitter, a fan proposed that Fury of the Gods -- which is currently slated for a theatrical release -- could actually benefit from going straight to HBO Max instead of the upcoming Batgirl film. (Batgirl is currently expected to debut as an HBO Max exclusive.) In response, Sandberg posted a GIF of Fry from Futurama narrowing his eyes.
Warner Bros. first experimented with day-and-date releases in late 2020 when it debuted its blockbuster DC film Wonder Woman 1984 simultaneously in theaters and on HBO Max. Around that time, WB announced that it would follow this model for all of its movies slated for a 2021 release. WarnerMedia head Jason Kilar defended the decision by citing the challenges of the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic, asserting that the new release method was the right move from a financial perspective and for fans. By streaming films at the same time as their theatrical release, the company has been able to boost HBO Max subscriptions and avoid film release delays as the pandemic surges.
Still, many within the industry have been critical of this release model. WB announced that it would not be continuing with its same-day releases on HBO Max in 2022. Instead, movies will play in theaters for 45 days before their streaming release. When the Shazam! sequel finally arrives, it will come to theaters before HBO Max. That said, while day-and-date releases appear to be on the way out, some movies are planned as HBO Max exclusives, such as the aforementioned Batgirl.
The upcoming DC film Blue Beetle was also once planned as an HBO Max-exclusive release, though it recently came to light that the movie would, in fact, be debuting in theaters on Aug. 18, 2023. If his post is anything to go on, Sandberg stands by the plan of Fury of the Gods hitting the big screen as well.
Directed by Sandberg, Fury of the Gods is a sequel to 2019's Shazam!, which was released to largely positive reviews, many of which valued the movie's warmth and light-heartedness. Production on the sequel was delayed due to COVID-19, and plot details are still scarce, but word is that Helen Mirren, Lucy Liu, and Rachel Zegler, who made her film debut in 2021's West Side Story, will play key roles as the daughters of Atlas. There have been whispers that Gal Gadot may have a cameo in the film as Wonder Woman but further details are still unknown.
Shazam! Fury of the Gods is scheduled for release on June 2, 2023.
Source: Twitter