The newest trailer for Shazam! Fury of the Gods showcases more of the upcoming film's action, which is far grander than the first film. The stakes have been raised, and dragons are now being fought, resulting in the carnage that superhero comics are known for. Unfortunately, this could see the film criticized in the same way as the progenitor of the DC Universe movies.
2013's Man of Steel was controversial for several reasons, though the utter destruction seen in Metropolis was perhaps one of its most contentious elements. Now, it seems the Shazam! sequel is doing much the same thing, but it won't have the same excuses as Zack Snyder's film. Here's why this could be the downfall of the next DCU film.
Shazam! 2 Causes Mayhem With a Dragon
As mentioned, the dragon belonging to the Daughters of Atlas seems to be a big part of the second Shazam! movie, with Billy Batson pulling out all the stops against it. As he notes in one trailer, he, at one point, throws a car at the massive beast, but that's not all he does. A scene showcased in the latest trailer has him outright knocking the dragon into a tall building. And his doing so isn't an accident but rather an intentional maneuver against his enemy.
This type of combat is likely what it takes in order to beat the dragon, as he's shown antagonizing the different members of the Shazam Family and their new ally Anthea. Given that he's the beast of burden for the Daughters of Atlas, who are able to effortlessly take back the powers of the Shazam Family members, only a true show of force would be able to put a dent in its scaly skin. It certainly makes for a great visual, but it might also bring back criticisms from the first entry in the cinematic DCU.
Shazam! 2 May Match the Destruction in Zack Snyder's Man of Steel
Vast levels of destruction and mayhem have long been parts of superhero comic books, with the lack of such demolition in superhero movies largely stemming from budgetary constraints. For instance, it was only in the 2000s and beyond that movies could bring the scope of Superman's powers to the big screen in a convincing manner, with older films' attempts to do so looking dated at this point. Man of Steel was perhaps the best illustration of this mayhem on-screen, but it got criticized for it. Some saw the accurate portrayal of superhero battles as excessive and dour, with the movie being incredibly dark for a Superman project. With how destructive the film was for such a sunny character, some believed it set a bad precedent for the resulting shared universe of DC movies.
The first Shazam! movie received praise for its light and family-friendly tone, and though this movie seems to have its fair share of jokes, it also feels like something of an epic conclusion to the Shazam! story. Thus, the ante has been upped in terms of action, but that means the same levels of destruction seen in Zack Snyder's first DCU movie. That film at least featured a rookie Superman, but Billy Batson and his family aren't newcomers by the time of Fury of the Gods. Thus, there's a chance that it will receive some of the same criticisms as Man of Steel, though perhaps even worse, given that it's in the same universe as the first movie. For all its faults, Man of Steel was at least doing its own thing and was unrelated to the Richard Donner Superman universe. If rumors are true and DC Studios' James Gunn truly is rebooting the DC Universe, it might end the same way it began.
To see how it compares to Zack Snyder's Man of Steel, Shazam! Fury of the Gods arrives in theaters Mar. 17.