The Shazam! franchise continued in 2023 with the release of Shazam! Fury of the Gods, which set up a way to continue the story in Shazam 3. Directed by David F. Sandberg and written by Henry Gayden and Chris Morgan, the second entry in the DC franchise stars Zachary Levi as Shazam and Asher Angel as Billy Batson. Shazam! Fury of the Gods was made after the original film became a modest hit for Warner Bros. and DC Films, although the sequel was met with more mixed reviews and failed at the box office.
Following the announcement that James Gunn and Peter Safran would be CEOs of DC Studios and that a brand new DCU would be launched, all the previous possible films for the DCEU timeline were thrown into question, including Shazam 3. Even though Shazam! Fury of the Gods‘ ending left room for another movie to happen and continue the adventures of Zachary Levi’s DC hero, there are no future plans for Shazam 3.
Why Shazam 3 Was Cancelled
First off, the box office failure of Shazam! Fury of the Gods didn’t bode well for the chances of Shazam 3 coming to fruition. Before the film’s release, the general consensus was that the success of the second movie would allow DC to consider including it in the upcoming new era of the franchise. However, its lack of success, combined with The Flash not rebooting the universe as was thought would be the case, indicated that the series would likely end with Shazam! Fury of the Gods.
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Even if the DCEU sequel did well, the chances of its success carrying it into the DC Universe’s canon for another movie were still questionable. This is because a DC Universe report stated in October 2023 that none of the Justice League stars would be returning with their original actors – and while Shazam wasn’t a member of the DCEU Justice League, this decision did suggest the franchise intended to start anew regarding its superhero castings, making it very unlikely that Zachary Levi or Asher Angel would be the DCU Shazam or Billy Batson, respectively.
The decision to carry over some characters into the DCU suggested there was a chance for Shazam to also be included in that choice. Of course, things don’t always work out like that, and it seems like audiences just didn’t care as much about the character as everyone was led to believe. With no hint of Shazam being included in the DCU at all, even with a different actor, it’s most likely Gunn and Safran want to stay away from the character for a while.
What We Know About Shazam 3’s Canceled Plans
Even though Shazam! Fury of the Gods was a financial and critical disappointment, there were still plans for a Shazam 3. In a May 2024 interview with Comicbookmovie.com, Asher Angel, who played Billy Batson, opened up about Shazam! Fury of the Gods and confirms there were indeed plans for a third one. “Yeah, I think we always planned on making a third one, but you have new people come in and take over and plans can change and things can shift.”
Projects get lost in the mix and priorities shift, including the continuation of the
Shazam!
franchise.
The sequel’s release came at a wild time for WB as multiple studio heads were being changed and then James Gunn and Peter Safran were made heads of a brand-new DC Studios. When things like that happen, projects get lost in the mix and priorities shift, including the continuation of the Shazam! franchise. Asher also talked about playing Shazam within the DCU, “I’d always be open to going back and playing Billy Batson. I’d never want to take Zach’s place because we’re in this together.”
What Zachary Levi Said About Shazam 3
Aside from Asher Angel opening up about Shazam 3, Zachary Levi has also previously talked about the possibility of it happening as well as joining the DCU as the character. He hasn’t said much about what Shazam 3 was going to be about but has expressed interest in returning as the character multiple times since the DCU was announced. The Wrap reported on Zachary Levi’s comments during the Chicago Comic and Entertainment Expo in March 2023.
He stated that there haven’t been any conversations regarding him coming over to the DCU. “I don’t know, man… A business is a business… they don’t tend to make more products of something that didn’t make them the money that they wanted.” This all makes sense given the poor performance of Shazam! Fury of the Gods at the box office.
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Who should play Shazam in the DCU if Zachary Levi is recast?
With James Gunn confirming the Shazam! Fury of the Gods mid-credits scene will not be canon to the DC Universe, Zachary Levi’s potential return seems even more in doubt for the new franchise. While many are still campaigning for Levi to keep the part, others are sharing their thoughts on who could take over the role in the DCU, with a wide range of names including Matt Bomer, James Marsden and Liam Hemsworth being picked by fans. One name that’s also making the fan cast rounds that could actually work very well is Alan Ritchson, because while I would love to see him take on his dream role of Batman for the DCU, his charisma and sense of comic timing would do wonders for the role of Shazam.
Despite not knowing if he would continue to play the character moving forward, he was more than willing to hop back in. “I would love to keep playing this role. I’m literally paid to be an immature version of myself… But, I don’t know. And I haven’t had any conversations about it.” Based on everything that has been stated by Levi and the radio silence about the character in the DCU, it’s basically guaranteed at this point that Levi won’t be returning.
How Shazam 2 Set Up Another Sequel
The Shazam! Fury of the Gods post-credit scenes teased what Shazam 3‘s story could be. Shazam’s recruitment to the Justice Society meant that he could meet up with Hawkman (Aldis Hodge), Cyclone (Quintessa Swindell), and Atom Smasher (Noah Centineo) to be part of a new version of the team. The other scene hinted at Doctor Sivana (Mark Strong) and Mr. Mind finally returning to exact their villainous plot against Shazam, which could have been what Shazam 3 explored.
Even though a portion of DCU’s Chapter 1 has been announced, the true reasoning behind the “Gods and Monsters” name is still a mystery.
There was also a way for Shazam! Fury of the Gods’ tease from Wonder Woman about gods and humans learning to live together in harmony could have helped Shazam 3 fit into DC Universe’s Chapter 1: Gods and Monsters as Shazam! Fury of the Gods focused on the history and current state of DC’s gods. Wonder Woman’s hope could have meant that she and Shazam would team up in Shazam 3 to fight other gods, like Hades, who attempted to rise to power. Unfortunately, the story will have to end with Shazam! Fury of the Gods.
Where Could Shazam Show Up In The DC Universe?
With the DCU not moving forward with Shazam 3 or having Zachary Levi reprising the role in future projects, it opens up the question of when (and where) the character could actually appear again. Given the lack of overall popularity of the character, it seems unlikely Shazam might ever have a solo film again. Instead, he could pop up in a Justice League film at the best for any live-action project. With him not included in the DCEU’s superhero team, it could be a way to distinguish the new universe version a little more.
Of course, Shazam could be introduced in an animated project. James Gunn and DC Studios have already shown an affinity for animation and a willingness to take less popular characters and continue their story, like the upcoming Blue Beetle series that will see Xolo Maridueña reprise his character from the live-action movie. The same thing could happen to a character like Shazam. No matter what happens to Shazam in the DCU’s future, one thing is for sure, Shazam 3 is not going to happen.
Shazam
The Shazam! franchise is a superhero film series based on the DC Comics character of the same name. It follows the adventures of Billy Batson, a teenager who transforms into an adult superhero by uttering the magic word “Shazam.” The franchise blends elements of action, comedy, and family-friendly storytelling, focusing on Billy’s journey of responsibility and self-discovery alongside his foster family.
- Created by
- Bill Parker , C.C. Beck
- Cast
- Zachary Levi , Asher Angel , Jack Dylan Grazer , Mark Strong , Djimon Hounsou , Adam Brody , Faithe Herman , Grace Caroline Currey , Meagan Good , Lucy Liu , Helen Mirren
- Character(s)
- Shazam , Freddy Freeman , Dr. Thaddeus Sivana , Hespera , Kalypso , Anthea , Wizard Shazam , Mary Bromfield , Darla Dudley
Summary
The Shazam! franchise is a superhero film series based on the DC Comics character of the same name. It follows the adventures of Billy Batson, a teenager who transforms into an adult superhero by uttering the magic word “Shazam.” The franchise blends elements of action, comedy, and family-friendly storytelling, focusing on Billy’s journey of responsibility and self-discovery alongside his foster family.
Upcoming DC Movie Releases
Sources: Comicbookmovie.com, Fiction Horizon, and The Wrap