Summary
Shazam! Fury of the Gods received negative reviews from critics and underperformed at the box office, raising questions about the future of the franchise.
Despite facing criticism, Zachary Levi maintains that the movie is a commendable film and remains optimistic that it will be appreciated by viewers despite the initial negative buzz.
The movie's low Rotten Tomatoes score can be attributed to its continuation of the original's lightheartedness without introducing significant innovations. Critics perceived this as a regression for the franchise. However, the audience score reflects the enjoyment experienced by those who watched the film.
Zachary Levi speaks out about the negative reception of Shazam! Fury of the Gods following its disappointing performance at the box office, earning only $133 million throughout its entire run. The film's underwhelming results exemplify the struggles faced by the 2023 box office, as it failed to reach the impressive $367 million earned by its predecessor, Shazam!. Aside from its financial setback, the movie also received unfavorable reviews from critics. During his appearance on The FilmUp Podcast, Levi directly discusses these negative reviews.
Uncertain about the future, the actor acknowledges the lukewarm reception of Shazam! Fury of the Gods in the new DC Universe. While Levi admits the sequel isn't flawless, he asserts that it is still a commendable film. Despite the initial negativity, he remains optimistic that viewers will eventually reevaluate the movie and have a change of heart.
I have been involved in various projects, and while I wish they were excellent, I acknowledge that they are only average. They lack a significant amount. Now, I'm not claiming that 'Shazam! Fury of the Gods' is a flawless masterpiece akin to Orson Welles' works, but it is certainly a very good film.
I am uncertain about the future direction. However, I sincerely hope or believe that in time, history will reveal that 'Fury of the Gods' becomes one of those films that people revisit. They might watch it through home streaming or on a plane, and despite the negative hype surrounding it, they will eventually realize, "Hold on a minute."
Why Shazam 2's Rotten Tomatoes Score Is So Low
Shazam! Fury of the Gods' low critics' score on Rotten Tomatoes dealt a significant blow to the movie, as the sequel's mediocre 49 percent rating adversely affected its prospects at the box office. In stark contrast, its predecessor, Shazam!, garnered an impressive 90 percent score on the same review aggregator platform.
Several reasons can account for the movie's underwhelming performance among critics on Rotten Tomatoes. To begin with, Shazam! Fury of the Gods arrives towards the end of the DCEU franchise, as the cinematic universe undergoes a reboot to James Gunn and Peter Safran's new DC Universe. As a result, interest in the movie may have waned. Additionally, while the film maintains the light-hearted tone of its predecessor, it fails to distinguish itself in any significant way, leading many critics to perceive it as a messy regression.
The website's Critics Consensus makes it clear that Shazam! Fury of the Gods is considered more unfocused and less satisfying than its predecessor. However, it still manages to retain some of the source material's silly charm, which helps save the day. Despite receiving a very negative critics' score, the audience score tells a different story. Shazam! Fury of the Gods receives an impressive 86 percent audience score, slightly higher than Shazam!'s 82 percent. This indicates that those who watched the movie enjoyed it. Unfortunately, not many people went to theaters to see Shazam! Fury of the Gods.