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Shazam fury of the gods, common sense media reviewers.

Funny superhero sequel has action violence, language.

A Lot or a Little?

What you will—and won't—find in this movie.

We all have a hero inside of us: "The most powerfu

Kids are superheroes, and, beyond that, are smart,

Main character Billy/Shazam (Asher Angel/Zachary L

Lots of comic book-style peril, action violence, a

Teen romance with a kiss. Expressions of a crush.

Regular use of words including "ass," "a--hole," "

Brands seen or mentioned by name or ad campaign in

Characters have sparkling wine; a hangover is impl

Parents need to know that Shazam! Fury of the Gods is the sequel to 2019's Shazam!. It revolves around six foster siblings, ages 10–19, who can transform into adult superheroes. This time around, Billy Batson (played by Asher Angel in teen form and Zachary Levi as an adult) and his "Shazamily" go up…

Positive Messages

We all have a hero inside of us: "The most powerful thing about you is you." Shows importance of having strong foundation in family, whether it's a biological one or a foster one (movie's example of loving, caring foster home is nice change from many representations). Clear themes of teamwork, courage, and compassion.

Positive Role Models

Kids are superheroes, and, beyond that, are smart, brave, caring, kind, and compassionate, and work together as a team.

Diverse Representations

Main character Billy/Shazam (Asher Angel/Zachary Levi) is a White boy/man. The Shazam team of superheroes lives with loving foster parents Rosa and Victor Vasquez (Spanish actor Marta Milans and Samoan/Jewish actor Cooper Andrews, respectively) and is made up of a diverse group of kids (and their corresponding adult versions). Freddy (non-disabled White actor Jack Dylan Grazer) is disabled, walking with an arm crutch but confidently taking on those who bully others. Other team members are played by Jewish (Asher Angel), Irish (Caroline Grace-Cassidy), Taiwanese American (Ian Chen), Black (Faithe Herman), and Salvadorian/Mexican (Jovan Armand) actors. There's also diversity in gender, body size, and sexuality. Villains are female and fierce; they're played by White British actor Helen Mirren, Chinese American actor Lucy Liu, and Colombian American actor Rachel Zegler; their ages range from teenager to over 70.

Did we miss something on diversity? Suggest an update.

Violence & Scariness

Lots of comic book-style peril, action violence, and destruction, such as a collapsing bridge and monsters taking over the city, attacking humans. Brief glimpse of a first-person shooter video game. People are impaled. Gods enslave humans by turning them into zombie-type creatures. A sympathetic character plunges to their death. Key character goes on a suicide mission. Car crashes. Humans in real peril, screaming. Terrifying dragon. Squeamish moment when a large wood splinter is slowly pulled out from under a fingernail.

Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Violence & Scariness in your kid's entertainment guide.

Sex, Romance & Nudity

Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Sex, Romance & Nudity in your kid's entertainment guide.

Regular use of words including "ass," "a--hole," "s--t," "sucks balls," "d--k," "oh my God," and "what the hell." A child comically says "motherfu--" (cut off before the profane ending, but viewers will know what's being said).

Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Language in your kid's entertainment guide.

Products & Purchases

Brands seen or mentioned by name or ad campaign include Gatorade, Skittles, Doritos.

Drinking, Drugs & Smoking

Characters have sparkling wine; a hangover is implied for a different character. Joke about characters being on drugs.

Did you know you can flag iffy content? Adjust limits for Drinking, Drugs & Smoking in your kid's entertainment guide.

Parents Need to Know

Parents need to know that Shazam! Fury of the Gods is the sequel to 2019's Shazam! . It revolves around six foster siblings, ages 10–19, who can transform into adult superheroes. This time around, Billy Batson (played by Asher Angel in teen form and Zachary Levi as an adult) and his "Shazamily" go up against the Daughters of Atlas ( Lucy Liu , Helen Mirren , Rachel Zegler ). Expect comic book-style action violence, including crashes, destruction, a couple of impalings, and significant deaths. Monsters and a terrifying dragon run amok, and gods enslave humans by turning them into zombie-type creatures. Kids swear -- "a--hat," "s--t," "oh my God," and one very quotable line that ends in a cut-off "motherfu--" -- and there's a bit of teen romance. In keeping with the movie's clear message that everyone has the power of a hero inside of them, characters are diverse in terms of race, disability, identity, body shape, and economic status. Teamwork, courage, and compassion are also themes. To stay in the loop on more movies like this, you can sign up for weekly Family Movie Night emails .

Where to Watch

Videos and photos.

Community Reviews

• Parents say (16)
• Kids say (23)

Based on 16 parent reviews

Not family friendly. Disturbing “suicide” scene. Unnecessary to movie plot.

What's the story.

In SHAZAM! FURY OF THE GODS (the sequel to 2019's Shazam! ), Billy Batson ( Asher Angel as a teenager, Zachary Levi as an adult superhero) and his superhero foster siblings are fighting crime in Philadelphia -- although the city thinks they're creating chaos and dubs them "the Philly Fiascos." Several of the kids are also managing other, non-super issues: Mary ( Grace Caroline Currey ), now a young adult, can't afford college and isn't sure what to do with her life. Pedro (Jovan Armand/ D.J. Cotrona ) is trying to find himself. And Billy is suffering from imposter syndrome. But when the supersiblings hear that the evil Daughters of Atlas ( Lucy Liu , Helen Mirren , Rachel Zegler ) may be wielding an ultrapowerful weapon, they jump into action and put their teamwork to the test to defend the world.

Is It Any Good?

This hilarious sequel proves that Shazam is the most exuberantly empowering superhero for kids in the current DC Universe. The magic of superhero comics has always been inspiring readers to see themselves as heroes, something that's often lost in the over-musclebound, sometimes too serious, dark superhero cinematic landscape (especially where DC is concerned). But Shazam! Fury of the Gods creates the perfect canvas for that flight of imagination by helping kids from many walks of life and underrepresented groups see themselves on screen. Plus, by showing the Shazamily kids in their "adult" state, it offers a subtle "it gets better" message for any kids watching who might be unhappy with their current state of being. When the core message is delivered in the dialogue -- "the most powerful thing about you is you" -- it gets a humorous eyeroll from Djimon Hounsou 's Wizard (yes, he's somehow still alive even though he turned to dust in the first film). But as the story bears out, it's a phenomenal message for these heroes -- and young viewers.

Talk to Your Kids About ...

Families can talk about the diverse representations in Shazam! Fury of the Gods. Did you see someone who looks like you on the screen? Why is representation important?

Do you agree with the movie's message that everyone has the potential to be a hero? What does it mean to be an everyday hero? If you were a superhero, what would your power be? In real life, what is your "superpower"?

How do the characters demonstrate courage , compassion , and teamwork ? Why are those important character strengths?

How did the violence make you feel? Was it more or less intense than other superhero movies you've seen? What's the impact of seeing violence in entertainment?

The Daughters of Atlas want to reclaim the power that was stolen from their father. Are they wrong to want that back? Tell this story from their point of view. If you're familiar with Greek mythology, what other monsters and gods are referenced here?

Movie Details

• In theaters : March 17, 2023
• On DVD or streaming : May 23, 2023
• Cast : Zachary Levi , Asher Angel , Rachel Zegler
• Director : David F. Sandberg
• Inclusion Information : Female actors, Latino actors, Multiracial actors
• Studio : Warner Bros.
• Genre : Action/Adventure
• Topics : Superheroes
• Character Strengths : Compassion , Courage , Teamwork
• Run time : 130 minutes
• MPAA rating : PG-13
• MPAA explanation : sequences of action and violence, and language
• Award : Common Sense Selection
• Last updated : May 13, 2024

Did we miss something on diversity?

Research shows a connection between kids' healthy self-esteem and positive portrayals in media. That's why we've added a new "Diverse Representations" section to our reviews that will be rolling out on an ongoing basis. You can help us help kids by suggesting a diversity update.

Suggest an Update

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Movie Review: Shazam! Fury of the Gods

The latest Shazam! movie features great messages about family—but its focus on pagan gods and other issues keep the film from taking off.

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“Shazam! Fury of the Gods” arrives with two strikes against it since it’s not only a studio-produced sequel but also a superhero movie made in 2023. One should expect a certain level of creative committee-mandated, Mad Libs-y monotony, regardless of how one feels about the surprisingly decent “Shazam!”. The makers of that fine-enough 2019 franchise-starter, including director David F. Sandberg, toned down both the Troma Lite cynicism and post-Spielberg sentimentality that’s come to define the lighthearted James Gunn-style super-projects that dominate the landscape.

“Shazam! Fury of the Gods” meanders further in that direction. The first “Shazam!” works as well as it does because it’s mostly focused on two adolescent pipsqueaks, Billy Batson ( Asher Angel ) and Freddy Freeman ( Jack Dylan Grazer ), who get sucked into a generic fantasy, with some assistance from their extended family of orphan buddies. “Shazam! Fury of the Gods” mostly sticks to the comic book formula that the first movie poked fun at, despite another strong comedic performance from star Zachary Levi and some sporadic yuks throughout. It’s schtickier and less assured than the first “Shazam!” but these leftovers still reheat well enough.

Billy, Freddy, and their foster family members return to fight the latest vengeful dangling plot thread, this time a trio of vindictive sorceresses called the Daughters of Atlas, led by Hespera ( Helen Mirren ) and Kalypso ( Lucy Liu ), who want to avenge their father, Atlas (not in this picture). The identity of the third Daughter is briefly shrouded in mystery.

Billy’s anxieties speak loudest for the “Marvel Family,” as comics fans know them, a convivial group of tweens whom, after yelling the magic word “Shazam,” are granted godlike superpowers. But even the residents of Philadelphia, where most of “Shazam! Fury of the Gods” takes place, don’t seem to know who these kids are. They refer to the Marvels as the “Philly Fiascos,” presumably because you can’t successfully brand a DC Comics character as a Marvel anything. Billy also longs to know what his “superhero name” is; he gets some answers after he unexpectedly reunites with his grumpy guru/mentor, the Wizard ( Djimon Hounsou ), who somehow survived the events of the first “Shazam!”. Don’t worry if you forgot this last plot point, Billy and Freddy repeatedly joke about it.

That kind of pre-chewed humor is only charming because it’s finessed by the movie’s ensemble cast members, especially the actors who play the punchy, adult-aged demigods that Billy and his family become when they say the magic word. Levi, who plays Billy’s alter-ego Shazam (also known as Captain Marvel), and Adam Brody , who plays “Super Freddy” (AKA Captain Marvel Jr., Elvis’ favorite super-guy), both stand out as adolescents struggling with thankless grown-up feelings and responsibilities. The movie’s adult villains don’t stand out, though Mirren still smirks like a champ.

There are signs of a warmer and cleverer adolescent super-drama throughout “Shazam! Fury of the Gods.” Clearly enunicated and frantically declaimed dialogue hints at Billy’s prevailing fear of “aging out of” his family, especially now that he’s about to turn 18 years old. His other family members also have lives to live, but we only catch glimpses of them whenever the plot stalls long enough to highlight likable but under-developed supporting characters, like the unicorn-loving Darla ( Faithe Herman ) or the closeted Pedro ( Jovan Armand ), both of whom graze the heart-strings with focus-group-level efficiency. 

“Shazam! Fury of the Gods” might have been better if it were more focused on both Billy and Freddy and their hormonal anxieties. Billy dreams of wooing Wonder Woman (in two scenes), and Freddy’s got a crush on new girl Anthea ( Rachel Zegler , who sadly has no chemistry with Grazer). Billy keeps saying he’s all about family, but maybe he should focus on feuding with his surrogate brother and wrestling with his super-ego? That worked before, so why not an encore?

Most of the big emotional moments lack cornball vigor, though Levi still takes all the extra room he’s given to create a goofy character who, like an actual teenager, doesn’t have a filter or an indoor voice. This makes up for some things, especially in a movie where the big action scenes mostly sit there, and the gags need to be both sped up and punched up. You have to want to hang out with the Philly Fiascos, and Levi’s arguably the best combination of main character and lead performer in a recent superhero pic. It’s too bad there are several other characters in this movie.

Honestly, Captain Marvel’s a tough character to get right, and if DC still can’t nail a sunny—or functionally grimdark—Superman movie, what hope does Levi’s big red cheese have of surviving the latest DC implosion? The odds never really favored another live-action “Shazam!” but this new one will still do in a pinch.

Now playing in theaters. 

Simon Abrams

Simon Abrams is a native New Yorker and freelance film critic whose work has been featured in  The New York Times ,  Vanity Fair ,  The Village Voice,  and elsewhere.

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Film credits.

Shazam! Fury of the Gods (2023)

Rated PG-13 for sequences of action and violence, and language.

130 minutes

Zachary Levi as Shazam

Asher Angel as Billy Batson

Jack Dylan Grazer as Freddy Freeman

Adam Brody as Super Hero Freddy

Grace Caroline Currey as Mary Bromfield / Super Hero Mary

Helen Mirren as Hespera

Lucy Liu as Kalypso

Rachel Zegler as Anthea

Meagan Good as Super Hero Darla

Faithe Herman as Darla Dudley

Ross Butler as Super Hero Eugene

D.J. Cotrona as Super Hero Pedro

Jovan Armand as Pedro Peña

Djimon Hounsou as Wizard

Cooper Andrews as Victor Vasquez

• David F. Sandberg

Writer (Shazam created by)

• Bill Parker
• Chris Morgan
• Henry Gayden

Cinematographer

• Gyula Pados
• Michel Aller
• Christophe Beck

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Movie Review: Shazam! Fury of the Gods

The latest Shazam! movie features great messages about family—but its focus on pagan gods and other issues keep the film from taking off.

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‘shazam fury of the gods’ review: the magic starts to wear off in busy sequel.

Zachary Levi returns as the title character in this follow-up to the DC superhero film, with newcomers Helen Mirren, Lucy Liu and Rachel Zegler as villainous Greek goddesses.

By Frank Scheck

Frank Scheck

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The goddesses Hespera, Kalypso and Anthea — played by Helen Mirren , Lucy Liu and, in her first film since her breakout role in Spielberg’s West Side Story , Rachel Zegler , respectively — are a formidable lot, with a wide variety of mythological creatures at their disposal, including a giant wooden dragon that looks like it came from a ‘60s-era Japanese monster movie. They’re a tricky bunch, too, with Anthea, the youngest at a mere 6,000 years old, posing as a new girl at school who expresses an interest in the innocent Freddy, whose voice cracks every time he speaks to her.

Those are the sorts of gags provided by screenwriters Henry Gayden and Chris Morgan, which fall flat more often than not. (There’s also a shameless in-joke reference to the Fast & Furious movies, several of which Morgan wrote and Mirren appeared in). There are still funny moments, to be sure, many of them provided by Grazer’s amusing if slightly over-the-top geekiness and Levi’s fast-paced timing and enjoyable mugging. And the scenes depicting the budding relationship between young Freddy and Anthea, who can’t help falling for this insecure human despite the importance of her mission, are charming.  

But as so often is the case with these sorts of films, Shazam! Fury of the Gods becomes tedious with its excessive spectacle relying, in this case, on not-so-spectacular CGI effects that make you long for a little Ray Harryhausen-style stop-motion. By the time an army of unicorns are recruited by young Darla with a fistful of Skittles, you’re ready to throw up your hands. (The Reese’s Pieces product placement in E.T. was endearing; here not so much.) Yes, the Shazam films are geared to a younger comic book movie audience, but this seems more like Saturday morning cartoon territory.

On the plus side, Hounsou is given more to do here than in the previous film, and his pleasure in letting his comic freak flag fly is infectious. Zegler is as appealing here as she was as Maria, and the young performers playing Billy’s foster siblings are both literally and figuratively growing into their roles. And DC fans will be treated to a late-in-the-game cameo appearances by a marquee headlining character who will, of course, go unnamed here.

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• DVD & Streaming
• Action/Adventure , Comedy , Drama , Sci-Fi/Fantasy

Content Caution

In Theaters

• April 5, 2019
• Zachary Levi as Shazam; Asher Angel as Billy Batson; Mark Strong as Dr. Thaddeus Sivana; Jack Dylan Grazer as Freddy Freeman; Djimon Hounsou as The Wizard Shazam; Grace Fulton as Mary Bromfield; Ian Chen as Eugene Choi; Jovan Armand as Pedro Peña; Faithe Herman as Darla Dudley; Cooper Andrews as Victor Vasquez; Marta Milans as Rosa Vasquez

Home Release Date

• July 16, 2019
• David F. Sandberg

Distributor

• Warner Bros.

Movie Review

What’s in a name? Shakespeare once asked.

Answer: Quite a bit, actually—if the name’s Shazam .

Sure, it may sound a little goofy, but it’s not like the name came like a bolt from the blue. (Well, it did, but let’s move on for now.) And for the longest of times, a grand old wizard has kept the name and safeguarded its powers—and in so doing, kept some monstrous manifestations of the Seven Deadly Sins at bay.

Alas, even a wizard’s powers don’t last forever. And when the evil genius Dr. Thaddeus Sivana breaks into Shazam’s stone temple and grabs the glowing, orb-like embodiment of those sins, that selfsame orb slams into Sivana’s eye socket and allows the nasty sins to escape—and take up super-powered residence in Sivana’s body.

Only one thing can save the world from a really nasty future: the wizard Shazam must find a champion of his own—one strong of spirit and pure of heart, one willing to use the fabled name and unfurl the powers it unlocks. Say the name, and boom! The chosen one becomes the World’s Mightiest Mortal. That’s a way more effective transformation process than changing clothes in a phone booth (whatever those are).

But strong-of-spirit, pure-of-heart types are pretty rare these days, and Shazam’s in a bit of a time crunch. So he settles for a 14-year-old foster kid named Billy Batson.

Hey, he could do worse, right?

Positive Elements

The Wizard Shazam could indeed do worse … but it takes a while for Billy’s character to become as bright and shiny as the lightning bolt on his chest.

Billy’s no hero at first. Few 14-year-olds are. And he’s saddled with plenty of his own pain: For most of his life, he’s searched for his birth mother. He’s run away from a bevy of well-meaning foster parents during his ill-conceived quest.

He’s “out of options” (as his social worker tells him) when he lands in a group home run by Victor and Rosa Vasquez—a conscientious couple who are raising a bevy of boisterous foster teens and children. They don’t see themselves as stopgap caretakers, but parents , and they love their children fiercely. Forget legally-mandated group home: This is a family .

The Vasquez clan, especially disabled teen Freddy Freeman, becomes a catalyst for real change in Billy’s life. And so Shazam! does more than remind us how important and powerful family can be: It also tells us that sometimes the best families aren’t always the ones we’re born into—a great message for foster and adopted kids everywhere.

The movie also pushes another important point home: None of us are born heroes. No, we’re made into the people we are through our own choices. And when those choices are rooted in love and kindness and bravery and, above all, self-sacrifice, we have a chance to become the people we should be.

Spiritual Elements

We’ve got a lot to get through here, so we might as well start with the word Shazam .

It’s an acronym (only briefly namechecked) representing six legendary figures and their most legendary powers. The “S” stands for the biblical figure Solomon and, of course, his vaunted wisdom (though that wisdom seems to take a while to take root in Billy). The other letters stand for a litany of Greek and Roman gods and heroes: Hercules, Atlas, Zeus, Achilles and Mercury.

It’s fitting that the Seven Deadly Sins also seem to be a mishmash of Christian and pagan influences here. Those sins—wrath, lust, gluttony, greed, sloth, envy and pride—are pulled directly from Christian antiquity and come across as fearsome demons here. But while they look, in some cases, like the sins they represent (gluttony having a huge mouth and big tummy, for instance), they don’t necessarily attack or influence as you’d expect, through their namesake transgressions.

They’re all inclined to whisper temptations into a subject/victim’s ear like a community of Mephistopheles, and they’re all down for killing whenever they can. We also hear a legend of how these sins were first unleashed on the world, and it has more in common with the pagan story of Pandora’s Box than the Judeo-Christian understanding of the Garden of Eden.

These seven entities feel quite demonic. And they come and go from within Sivana’s body, suggesting something like possession, even though they never take over his personality or mind in the way that we normally think about that idea.

At dinner, Victor habitually leads a combination prayer/huddle: Everyone puts their hands together at the center of the table while Victor offers thanks: “Thank you for this family,” one prayer goes, “thank you for this day, thank you for this food, even if it’s not steak filet.” And we hear other rhyming variants of that prayer several more times throughout the film.

The original Shazam is always referred to as a “wizard,” the last of a counsel of wizards. The powers that both the hero Shazam and his nemesis Sivana have are called “magic.” A child consults a magic 8-ball for advice. Symbols and runes appear frequently—on doors, clocks, car radios and the like—and take on an aura of occultic magic and mysticism . In a post-credit scene, a creature talks about how he “named the gods,” suggesting they’re not nearly as powerful as he is.

Sexual Content

Remember, Billy’s 14 years old—a time of, shall we say, strong hormonal activity. So when he realizes that shouting “Shazam” will transform him into a full-grown adult, one of his first stops is a strip club. (When he exits, Shazam says that everyone was “so nice” there, and he spent all of the money he brought in. His friend, Freddy, asks repeatedly about the breasts Shazam presumably saw inside.)

In another scene, when Shazam and his foster home brothers and sisters are in a serious jam, he figures they’ll only be able to get out of it by teleporting somewhere else. Shazam has to think of a safe place to teleport to, and the first spot that pops to mind is the same strip club. The whole fam (most of whom are very underage) lands inside (the camera doesn’t follow them), and their reactions to the place after they flee the establishment range from horror (from older teen Mary) to near-adoration (from Freddy) to a strong desire to get glitter (from youngest sister Darla).

Billy, as Shazam, tries to flirt with some “older” women. When the wizard Shazam tells Billy to grab his staff, Billy’s reaction turns the scene into a sexually charged joke. Freddy describes invisibility as a “pervy” superpower—adding that when people anonymously say what superpower they’d most like to have, it’s this one.

Violent Content

Yes, Shazam! looks light and funny and strangely kid-friendly in the trailers. But the movie itself gets pretty dark.

The movie emphasizes the “deadly” in its Seven Deadly Sins. One of these manifestations grotesquely chomps down on the head of a businessman, removing it. Sivana, using the power the Sins give him, flings another out of a skyscraper window, after which he falls to his death. A third victim seems to be eaten alive. Lots of other businesspeople are apparently slaughtered by the creatures. While most of the carnage is obscured by white opaque windows, the victims fling themselves (or, in some cases, are thrown) at those windows, giving audiences a taste of the terror going down in the next room.

The creatures themselves are nightmare fuel for young and/or impressionable viewers, no doubt. They chase and threaten and sometimes throw people around, and one tries to pull down a Ferris wheel filled with innocent people.

Shazam (the hero) and a host of helpmates fight the Sivana and his Sins (and some other criminals, too). Lots of requisite hitting and throwing and wrestling takes place, sometimes damaging roofs and walls and asphalt roads. One of Shazam’s fists lands in a particularly sensitive area, but blows to the head and gut abound.

Freddy tries to “help” Billy/Shazam discover his superpowers. During Freddy’s flying tests, Shazam lands badly a couple of times and, at one juncture, smashes into a skyscraper. When he’s supposedly testing Shazam’s teleportation abilities, Freddy sets the box Shazam’s crouching in on fire. (Lucky, Shazam’s immune to the flames.) And when Shazam stops a convenience store robbery, Freddy advises the criminals to not just shoot the hero (which they do, repeatedly), but in the face—to determine just how bullet proof he is. (“It kind of tickles!” Shazam enthuses.)

A terrifically terrible car crash opens the movie: One guy is thrown from a car and lies, helpless, in a pool of blood. People sometimes die after being turned into towers of ash: One woman screams as her face blows away. We hear that someone was paralyzed in an accident many years before. A glowing ball of demons smacks into someone’s face and embeds itself in an eye socket (leaving a gruesome scar).

Shazam can shoot lightning bolts from his fingers, and when he’s showing off one day, he accidentally causes a bus to careen out of control. The bus teeters on the edge of a bridge, sending several passengers crashing into the windshield. Shazam catches the bus and sets it down.

Freddy’s knocked down and kicked repeatedly by a couple of bullies: Billy attacks the bullies in turn with one of Freddy’s crutches. Freddy graphically describes the sort of wedgie the bullies later give him. A man screams from the effects of pepper spray. Someone’s scalp is cut via a batarang. A truck suffers some serious damage. Monsters lurk behind doors and sometimes attack the people who open them. A kid plays the video game Mortal Combat , shouting “Die! Die!” as he does so. When a baddie gets knocked out later on, another Mortal Combat phrase, “Fatality!” can be heard.

Crude or Profane Language

Five s-words and a smattering of other profanities, including several uses of “a–” and “h—,” and one each of “crap,” “d–n,” “f-g,” “d–k” and “d–chebag.” God’s name is misused at least a dozen times, while Jesus’ name is abused once.

Drug and Alcohol Content

Again taking advantage of his new adult body, Billy/Shazam (along with Freddy) goes into a convenience store and buys beer. Both he and Freddy take a swig and spit it out simultaneously, with one saying it tastes like “literal vomit.” They scrap their beer-drinking plans and buy a bunch of junk food instead.

Other Negative Elements

Billy keeps lots of emotional distance between himself and his foster family at first, hurting plenty of feelings along the way. And if anything, the superpowers he gets make the guy even more of a jerk. Initially, Billy’s not as interested in being a hero as Shazam as he is in being a celebrity.

As Shazam, he skips school to pose with photo-snapping admirers (and, hopefully, earn lots of tips, too). He performs a hand-lightning show for onlookers—a guitar case at the ready to catch any cash thrown his way. He skips out on making a reputation-bolstering appearance with Freddy at the school cafeteria, leading to pain and embarrassment.

Not that Freddy’s always the best influence. The two lie to a school security guard (making fun of his name and abilities, while they’re at it) to skip a day of school. They lie to keep Shazam’s secret, and make other folks lie, too. There’s a lot of selfishness and dishonesty in play for much of the movie, too. And while it’s never condoned, these moments are often played for laughs.

We hear that Roman soldiers used to brush their teeth with urine. Someone runs out of a bathroom, hurriedly zipping his fly. There’s a joke involving body odor, and one of Shazam’s possible nicknames invokes a reference to a rear end. Someone apparently spits on a baby.

We see some pretty terrible parenting here, too—though not, it should be noted, by Billy’s foster parents. That said, families with fostered or adopted children need to be aware that themes of separation, loss and finding one’s biological parents are all present throughout this film for anyone who might be sensitive to those themes.

When the Wizard Shazam first tells Billy that he’s looking for someone “strong in spirit, pure in heart,” Billy tries to tell him he’s neither of those things. “I don’t know if anyone is, really.”

That moment of modest wisdom exemplifies, I think, the best of Shazam! —when the movie itself seems to be strong in spirit and, at least, pure-ish in heart. And it’s more proof that the DC Extended Universe, after years of trailing Marvel in every possible way, is finding its footing.

Shazam! sets aside moral miasmas of movies such as Man of Steel and Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice ¬, where whole populated cities were destroyed for the sake of a suitably destructive finale. Shazam! skews not just lighter and funnier, but also more responsible. Life is treated as the precious thing that it is .

Shazam’s heroism isn’t rooted in his superpowers, but rather his growing personal character and his strengthening relationship with his family—the one which loves him and cares for him despite his many missteps. Indeed, the movie emphatically displays how strong and powerful families can be—and how important good ones are to helping mold good people.

And let’s be honest: Shazam! is fun to watch, too.

But as Billy so cogently reminds us, no one is without faults. No movie is, either—and this movie also has plenty of weaknesses.

Though the film’s trailers hint that it’s more kid-friendly than some superhero flicks, it’s not. The violence is just as violent and the language is just as raw as we’d see and hear in any of them. Moreover, this film comes with issues you wouldn’t necessarily expect in a superhero flick: The Deadly Sins we see are pretty scary no matter your age. And while a 14-year-old unexpectedly given a man’s body really might go to a strip club, that doesn’t mean that you should take your own kids to watch him go.

Shazam! , like its namesake hero—much like us all, really—is a bundle of contradictions. Sometimes we see monsters, and sometimes we see monstrous behavior. But we see a hero, too—flawed, yes, but ultimately one who’s strong in spirit and growing in character .

None of us are born heroes. No, we’re made into the people we are through our own choices. Help your family make heroic choices to be all that God wants them to be with some of the following resources:

Value of a Good Name

Equipping Your Teen With Character

Making Good Choices Takes Practice

Growing Kids With Character

Paul Asay has been part of the Plugged In staff since 2007, watching and reviewing roughly 15 quintillion movies and television shows. He’s written for a number of other publications, too, including Time, The Washington Post and Christianity Today. The author of several books, Paul loves to find spirituality in unexpected places, including popular entertainment, and he loves all things superhero. His vices include James Bond films, Mountain Dew and terrible B-grade movies. He’s married, has two children and a neurotic dog, runs marathons on occasion and hopes to someday own his own tuxedo. Feel free to follow him on Twitter @AsayPaul.

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‘Shazam!: Fury of the Gods’ Proves It’s One of the DCEU’s Finest

By Chris Vognar

Chris Vognar

As the loud but lithe  Shazam!: Fury of the Gods  commences, our hero is suffering from a bit of imposter syndrome. Lying on a couch, spilling his guts to a shrink (who turns out to be a mere pediatrician), the as-yet-unnamed superhero ( Zachary Levi ) explains that he’s just a kid, a dude that got lucky, that all the cool heroes already exist, and he really doesn’t belong. All of which makes him the perfect star of this sequel and this DC franchise . These movies don’t have the dour grit of any recent Batman movie , or the calculated bad boy (and bad girl) posture of  The Suicide Squad .  Instead, they’re just fun, clever, smartly conceived entertainment that doesn’t take itself too seriously. What a concept.

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Like its predecessor, Fury of the Gods is light on its feet without forcing the issue; it winks at itself, not its audience, and it has no use for cynical shock value (these movies are quite comfortable in their PG-13 designation). Even when they don’t quite make sense, which isn’t often, it doesn’t really matter; a little personality can go a long way here. Shazam! is no imposter. It’s a welcome presence in the franchise pantheon.                                     

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Shazam! Fury of the Gods

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Watch Shazam! Fury of the Gods with a subscription on Max, rent on Fandango at Home, Prime Video, Apple TV, or buy on Fandango at Home, Prime Video, Apple TV.

What to Know

More unfocused and less satisfying than its predecessor, Shazam! Fury of the Gods still retains almost enough of the source material's silly charm to save the day.

A sequel with plenty of action and tons of heart, Shazam! Fury of the Gods should satisfy anyone who enjoyed the first film.

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‘Shazam! Fury Of The Gods’: Review

By Tim Grierson, Senior US Critic 2023-03-15T22:00:00+00:00

The adolescent-turned-superhero returns to save another day in Warner Bros’ by-the-numbers sequel

Source: Warner Bros

‘Shazam! Fury Of The Gods’

Dir: David F. Sandberg. US. 2023. 130mins

In Shazam! Fury Of The Gods , our teenage superhero learns to grow up — unlike this sequel, which struggles to evolve beyond the usual comic-book derring-do. Zachary Levi remains a thoroughly charming Shazam, the adult version of a boy who is infused with incredible powers, and the film has its share of heart and impertinent humour. But as is typical of follow-up instalments, Fury Of The Gods self-consciously makes everything bigger while introducing more characters and greater stakes. Consequently, the boyish irreverence feels a little more strained as Shazam tries to be as mighty as his crime-fighting peers.

 Has its share of heart and impertinent humour

Arriving in theatres worldwide on March 17, this Warner Bros. release comes at a time when the future of the DC Universe is in flux. The 2019 Shazam! collected $366 million worldwide, and Fury Of The Gods may need to best those numbers for the character to secure a place in the cinematic overhaul planned by DC Studios heads James Gunn and Peter Safran. (Safran serves as producer on Fury Of The Gods , as he did the original.) But it remains to be seen if audiences are as excited for Shazam as more Batman, Superman or Wonder Woman adventures.

Billy Batson (Asher Angel) is nearly 18 and still able to transform into a buff, handsome adult superhero (Levi) whenever he says “Shazam!” But he and his fellow foster children, who have also been bestowed with powers, face a new threat once the wicked gods The Daughters Of Atlas — Kalypso (Lucy Liu) and Hespera (Helen Mirren) — arrive to steal their abilities. At the same time, Billy’s best friend Freddy (Jack Dylan Grazer) has fallen for a friendly new classmate (Rachel Zegler), who ends up being another of the Daughters, Anthea.

Shazam! director David F. Sandberg returns for the sequel, once again making the most out of the fact that his superheroes are really just children inside those adult bodies. Fury Of The Gods can be a giddy good time when it imagines the possibilities of young people playing make-believe as grownup do-gooders. (Meagan Good is especially endearing as the giggly adult version of the mischievous young Darla, portrayed by Faithe Herman as a child.) Levi radiates youthful exuberance mixed with insecurity and adolescent awkwardness, very much coming across as a big child. That said, Billy/Shazam will come to realise that actual adulthood beckons — and also that his superpowers may require him to sacrifice himself to protect those he loves.

As the principal villains, Liu and Mirren project regal menace, even if Henry Gayden and Chris Morgan’s uneven screenplay fails to give them much dimension. And, as with the original, Fury Of The Gods sometimes jarringly juxtaposes its jokier elements with darker, more intense scenes. (The Daughters unleash frightening mythical beasts, and a supporting character dies in shocking fashion, albeit offscreen.) No doubt these tonal shifts are meant to be upsetting, abruptly dropping these carefree young characters into the harsh realities of being a hero. But without sufficiently compelling nemeses or a confident balance of comedy and drama, it too often feels like one more overstuffed comic-book picture, the gargantuan set pieces and emotional speeches undercut by the story’s familiarity.

Perhaps not surprisingly, the film is better when it is more modest, such as  the gentle love story between Freddy and Anthea, who will question her loyalty to her sisters after discovering the goodness of humanity. Zegler, who was last seen in the 2021 West Side Story remake, can seem overwhelmed by the gaudy CGI spectacle, but when paired with Grazer, her unassuming sweetness shines through. 

It is to this series’ credit that, unlike many other DC and Marvel properties, the Shazam films are relatively self-contained, not demanding the audience be knowledgeable about multiple characters from other pictures. An iconic DC hero does put in an appearance but, even so,  Fury Of The Gods is largely focused on this family of foster children — and especially Shazam’s attempts to be a proper leader of this ragtag group.

The one-liners are very hit or miss, but Levi never loses sight of how amazing being a caped crusader would be, infusing Shazam with endless enthusiasm as the character zips through the air. Eventually, however,  Fury Of The Gods grows sombre, and the actor articulates the growing pains of a young man who has to become mature enough to save the day. Comic-book fans have seen much of this film before, but Levi at least tries to make it soar. 

Production company: Peter Safran Productions

Worldwide distribution: Warner Bros.

Producer: Peter Safran

Screenplay: Henry Gayden and Chris Morgan 

Cinematography: Gyula Pados

Production design: Paul Kirby

Editing: Michel Aller

Music: Christophe Beck

Main cast: Zachary Levi, Asher Angel, Jack Dylan Grazer, Rachel Zegler, Adam Brody, Ross Butler, D.J. Cotrona, Grace Caroline Currey, Meagan Good, Lucy Liu, Djimon Hounsou, Helen Mirren 

• United States
• Warner Bros.

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Shazam! Fury of the Gods

The film continues the story of teenage Billy Batson who, upon reciting the magic word "SHAZAM!", is transformed into his adult superhero alter ego, Shazam. The film continues the story of teenage Billy Batson who, upon reciting the magic word "SHAZAM!", is transformed into his adult superhero alter ego, Shazam. The film continues the story of teenage Billy Batson who, upon reciting the magic word "SHAZAM!", is transformed into his adult superhero alter ego, Shazam.

• David F. Sandberg
• Henry Gayden
• Chris Morgan
• Bill Parker
• Zachary Levi
• Asher Angel
• Jack Dylan Grazer
• 671 User reviews
• 247 Critic reviews
• 47 Metascore
• 8 nominations

Top cast 81

• Billy Batson

• Freddy Freeman

• Super Hero Freddy

• Super Hero Eugene

• Super Hero Pedro

• Mary Bromfield …

• Super Hero Darla

• Darla Dudley

• Eugene Choi

• Rosa Vasquez

• Victor Vasquez

• All cast & crew
• Production, box office & more at IMDbPro

Superheroes In and Out of Costume

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Did you know

• Trivia Michael Gray : a previous live-action Billy Batson from Shazam! (1974) , appears as a bystander in the final battle. Gray not only has on a red and yellow shirt, his costume from that show, but he calls Shazam his original title of "Captain Marvel".
• Goofs In the beginning of the movie the main characters collapse the Ben Franklin Bridge. Throughout the rest of the movie (including when the dome is created, and later shrinks), the Ben Franklin bridge is shown as intact.

Darla Dudley : Taste the rainbow, motherf... .!

• Crazy credits SPOILER: There is a scene in the closing credits: Shazam meets agents Emilia Harcourt and John Economos.
• Connections Featured in Randy Loves Movies!!1!: IS THIS THE BEST DC MOVIE??? THE BATMAN MOVIE REVIEW!!1! (2022)
• Soundtracks Holding Out for a Hero Written by Dean Pitchford and Jim Steinman Performed by Bonnie Tyler Courtesy of Columbia Records By arrangement with Sony Music Entertainment

User reviews 671

• MiroslavKyuranov
• Mar 14, 2023
• How long is Shazam! Fury of the Gods? Powered by Alexa
• March 17, 2023 (United States)
• United States
• New Zealand
• United Kingdom
• South Korea
• Amazon Music
• Athens, Greece (Museum scenes)
• New Line Cinema
• DC Entertainment
• Warner Bros.
• See more company credits at IMDbPro
• $125,000,000 (estimated)
• $57,638,006
• $30,111,158
• Mar 19, 2023
• $134,038,006

Technical specs

• Runtime 2 hours 10 minutes
• Dolby Digital
• Dolby Atmos
• IMAX 6-Track
• 12-Track Digital Sound
• Dolby Surround 7.1
• D-Cinema 96kHz 7.1

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Shazam! Fury of the Gods First Reviews: Predictable and Overstuffed, but Charming and Fun

Critics say the dc hero's second outing isn't nearly as good as the first, but it's still a decent, family-friendly popcorn movie that knows what it's doing and does it just well enough..

TAGGED AS: First Reviews , movies , news

Here’s what critics are saying about Shazam! Fury of the Gods :

How does it compare to the first Shazam! ?

Shazam: Fury of the Gods delivers everything that worked for me in the first movie, dialed up to eleven. –  Tessa Smith, Mama’s Geeky

Shazam! Fury of the Gods is a delightful ride and a worthy follow-up to the first film. –  Jamie Jirak, ComicBook.com

Shazam! Fury of the Gods had a lot to live up to, and it delivers! –  Rachel Leishman, The Mary Sue

This sequel has really upped the ante with fire-breathing dragons and other creatures… The action is really quadrupled here, as are the special effects. –  Pete Hammond, Deadline Hollywood Daily

For the most part, director David F. Sandberg has managed to replicate the winning formula – even if the film never quite flies as high as its predecessor. –  Mark Cassidy, ComicBookMovie.com

While Shazam! Fury of the Gods doesn’t entirely recapture the giddy fun of the first film, its humor, sweetness, and delightfully human heroes remaining bright spots in a genre too often obsessed with the dark and the gritty. –  Kate Erbland, IndieWire

Shazam! Fury of the Gods offers fans of the first film more of the same: a family-friendly action adventure with humor and heart. And that’s not a bad thing. –  Matt Fernandez, Geeks of Color

There’s not much more audiences could ask for in a sequel. –  Courtney Howard, Fresh Fiction

(Photo by ©Warner Bros.)

Will DC superhero fans enjoy it?

It raises the bar for DC films. – Tessa Smith, Mama’s Geeky

A predictable but effective entry in the genre, this is a fun way to spend an afternoon in the DC Universe. –  Brandon Zachary, CBR

This is a fun, family-friendly superhero film – still set firmly within the DCEU – that has all the action and laughs you’d want. –  Abigail Chandler, SciFiNow

How is the story?

A lot is going on within the narrative, and one pivotal character’s motives flip-flop so many times they put in a line that cracks wise about it. Still, it all comes together in a gloriously berserk third act that features a mythical monsterpalooza, a badass dragon, a well-earned sacrifice and Skittles. – Courtney Howard, Fresh Fiction

There is a lot more plot crammed into Fury of the Gods . However, the film fully commits to each of its plot lines and keeps a quick pace that never drags under unnecessary or filler scenes. – Matt Fernandez, Geeks of Color

Shazam! Fury of the Gods offers more action a more sustainable crafted storyline that moves the plot forward that is a bit more sensical than its predecessor. –  Jamie Broadnax, Black Girl Nerds

When there’s exposition to move the plot along, it feels clunky. When it’s just the fun of kids being adult heroes? Then it’s  still very fertile ground. –  Joey Magidson, Awards Radar

Is it funny?

This movie mostly retains the level of humor of the first, which was its best feature. The movie smartly pairs Hounsou and Grazer together for large portion of the story and their comedic repartee is consistently good. –  Kyle Anderson, Nerdist

One smart move was to just completely move Djimon Hounsou’s Wizard fully into comedic territory. –  Travis Hopson, Punch Drunk Critics

While Fury of the Gods delivers plenty of laughs… this time around Sandberg has dialed back the humor for a more mature and slightly darker tone. – Matt Fernandez, Geeks of Color

How is Zachary Levi this time around?

Levi, almost in Paul Rudd-like fashion, really knows how to inject comedy without sacrificing the heroic antics the role requires. – Pete Hammond, Deadline Hollywood Daily

There are still some laughs to be mined from the premise, but after a while it begins to grate, and, unfortunately, one of the movie’s biggest detriments is how irritating its main character becomes. – Mark Cassidy, ComicBookMovie.com

Levi is also now playing a 17-year-old rather than a 14-year-old, and so some of the childish charm of his performance is inevitably lost. – Abigail Chandler, SciFiNow

What about Asher Angel’s Billy?

It’s as if all we learned all we needed to know about Billy from the last movie. – Matt Fernandez, Geeks of Color

The resolution of Billy’s arc feels wholly unsatisfying, both because of Angel’s limited involvement in conveying it and in how quickly it’s all tied up. –  Tom Jorgensen, IGN Movies

He was far more annoying than I remember in the first movie. His ineptitude and emotional immaturity, while occasionally funny, just seemed so much more out of place here. I didn’t buy his arc, all the way up to the end. – Kyle Anderson, Nerdist

Billy hasn’t matured much from the first film to this sequel, and whether it is intentional or he’s just using this silly persona as a guise to lead people on because it works for him, it feels a little mechanical at this point. – Jamie Broadnax, Black Girl Nerds

How are the villains?

Mirren and Liu are excellent additions to the Shazam! world, embodying their characters with a formidable and fearsome air… Watching them play off each other is one of the highlights of Shazam! Fury of the Gods . –  Rachel LaBonte, Screen Rant

These ladies are incredible, badass, and bring a whole lot to the film… The sisters aren’t your typical straight forward villains. – Tessa Smith, Mama’s Geeky

They’re surprisingly effective villains, even if the script doesn’t give them a ton to work with. – Joey Magidson, Awards Radar

Mirren, I’m sorry, is wasted, and so is Lucy Liu, whose chill ferocity is reduced to a kind of one-note snit fit. –  Owen Gleiberman, Variety

The characters are not very interesting other than their ability to wave their arms and cause all sorts of mayhem to happen, with nary a single wittily snide wisecrack between them. –  Frank Scheck, Hollywood Reporter

Are there any standouts in the cast?

The entire cast shines, but it is Jack Dylan Grazer who steals the show… He just has this personality that sucks you in, and this movie benefits from that. – Tessa Smith, Mama’s Geeky

Grazer’s easy transitions from swaggering bravado to sheer terror to bashfully lovestruck elevate his character from quirky sidekick to the real champion of the film. – Matt Fernandez, Geeks of Color

Zegler proves again to be an incandescent screen presence. – Pete Hammond, Deadline Hollywood Daily

Hounsou is given more to do here than in the previous film, and his pleasure in letting his comic freak flag fly is infectious. – Frank Scheck, Hollywood Reporter

How are the special effects?

Fury of the Gods benefits from an increased special effects budget… A lot of attention to detail clearly went into designing [its] monsters. – Matt Fernandez, Geeks of Color

Considering this movie had nearly half the budget of a certain recent Marvel threequel, it’s astounding how much better it looks than the Marvel film in question. – Jamie Jirak, ComicBook.com

Visually, the special effects have taken a step up, particularly in a dazzling final battle inside a giant dome lit up with atomic fire and super-powered lightning. – Travis Hopson, Punch Drunk Critics

The monsters look good, the lightning Shazam so often employs has never looked better, but it all feels as if was shot on a single backlot. – Kate Erbland, IndieWire

Its not-so-spectacular CGI effects make you long for a little Ray Harryhausen-style stop-motion. – Frank Scheck, Hollywood Reporter

Is it satisfying enough as a superhero movie?

Fury of the Gods has no designs on reinventing the wheel (or even putting a rough idea down on paper), but what it does, it does very effectively overall. – Mark Cassidy, ComicBookMovie.com

While Shazam! Fury of the Gods isn’t exactly reinventing the wheel, it’s an adorable movie with a lot of heart that is sure to satisfy the whole family. – Jamie Jirak, ComicBook.com

This new Shazam! film is cordial, with a puppyish good nature and an awareness of its own silliness. –  Peter Bradshaw, Guardian

It has its stumbles, but it knows what kind of movie it wants to be: An earnest superhero romp that entertains and tugs at the heartstrings. It certainly succeeds there. – Rachel LaBonte, Screen Rant

Despite the information overload and occasionally more-miss-than-hit comedy, there are enough laughs, cool comic-book moments and heartfelt performances to make Fury Of The Gods a fun, frivolous watch. –  Sophie Butcher, Empire Magazine

Is Shazam! Fury of the Gods disposable? Sure. Is it still a lot of fun? Absolutely. –  Joey Magidson, Awards Radar

Yes, the Shazam films are geared to a younger comic book movie audience, but this seems more like Saturday morning cartoon territory. – Frank Scheck, Hollywood Reporter

Should there be more Shazam! movies?

There’s something to be said for a series like this that can truly stand alone. It’s charming — and it’s different, and it’s worth saving. – Kate Erbland, IndieWire

Although the future of the Shazam! films is uncertain under the new James Gunn/ Peter Safran regime, Fury of the Gods presents a convincing argument that Earth’s Mightiest Mortal is still worthy of that movie magic. – Matt Fernandez, Geeks of Color

This second edition bodes well for its future in the uncertain DC Universe, at least in terms of delivering on what finicky fans expect. – Pete Hammond, Deadline Hollywood Daily

Shazam! Fury of the Gods opens in theaters everywhere on March 17, 2023.

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Review: New ‘Shazam!’ has more everything, but less charm

This image released by Warner Bros. Pictures shows Ross Butler, from left, Adam Brody, Grace Caroline Currey, Zachary Levi, Meagan Good and D.J. Cotrona in a scene from “Shazam! Fury of the Gods.” (Warner Bros. Pictures via AP)

This image released by Warner Bros. Pictures shows Zachary Levi, left, and Helen Mirren in a scene from “Shazam! Fury of the Gods.” (Warner Bros. Pictures via AP)

This image released by Warner Bros. Pictures shows Zachary Levi in a scene from “Shazam! Fury of the Gods.” (Warner Bros. Pictures via AP)

This image released by Warner Bros. Pictures shows Grace Caroline Currey, center, Meagan Good, left, and D.J. Cotrona in a scene from “Shazam! Fury of the Gods.” (Warner Bros. Pictures via AP)

This image released by Warner Bros. Pictures shows Lucy Liu, from left, Helen Mirren and Rachel Zegler in a scene from “Shazam! Fury of the Gods.” (Warner Bros. Pictures via AP)

This image released by Warner Bros. Pictures shows Djimon Hounsou in a scene from “Shazam! Fury of the Gods.” (Warner Bros. Pictures via AP)

This image released by Warner Bros. Pictures shows Rachel Zegler in a scene from “Shazam! Fury of the Gods.” (Warner Bros. Pictures via AP)

This image released by Warner Bros. Pictures shows Rachel Zegler, left, and Jack Dylan Grazer in a scene from “Shazam! Fury of the Gods.” (Warner Bros. Pictures via AP)

This image released by Warner Bros. Pictures shows Meagan Good, left, and Ross Butler in a scene from “Shazam! Fury of the Gods.” (Warner Bros. Pictures via AP)

This image released by Warner Bros. Pictures shows Jack Dylan Grazer, left, and Asher Angel in a scene from “Shazam! Fury of the Gods.” (Warner Bros. Pictures via AP)

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Sequels, by nature, are more. Whatever the original had, just add more, the rule seems to be. Even more words in the title — how often is a sequel’s title shorter than the original?

And so, exactly four years after the original DC superhero pic “Shazam!” surprised with its clever blend of innocence and silliness, and enough wit to blunt the inevitable ridiculousness of plot, we have “Shazam! Fury of the Gods.” It brings five times the title wordage, more action, more villains, more monsters and more star wattage — Oscar winner Helen Mirren, for example.

But not more charm. The sequel, again directed by David F. Sandberg, feels less breezily funny, less fresh, less fleet of foot. (At two hours and 10 minutes, it’s actually two minutes shorter than the original, but doesn’t feel shorter).

In its favor, though, are some elements that lent the original its pleasures, especially Zachary Levi and his goofy efforts (if perhaps more frenetic) to play a youngster in an adult superhero body, and Jack Dylan Grazer as fast-talking, always-thinking best bud (and foster brother) Freddy — this time given a love interest in appealing Rachel Zegler. It also smartly drops colorless villain Dr. Thaddeus Sivana, who’s apparently still in that lonely cell.

First, a plot refresher. We’re back in Philadelphia with teen hero Billy Batson (Asher Angel), the foster kid who was bestowed in the original with magic powers by a wizard (Djimon Hounsou) and learned that the word “Shazam!” turned him into a strapping superhero (Levi). But now, his foster fam (well, just the siblings) has joined the superhero biz.

It’s not going great, though. The group is known in the City of Brotherly Love as the “Philadelphia Fiascoes,” because of frequent youthful mistakes. We know teenagers have only partly developed brains, right? No matter how many buses or train cars they can hold with one arm.

And there’s a big new villain to fight — actually three, the ancient Daughters of Atlas, who arrive in the human world to reclaim their stolen magic.

Turns out the mythical staff of the gods, which Billy/Shazam had broken at the end of the first film, lies in a museum, and let’s just say the visitors are not in for a good day when two daughters of Atlas appear — Hespera and Kalypso — ready to annihilate anyone in their way. They’re soon revealed as Mirren and Lucy Liu, adding some real mean goddess vibe to the proceedings.

Meanwhile, Billy/Shazam is in a therapy session, saying he feels like a fraud. (He’s mistakenly gone to a pediatrician, but it’s not hard to diagnose impostor syndrome.) Soon, though, he and his siblings are called upon to save the city from a collapsing bridge.

The funniest parts of “Shazam!” and now its sequel involve the overlap between teen-human and superhero life. Witness the teen-designed secret lair, complete with all the Skittles and other junk food anyone would want (Skittles will play a key role at one point.) There, we also learn what’s currently occupying each of the siblings. The oldest, Mary, who studies organic chemistry for fun, is aching for college over superhero life. And Freddy wants to forge his own identity.

But Billy, abandoned as a child by his parents, wants family unity at all costs. Mary tries to tell him nothing lasts forever — plus, soon he’ll be 18 and checks to his foster parents will stop coming. Then what? (Ya think we’ll have a scene later where someone assures him family lasts forever?)

Meanwhile, the Daughters of Atlas, accompanied by a big old dragon and some other monsters, are on the warpath. Where’s the third, you ask? Ah, she’s masquerading as human, and she’s taken a shine to Freddy, who cannot believe his luck.

That’s all you need to know to understand the action. And there’s lots. Still, the best moments are when the wit of the original shines through — like when Hespera (Mirren) reads aloud a letter that’s been dictated by the young superheroes to a magic quill pen, who like a smartphone catches the extraneous dialogue, which means she’s repeating gravely: “Anyone else want a Gatorade?” (Would that Mirren — and Liu, too — had more such comic moments.)

The action, laden with CGI battles, could fatally weigh down the film if it weren’t for Levi, who brings the nimbleness of a musical theater performer (ever see him sing while cartwheeling on Broadway? ) and Grazer, a bit older but still irascible, not to mention singleminded (“We can’t let her die, she called me sweet!”).

Angel still makes an appealing teen Billy, and Hounsou gets a dashing fashion moment. The family’s all back, and foster mom Rosa gets at least one good line amid apocalyptic destruction: “I am not entirely sure how to parent here.”

Oh wait, we forgot the unicorns!

Did we need a dragon AND unicorns? Well, of course we did, because in a sequel, there’s always more.

“Shazam! Fury of the Gods,” a New Line Cinema and Warner Bros. release, has been rated PG-13 by the Motion Picture Association of America “for sequences of action and violence, and language.” Running time: 130 minutes. Two and a half stars out of four.

MPAA Definition of PG-13: Parents strongly cautioned. Some material may be inappropriate for children under 13.

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'Shazam! Fury of the Gods' is a near myth

Glen Weldon

"Forget Pat's, forget Geno's. Jim's. Jim's in the best cheesesteak in Philly." Shazam (Zachary Levi) and Hespera (Helen Mirren) have a sit-down. Warner Bros. hide caption

"Forget Pat's, forget Geno's. Jim's. Jim's in the best cheesesteak in Philly." Shazam (Zachary Levi) and Hespera (Helen Mirren) have a sit-down.

The 2019 film Shazam ! followed on the heels of Wonder Woman (2017) and Aquaman (2018) — two DC superhero movies that had already managed to step out from under the grim-dark era of filmmaker Zack Snyder, with its muddy, grayish-brown color palette and even muddier, brownish-gray emotional palette.

Yet there was something distinctly bright, fresh and colorful about director David F. Sandberg's movie, which starred Asher Angel as lonely foster kid Billy Batson, who gets granted powers by a mysterious wizard (Djimon Hounsou) that transform him into an adult (albeit naggingly unnamed) superhero played, with bracing gusto, by Zachary Levi.

The idea, then and now, is Tom Hanks' Big -meets superheroes: When he says a magic word, young Billy's body transforms, but his mind stays the same. Thus the film unspooled with its every superhero cliché (training montage, random acts of heroism, climactic battles with various villains) inflected with something new: the heedless joy of a kid being granted a wish. Levi played his superhero as an over-enthusiastic try-hard who was desperate to figure things out. Sure, he tossed out the occasional pop culture reference or wincingly dumb joke, but that resultant doofiness was endearing, novel, fun.

That was then. This is now.

More (big red) cheese

It's apparent quite early that the narrative fuel mixture of Shazam: Fury of the Gods is off. This time out, returning director Sandberg attempts to crank the volume on the first film's breezy goofiness, and succeeds. But that increase in volume introduces distortion: We get more of Levi in the red muscle suit and less — startlingly less — of Angel as teen Billy.

That's only an issue because of what Levi chooses to do with his greater share of screen time, which is to make the sweatiest, schtickiest, most effortful choice, again and again. He mugs. He preens. He goggles his eyes. The performance devolves to one level, one joke, over and over: His character makes a pop culture reference that the film's villain du jour — an ancient god named Hespera, played by Helen Mirren — kind of squints quizzically at.

Repeat that bit once per minute, 130 times, and there's your movie.

There's an attempt to leaven Levi's go-for-the-jugular approach with a character arc. When we meet him, he's suffering from imposter syndrome, as his found family of fellow super beings (including Freddy, played by both Jack Dylan Grazer and Adam Brody) fail to embrace his leadership.

That leadership gets further challenged by the appearance of the daughters of the mythical Atlas (Mirren and Lucy Liu), who seek to reclaim the power he and his friends wield. Big fights happen on and above the streets of Philadelphia (played by Atlanta); sundry zappy standoffs occur amid rubble and rebar.

In the process, between lightning strikes, our hero steps up, learns lessons, and matures.

At least, in theory.

In execution, we just get Levi's invariant antic doofus, from first scene to last.

Twain in vain

In the first movie, it didn't much matter that Levi was clearly making no attempt to modulate his performance by keying any aspect of it to Angel Asher's take on teen Billy. After all, for the first 40 years of his comic book existence, Captain Marvel (for so he was named, until relatively recently) and Billy Batson were written as two different people. Billy said his magic word and was replaced by Cap.

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But in the 1980s, the notion arose that Cap was still just Billy inside: a mass of muscle gifted by the gods with amazing powers, yet who retained the personality of a child. That's the tack that the films have taken and if in the first movie there was a sharp disconnect between what the two actors who were ostensibly playing the same role were bringing to the table, it was easy to chalk that up to the gee-whiz whimsy of it all.

Not so anymore. The few glimpses we get of Angel's Billy are now so far afield from anything and everything that Levi is doing that the notion they're playing the same person is easily the least believable thing in a movie in which a unicorn impales a cyclops, a wooden dragon lands atop Citizens Bank Park and Dame Helen freaking Mirren sits down for a cheesesteak.

It's not going to stop 'till you wise up

In the film's defense, it does finally address something the first Shazam! movie breezed over — something that admittedly matters only to a small number of hardcore comic book nerds like me, but matters to us hugely.

SHAZAM, is, canonically, an acronym. Billy gets granted the Wisdom of S olomon, the Strength of H ercules, the Stamina of A tlas, the Power of Z eus, the Courage of A chilles and the Speed of M ercury. SHAZAM, get it? (Yes, I know, this represents a willfully heedless mishmash of pantheons that'd drive any classical/biblical scholar up the wall, but let that go, we're all stuck with it.)

The films depict Levi's character wielding all of these gifts, with the wildly conspicuous absence of the first one.

"Wisdom of Solomon?" The guy's an idiot. How can you possibly square Solomonic wisdom with the sustained level of dumbassery that Levi's serving up?

It may be a small comfort to know that this egregious oversight is acknowledged, addressed and firmly laid to rest in a way that even the least forgiving comic book nerd will grudgingly accede to.

A small comfort, but a comfort all the same.

Shazam! Fury of the Gods - Review

A self-sufficient super-sequel..

The joyful teenage energy 2019’s Shazam! brought to DC’s cinematic world of heroes was a breath of fresh air next to the dark grittiness of Zach Snyder’s versions of the Justice League characters. However, it was Billy Batson’s soulful search for his biological family – and realization that the family he’d longed for was in front of him all along – which helped it achieve more staying power than a lot of other movies in this genre. The sequel, Fury of the Gods, is regrettably missing some of that heart. This time we see the Shazamily putting their newfound abilities to the test against a trio of deadly deities set on overrunning Earth, and though the Greek myth iconography the villains bring to the table gives all involved a significantly increased Pandora’s toy box to play with, the movie stumbles on some storytelling basics that leave the sequel feeling less powerful than the first.

Taken collectively, the evil Daughters of Atlas represent a lateral move for the antagonist role in Shazam’s story. In the original, Mark Strong’s Dr. Sivanna didn’t have much of a personality to speak of, but his role as a power-hungry foil for Billy’s (Asher Angel) insecurities kept the personal stakes in focus throughout. By contrast, the Daughters’ titanic grudge against the Shazamily – and the promethean wizard (Djimon Hounsou) who empowered them – doesn’t have the same clean hook. As a result, their plan to overtake Billy’s realm feels overcomplicated for this superhero movie, and its dependency on fetch quests and games of keepaway gets old quickly. All of that’s before even taking into account that their ultimate plan very closely retreads one we’ve already seen in another DC film. 

The broad strokes of that action may feel familiar, but to his credit director David F. Sandberg excels at weaving in fun moments to give this story a little more identity. Pausing to allow the foster siblings the time to speak up about how, even in the face of the world-ending threat the Daughters bring to Philadelphia, they’re still pretty psyched they get to fight a dragon as a result adds personality to what might otherwise have been a dry rehash.

What the Daughters lack in compellingly communicated motivation they make up for in screen presence. They’re led by Hespera, and Helen Mirren’s near-total command of her character’s function as not just the lead villain, but as a steely confident straight woman to the goofy Shazamily’s antics is delightful. Her performance left me wishing Fury of the Gods had found more time to use those good, good Mirren vibes to better sell the Daughters’ personal investment in the conflict. 

The action starts to feel a little tiresome going into the third act.

Her sister Kalypso (Lucy Liu) feels like a redundancy for Hespera, though her set of powers does lead to some of Fury of the Gods’ most memorable action moments – including a creepy opening sequence which hearkens back to the boardroom scene from the first film. But with Hespera representing the Daughters in most conversations, Kalypso feels woefully underwritten and leaves Liu’s god with nothing but fury to work with. Rachel Zegler’s Anthea fares better as the voice of reason, and her steadfastness and charm are welcome in situations involving both her more hot-headed sisters and Billy’s perpetually off-the-wall best bud, Freddy Freeman (Jack Dylan Grazer). 

Their powersets and godly lineage create opportunities for Sandberg to scale up the spectacle, but the Shazamily’s imaginative solutions to countering the Daughters keep that action grounded in the superhero wish fulfillment that serves as the backbone of the series. Moments where the kids come up with goofy solves for Serious Problems are gratifying, but Fury of the Gods’ action starts to feel a little tiresome going into the third act, where samey mythological creatures are dropped in to essentially distract the heroes who get less screen time while Shazam gets to do the monologuing with the villains. There’s little other than the kids’ boundless enthusiasm for crimefighting differentiating Shazam’s action from countless other superhero movies, and the farther the action strays from that conceit, the more forgettable it winds up.

For his part, Freddy remains a chaotic ball of anxiety, nerdiness, and wit, and his increased screen time here is an obvious byproduct of a classic sequel gambit: cede time that might’ve been better used on the protagonist’s story to highlight a character that popped unexpectedly hard with fans last time. Grazer scores most of Fury of the Gods’ funniest moments and maintains that momentum through scenes which require him to realistically convey the terror that a kid may feel if faced with the judgment of gods. It’s Grazer’s horrified reaction to an especially callous act of violence inflicted on a friend that grounds the Daughters’ malice in something recognizable after a first act which mostly sees them operating in the background. 

There’s not much to dislike about Grazer’s performance in a vacuum, but it’s what Fury of the Goes is missing as a result of its focus on him that leaves Freddy’s exuberance a double-edged sword. There is no shortage of action scenes or big laughs, but with a whopping six Shaziblings (you can have that, WB), three Daughters of Atlas, two foster parents, a wizard, a dragon, and a sentient pen all in play, it often feels like there’s very little time for Billy’s major (and very ironic) struggle here: he’s terrified he’ll be abandoned all over again once he turns 18. 

Fury of the Gods tells its own story on its own terms.

Angel, who’s already sharing a significant part of Billy’s screen time with Zachary Levi, feels stranded by the script. When Billy’s having fun and being playful it’s usually when he’s in Shazam form, which leaves Angel the short stick of having to mostly convey the character’s melancholy. The resolution of Billy’s arc feels wholly unsatisfying, both because of Angel’s limited involvement in conveying it and in how quickly it’s all tied up. In life, a misunderstanding being cleared up with a short, reassuring conversation can be cathartic… in a movie, however, a character’s entire emotional arc being resolved the same way is frustrating. 

As for Levi’s embodiment of Shazam, the word that rings loudest here is “consistent.” The boyishness of Billy Batson still comes through clear in Levi’s performance, but his occasional melancholy self-doubt isn’t much of a substitute for the comedic goldmine of Billy learning how to be both an adult and a superhero last time. The rest of the Shazamily – those with and without powers – fall into predictable supporting positions, with little to contribute other than character-non-specific quippery. Meagan Good’s adult iteration of youngest sibling Darla is the one exception, benefitting from the wide age gap between Darla’s child and superhero forms. 

Though the Shazam sequel can’t sustain the emotional earnestness of its predecessor, it feels unfair not to acknowledge and appreciate that its shortcomings are at least unencumbered by the heavy world-building expected of superhero franchise entries these days. Even in the face of James Gunn and Peter Safran’s impending DCU reboot, Fury of the Gods tells its own story on its own terms, and the missteps it makes along the way at least feel part and parcel with the efforts of a team trying to forge their own path – both in front of and behind the camera. That’s not to say there aren’t references to the larger DC world to be found, just that they’re obviously not the point of this movie existing in the first place.

The Verdict

Shazam! Fury of the Gods is a breezy, often funny second outing for Billy Batson and his family of young heroes. Each of the villainous Atlassian Daughters bring something unique to the screen (to the plot’s mixed benefit) and Helen Mirren’s performance stands out, but it’s disappointing that the distinctive heart of the first film takes a back seat to that expanded scope. The lack of focus on its lead character works against Fury of the Gods throughout, but it’s a testament to the strong foundation this movie’s built on that the assembled ensemble is able to share some of that burden.

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‘Shazam! Fury Of The Gods’ review: a body-swapping superhero sequel with no soul

Director David F. Sandberg unwisely abandons his clever set-up from the first film

D C has been having a bit of a rough time of it. The Suicide Squad reboot didn’t quite make its money back, Black Adam  was a stinker, and  Batgirl got buried before it even came out. If ever a franchise needed a hero, it’s now. Shame, then, that all it can muster is a messy, murky sequel that feels more like a studio trying to cosplay Marvel .

The first  Shazam!  was pretty good too. The ultimate kid wish-fulfilment fantasy, the 2019 film was the story of orphaned teen Billy Batson (Asher Angel) finding that he can turn into a grown-up superhero (Zachery Levi) whenever he says the magic word (“Shazam!”). Ending that film by sharing his magic powers with his foster siblings, a nifty body-swapped super-team was born – not that the sequel bothers to do much with it.

In a world where most superheroes talk like teens anyway, it’s a tough ask to make a movie about a bunch of kids in adult bodies, but it’s a real shame to see returning director David F. Sandberg squandering his own “ Big  meets  The Avengers ” premise by ignoring it completely.

Swapping comedy for quips and action for messiness, the overstuffed, under-lit sequel only ever seems accidentally enjoyable. Here you’ll find wooden dragons, magic pens, giant forcefields, Gal Gadot cameos and ugly product placement – with the oddly cast trio of Helen Mirren, Lucy Liu and Rachel Zegler now in the mix as three evil Greek god sisters that want to get a thing and do a thing.

Billy still has the wisdom of Solomon, the strength of Hercules, the stamina of Atlas, the power of Zeus, the courage of Achilles, and the speed of Mercury (and the politics of Laurence Fox ) And Billy’s brothers and sisters pretty much all have the same powers too, now rendered slightly interchangeable as CG puppet Power Rangers without distinct personalities to tell them apart. One of the kids is now confusingly old enough to play her own adult self (Grace Fulton), side-kick Jack Dylan Grazer is still far more likeable than main-star Asher Angel, and the three new bad-gal acting heavyweights look slightly embarrassed to be there.

Fury Of The Gods gets a big, silly ending which is occasionally fun, but there’s a cheap and clumsy feel to everything – a superhero sequel made in the same vague shape as a dozen others. Nodding and winking its way towards a place in a shared universe throughout the end-credit stings, all eyes are clearly on bigger super-ensembles with even more tones, characters and moving parts to juggle. But if DC looked a bit closer at their rivals over at Marvel they might actually see what they’re missing.

• Director: David F. Sandberg
• Starring: Zachery Levi, Jack Dylan Grazer, Rachel Zegler
• Release date: March 17 (in UK cinemas)
• Related Topics
• DC Extended Universe

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Zachary levi's new comedy movie becomes another post-shazam box office disappointment.

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Zachary Levi's New Movie Is Weirdly Similar To A 22-Year-Old SpongeBob SquarePants Episode

New zachary levi comedy debuts with the star's worst rotten tomatoes score since 2009, 19 years later, obi-wan's most famous line about the sith makes less sense than ever.

• Harold and the Purple Crayon is projected to earn an opening weekend gross of $6 million.
• This total pales in comparison to its $40 million budget.
• The movie joins a recent string of box office disappointments for star Zachary Levi, including Shazam! Fury of the Gods .

Harold and the Purple Crayon , a movie sequel to the children's book of the same name, has become another entry in a string of recent box-office disappointments for star Zachary Levi. Levi had a recent hit when he starred in the 2019 DC superhero movie Shazam! However, he followed that with roles in a string of underperforming movies, including the sequel Shazam! Fury of the Gods , which became the second lowest-grossing movie of the entire interconnected franchise. This has now been capped off by the Harold and the Purple Crayon release .

Per Deadline , as of Saturday morning, Harold and the Purple Crayon is projected to earn a three-day opening weekend of roughly $6 million at the domestic box office. This sees it debut outside the Top 5 entirely, coming in below the grosses of Inside Out 2 weekend 8, Despicable Me 4 weekend 5, the Trap opening weekend, Twisters weekend 3, and Deadpool & Wolverine weekend 2. This gross also pales in comparison to the movie's $40 million budget, which likely gives it a break-even point of $80 million or more.

Can Zachary Levi Pull Out Of His Box Office Slump?

The star's grosses began to slip in 2021.

It remains to be seen if Levi will find himself on a career upswing after Harold and the Purple Crayon .

Although the box office losses of the Harold and the Purple Crayon movie could be considerable, the movie's performance is a reflection of a general trend for Levi in recent years. His overall box office performance began to slip in 2021 during the time that many movies were failing to get a foothold at the global box office as theaters were reopening after worldwide pandemic-related closures. Below, see a breakdown of how his wide-release theatrical movies have fared since 2021:

While it seems possible that Harold and the Purple Crayon will perform better than The Mauritanian , it is set to have a roughly similar domestic opening to American Underdog 's $5.8 million, which could indicate that it is on track to earn less than $30 million worldwide by the end of its run . This could potentially be catastrophic for the new Zachary Levi movie given its budget, especially if it cannot find a foothold on streaming after the end of its theatrical run.

Zachary Levi's new movie, Harold and the Purple Crayon, is a fantasy adventure that is weirdly similar to a popular SpongeBob SquarePants episode.

It remains to be seen if Levi will find himself on a career upswing after Harold and the Purple Crayon . However, his upcoming projects see him moving away from franchise filmmaking after the one-two punch of Shazam! 2 and Harold , as he will next be seen in the 2025 survival thriller Not Without Hope and the family drama The Unbreakable Boy . While neither movie seems like a tentpole blockbuster, they are lower-budget movies that have stronger chances of earning their money back and setting the star's prospects back on track before he moves back into bigger titles.

Source: Deadline

Harold and the Purple Crayon

Harold and the Purple Crayon is a fantasy film based on the book of the same name by Crockett Johnson. Zachary Levi stars as Harold, alongside Lil Rel Howery, Zooey Deschanel, and Jemaine Clement. The film revolves around Levi's character, who can make his drawings come to life with his purple crayon.

“I feel bad for Zachary Levi, he’s not that bad”: Zachary Levi Suffers Another Humiliation at Box Office With His $40 Million Movie That Will Gross Way Less Than Shazam 2

Zachary Levi faces another disappointing box office reception with the latest fantasy comedy film falling short of Shazam 2's performance.

• Hollywood actor Zachary Levi is taking the lead in the $40 million fantasy comedy, Harold and the Purple Crayon.
• The film reportedly made $725K from previews ahead of its official release at the domestic box office on a $40M budget.
• With the film's underperforming performance, it is expected to fall below that of Shazam: The Fury of the Gods.

Hollywood actor Zachary Levi seems to be facing a streak of bad luck at the box office, as fans believe following the lackluster response to his recent film, Harold and the Purple Crayon . The actor, known for starring in films like Chuck and DC’s Shazam , played the lead in the $40 million fantasy comedy.

With the film significantly underperforming in its previews, it is expected to fall below that of the 2023 film Shazam! Fury of the Gods. And fans sympathize with the actor while acknowledging his potential and lamenting success in a recent streak of box office misfortunes.

Zachary Levi’s Box Office Struggles Continue with Harold and the Purple Crayon

Following the lackluster reception to his 2023 superhero film Shazam 2 , Zachary Levi’s latest film, Harold and the Purple Crayon , has received a disappointing critical and commercial reception.

Based on Crockett Johnson’s book, the film follows Harold, who brings his drawings to life with a magical crayon. However, when his crayon’s power is misused, Harold must use his creativity to save both the real and imaginary worlds.

Despite a more positive audience response, the film’s preview earnings have been underwhelming. The film reportedly made $725K from previews ahead of its official release at the domestic box office on a $40M budget. And it is expected to make $6M in its opening weekend, but the outlook appears rather bleak.

The movie is facing the possibility of becoming another flop for Levi, following the disappointing global box office performance of Shazam! Fury of the Gods , which earned $134 million worldwide.

Zachary Levi’s Wild Comment after James Gunn’s Brother Sean Gunn Gets 2nd DCU Role

And it has started a conversation among people, about the potential impact on Levi’s career and whether the film might further damage his stardom.

Fans Share Surprise and Skepticism For Zachary Levi’s Harold and the Purple Crayon

Fans have reacted to Levi’s fantasy comedy with a significant lack of awareness and interest in the film. While some expressed a mix of surprise, confusion, and skepticism regarding the film’s existence, others also showed sympathy for the actor.

“I feel bad for Zachary Levi,” one fan said on X (Twitter) while lamenting the current state of comedy films. They stated that they miss simpler and more traditional comedies of the past, arguing that modern comedy films are majorly R-rated or too fantastical.

However, some also criticized the film’s minimal marketing efforts and voiced disappointment over Levi’s career trajectory. One X(Twitter) user said that despite being “rich enough to survive and be well off” Levi seems to be struggling with the box office performance of his movies.

I feel bad for zachary Levi, he's not that bad. Why they no longer make comedy movies like they used to before. Now it's either R rated or some imaginary shit. I miss the old adam sandler and jason bateman movies. — yeah~Mageek 🇵🇸 (@Multiverse4fans) August 2, 2024

Of all time? What? It’s projecting a 7 million opening off a 40 budget. How do you compare that to, say, John Carter or Jupiter Ascending off the top of my head? Do you know this business? — Jeremy Blum (@PeteDribblesLLC) August 2, 2024

Where was the marketing? I just seen a trailer for this like a few days ago. Talk about a waste of money. — Chris Garcia (@oOCRSOo) August 2, 2024

The marketimg for this sucked cuz I forgot this was even coming out. Visuals are dope tho 🤷🏾‍♂️ — IntroVert King 👑 (@10th_Letta) August 2, 2024

Whose gonna watch a movie with Zachary Levi now lol — 🐺ᴬᴶ (@xLoneWolfAJx) August 2, 2024

It’s a bomb, but no where close to the biggest. That number is just from a day of previews, could have a bigger turnout from families throughout the weekend. But the overall number will definitely be weak. — Tyler G.⚡ (@TAGintheGame) August 2, 2024

The general sentiment ranges from mild curiosity to outright disbelief and mockery, indicating that the film faces an uphill battle in terms of audience reception and box office success.

“Zachary Levi is a liar”: Zachary Levi’s Shazam 2 Co-Star Publicly Called Him Out for Questioning Her Acting Skills

While it boasts a 92% audience score on Rotten Tomatoes compared to a 29% critic score, the fantasy comedy film is not expected to leave a significant mark.

Harold and the Purple Crayon is now playing in theaters.

Shazam! Fury of the Gods is available to stream on Max.

Harold and the Purple Crayon Shazam Zachery Levi

Written by Laxmi Rajput

Laxmi Rajput is a writer at Fandomwire. She finished her Post Graduation in Broadcast Journalism and worked as a Business News writer for a year. But her interest in entertainment and pop culture compelled her to find a way towards Entertainment Journalism. She has worked across various fields and has 2 years of experience in content writing. She likes reading, music, movies, and traveling. She aspires to become a fiction writer in the future.

Copyright © 2024 FandomWire, LLC. All rights reserved.

Shazam! Fury of the Gods

This insanely action-packed Super Hero sequel brings even more excitement, adventure and comedy, along with all-new realms, bigger threats, monsters and mythical creatures to our heroes. Now fully bestowed with the powers of the gods, Billy Batson and his fellow foster kids are still learning how to juggle teenage life with having adult Super Hero alter egos. But when the Daughters of Atlas, a vengeful trio of ancient gods, arrive on Earth in search of the magic stolen from them long ago, Billy—aka Shazam—and his family are thrust into a battle for their superpowers, their lives, and the fate of their world. But can a bunch of teenagers actually save the day? Does Billy even want to…? more

This insanely action-packed Super Hero sequel brings even more ex ... More

Starring: Zachary Levi Asher Angel Jack Grazer

Directors: David Sandberg David F. Sandberg

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This insanely action-packed Super Hero sequel brings even more excitement, adventure and comedy, along with all-new realms, bigger threats, monsters and mythical creatures to our heroes. Now fully bestowed with the powers of the gods, Billy Batson and his fellow foster kids are still learning how to juggle teenage life with having adult Super Hero alter egos. But when the Daughters of Atlas, a vengeful trio of ancient gods, arrive on Earth in search of the magic stolen from them long ago, Billy—aka Shazam—and his family are thrust into a battle for their superpowers, their lives, and the fate of their world. But can a bunch of teenagers actually save the day? Does Billy even want to…?

Starring: Zachary Levi Asher Angel Jack Grazer Rachel Zegler Adam Brody

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How to Watch the DCU Movies in Chronological Order

Get ready for james gunn's new dcu by binging the dceu films.

The DC Extended Universe was set to rival the Marvel Cinematic Universe, but its become pretty clear that its track record didn't end up being as successful. As time went on, the films started becoming more standalone and only contained smaller references to the wider universe and story. This was made even more clear when Joker and The Batman shed off all their DCEU connections and began telling their own stories.

Despite that, there is still a lot to enjoy in the collection of films that began with 2013’s Man of Steel. Fans can obviously watch the films in the order that they were released, but there were a few entries that take place before some of the films that came before them. If you want to watch the DC films in chronological order, this guide was made specifically for you.

If you're interested in catching up on the DCEU movies before the new DCU arrives, we’ve listed all of the films in chronological order and release order below.

• How to watch in chronological order
• How to watch in release order

How Many DCEU Movies Are There?

There are 16 movies in the DCEU if you count both Suicide Squad films. The Batman and Joker are technically standalone films, and upcoming DC comic adaptations will primarily be part of James Gunn's DCU reboot.

DCEU 7-Film Collection

The dceu movies in (chronological) order, 1. wonder woman (2017).

Where to Watch : HBO Max

Despite being the fourth installment of the DCU, 2017’s Wonder Woman takes place earliest in the timeline. This film marks the second appearance of Gal Gadot as Diana Prince/Wonder Woman and follows her introduction in 2016’s Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice.

Primarily a period piece set during the first World War, the film introduces audiences and Diana to US pilot Steve Trevor after he crashes on Themyscira, the hidden island of the Amazons. Soon after, German soldiers invade Themyscira, and certain other events that follow lead Diana and Steve to leave the island and travel to London.

Read our review of Wonder Woman.

2. Wonder Woman 1984 (2020)

As with Wonder Woman, its 2018 sequel is a period piece, this time primarily set in the year 1984. The events of this film bring Wonder Woman to face off against Cheetah (Kristen Wiig) and Maxwell Lord (Pedro Pascal). Wonder Woman 1984 takes place before all other DCU films besides the original, and doesn’t feature too many tie-ins to other characters or movies.

Read our review of Wonder Woman 1984.

3. Man of Steel (2013)

Man of Steel is the movie that kicked off the DCU and introduced the world to Henry Cavill’s Superman. The film begins by showing audiences the destruction of Kal-El’s home planet of Krypton before depicting Earth in roughly the year 2013. Clark Kent grows up and becomes the legendary Superman (spoilers, in case you hadn’t heard by now), and is accompanied by some familiar faces along the way, including Lois Lane (Amy Adams), General Zod (Michael Shannon), Martha Kent (Diane Lane), Jonathan Kent (Kevin Costner), and more.

Read our review of Man of Steel.

4. Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice (2016)

Very loosely based on a pivotal fight in the classic DC comic The Dark Knight Returns, Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice takes place eighteen months after the events of Man of Steel, and tells the story of how Batman (Ben Affleck) reacts to the idea of an alien as powerful as Superman having free reign.

This film marks the first time Batman and Superman have starred in a live-action film together, and it also introduced audiences to modern film versions of Wonder Woman (Gal Gadot), Flash (Ezra Miller), Aquaman (Jason Momoa), Cyborg (Ray Fisher), Lex Luthor (Jesse Eisenberg), Alfred Pennyworth (Jeremy Irons), and more.

DC fans were also treated to a live-action version of the Superman villain Doomsday as well as a tease of DC Comics’ ultimate baddie, Darkseid.

Read our review of Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice.

5. Suicide Squad (2016)

The first of the Suicide Squad films takes place about a year after Batman v Superman and even features a quick cameo by Ben Affleck’s Dark Knight. Unlike the classic superheroes featured in that film, however, Suicide Squad stars a group of imprisoned criminals and supervillains who are recruited by government agent Amanda Waller (Viola Davis) to join what is officially known as Task Force X. The group is tasked with completing a seemingly impossible mission in exchange for a reduction of their prison sentences. However, if they stray from the mission, nanite bombs implanted into their necks will explode.

A divisive film, Suicide Squad nonetheless features an all-star cast. Will Smith stars as Deadshot, Margot Robbie gets her debut performance as Harley Quinn, and certain other recurring characters get their first bit of screen time, including Rick Flag (Joel Kinnaman) and Captain Boomerang (Jai Courtney). Oh, and this is the film that introduced the world to Jared Leto’s take on Joker.

Read our review of Suicide Squad.

6. Justice League (2017)

Justice League takes place about one year after the events of Suicide Squad and stars the returning cast of Batman v Superman. The film deals with the fallout of the death of Superman, and also features Steppenwolf and his parademons as the main villains. J.K. Simmons also makes his first appearance as Commissioner James Gordon.

Mostly shot by Zack Snyder, Justice League was finished by Joss Whedon after Snyder exited the project due to personal tragedy.

Read our review of Justice League.

7. Zack Snyder’s Justice League (2021)

While many thought it would never happen, Zack Snyder’s Justice League finally saw its much-requested release in 2021. It is mostly the same overarching story, meaning it is set in the same place in the timeline. However, there are many differences between the two cuts of the film, including the return of Jared Leto’s Joker, a more prominent role for Darkseid, and the introduction of Martian Manhunter.

Read our review of Zack Snyder's Justice League.

8. Aquaman (2018)

Jason Momoa’s first solo DC film came in the form of 2018’s Aquaman. The film is set about a year after Justice League, but it takes a bit of time to dive deep into Aquaman’s origin story. Alongside the story of Aquaman’s rise to power and his attempt to protect Atlantis, the movie also introduced Mera (Amber Heard), Vulko (Willem Dafoe), King Orm (Patrick Wilson), Atlanna (Nicole Kidman), and classic Aquaman nemesis Black Manta (Yahya Abdul Mateen II).

Read our review of Aquaman.

9. Shazam! (2019)

2019’s Shazam! introduced audiences to orphan Billy Batson (Asher Angel), a teenager who is chosen by an ancient wizard named Shazam to be his new champion. With the powers he’s granted, Batson transforms into an adult superhero also named Shazam (Zachary Levi), and has to face off against obsessive scientist Thaddeus Sivana (Mark Strong), who is intent on claiming Shazam’s power for his own.

Shazam! is mostly a standalone story, and only includes a few references to other DCU characters and moments.

Read our review of Shazam!

10. Birds of Prey (2020)

Birds of Prey (and the Fantabulous Emancipation of One Harley Quinn) is set about four years after the events of Suicide Squad and picks up after the Joker and Harley Quinn (Margot Robbie) break up. As Quinn recovers from the split, she crosses paths with crime lord Roman Sionis (Ewan McGregor) and his unhinged right-hand-man Victor Zsasz (Chris Messina).

As she struggles against Sionis and attempts to save a young pickpocket named Cassandra Cain (Ella Jay Basco), Quinn is joined by disgraced cop Renee Montoya (Rosie Perez), the vigilante known as the Huntress (Mary Elizabeth Winstead), and Dinah Lance, also known as the Black Canary (Jurnee Smollett).

Despite being a loose sequel to Suicide Squad, Birds of Prey is another example of a DCU film that is mostly disconnected from other films in the franchise, but this is where it would fit into the timeline.

Read our review of Birds of Prey.

11. Shazam! Fury of the Gods (2023)

Shazam! Fury of the Gods has arrived in theaters, but where exactly does it fit in the DCEU timeline? We know that the first Shazam film takes place around late 2018 and it has been confirmed that Shazam 2 takes place 2 years later . That would mean the movie takes place sometime between late 2020 and early 2021.

It is unclear if Zachary Levi's child-like super hero will continue on in the DCU, but it's possible that James Gunn will decide to keep him. In the meantime, check out our guide on where to watch Shazam 2 .

Read our Shazam 2 review .

12. The Suicide Squad (2021)

Also a sequel to Suicide Squad, The Suicide Squad was directed by James Gunn (Guardians of the Galaxy), and is a new take on Task Force X. While it does include some returning characters, such as Harley Quinn, Amanda Waller, Rick Flag, and Captain Boomerang, the story is centered largely around the mercenary Bloodsport (Idris Elba) and fellow teammate Peacemaker (John Cena).

As has been the trend in these later films, The Suicide Squad is very much separate from the DCU’s main story that was being built up in the earlier years, but there are a few nods to the wider world, including of all things a giant, mind-controlling starfish from space named Starro the Conqueror, who was once the first villain the orignal comic book Justice League ever fought!

A huge success, The Suicide Squad is the first film in the franchise to spawn a streaming show in the MCU style, an offbeat miniseries featuring the return of Peacemaker.

Read our review of The Suicide Squad.

13. Black Adam (2022)

Black Adam was meant to usher in a new era of DCU movies, but with many lackluster reviews it didn't end up getting too far. Now that James Gunn has taken over direction of the universe, Dwayne Johnsons isn't likely to be one we'll see again.

As for the timeline of this movie, Black Adam is set after the events of Justice League and The Suicide Squad. This can be seen from the comic books, merchandise, and references from other movies. There's also the Black Adam post credits scene that features Superman alive that gives away it's placement on the timeline.

Read our Black Adam review .

14. The Flash (2023)

The Flash , timeline-wise, is set sometime after the events of Justice League (2017), but it also jumps around in time. Centering on Barry Allen (Ezra Miller), the film follows Barry as uses his newfound super powers of speed to go back in time and change a devastating moment from his past. But changing the past has consequences, and Barry will have to find a way to set things (and time) right.

Read our The Flash review .

15. Blue Beetle (2023)

Blue Beetle is a very standalone tale that can be watched at most any point in this timeline. It's also an interesting film as Xolo Maridueña's Blue Beetle will be part of the DCU despite this movie being part of the old DCEU. EIther way, Blue Beetle is an entertaining tale of Jamie Reyes fusing with an alien device called a Scarab and getting superpowers. This causes problems with those who wish to use these power for themselves, and Jamie needs to rise up become the Blue Beetle to save everything he loves.

Read our Blue Beetle review.

16. Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom (2023)

Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom has the distinct honor of closing out the DCEU. Unfortunately, it wasn't the grand ending everyone was hoping for. However, there are parts to enjoy and this film can be safely watched at the end, as it was meant to be, as it picks up after the events of the original film and follows Arthur Curry's reign as the King of Atlantis. He still has Black Manta to worry about, especially now that he has an ancient black trident of great power, and he has to free his brother Orm from prison to save everything.

Read our Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom review.

Bonus: Joker (2019)

2019’s Joker is a wildly successful film that earned over a billion dollars at the box office despite being entirely entirely unconnected to the DCEU. While Jared Leto’s Joker starred in 2016’s Suicide Squad, his behind-the-camera antics led to his eventual replacement. Director Todd Phillips cast Joaquin Phoenix in a new take on Batman’s most famous villain. Additionally, its separation from the DCEU means you don’t need to watch any of the other DCEU films to understand Joker’s story.

Read our Joker review.

Bonus: The Batman (2022)

Originally intended as a DCEU vehicle for Ben Affleck to produce, co-write, direct, and star in a feature film based on his version of the character, The Batman was eventually reworked into a standalone film by Matt Reeves after Affleck left the project.

The Batman takes place during Bruce Wayne’s (Robert Pattinson) second year as the Dark Knight, as he attempts to solve the mystery of multiple murders in Gotham being committed by The Riddler (Paul Dano). As a new take on the franchise, the movie also introduces new versions of Catwoman (Zoe Kravitz), Commissioner Gordon (Jeffrey Wright), and Alfred Pennyworth (Andy Serkis), as well as classic Batman villain Penguin (Colin Farrell) and mob boss Carmine Falcone (John Turturro).

Read our The Batman review.

All DCEU Movies in Release Order

• Man of Steel (2013)
• Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice (2016)
• Suicide Squad (2016)
• Wonder Woman (2017)
• Justice League (2017)
• Aquaman (2018)
• Shazam! (2019)
• Birds of Prey (2020)
• Wonder Woman 1984 (2020)
• Zack Snyder’s Justice League (2021)
• The Suicide Squad (2021)
• Black Adam (2022)
• Shazam! Fury of the Gods (2023)
• The Flash (2023)
• Blue Beetle (2023)
• Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom (2023)

Upcoming DC Universe Movies

Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom marked the end of the DCEU timeline, so upcoming movies are instead considered part of the "rebooted" DCU from James Gunn's DC Studios. While the first "Gods and Monsters" chapter of the DCU actually kicks off this December with the TV series Creature Commandos , perhaps the most anticipated part of this reboot is James Gunn's Superman movie (which just wrapped filming ). Outside of Gunn's DCU, we'll also get to see follow-ups to Todd Phillips' Joker and Matt Reeves' The Batman.

Upcoming DCU Reboot Movies:

• Superman - July 11, 2025
• The Authority - In Development
• Batman: The Brave and the Bold - In Development
• Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow - June 26, 2026

Other Upcoming DC Movies:

• Joker: Folie à Deux - October 4, 2024
• The Batman Part II - Oct. 2, 2026

For those interested in knowing what DCU movies are coming out next , we've got you covered. You can also read our guide to what DC comics will help you prepare for the big reboot.

Adam Bankhurst is a news writer for IGN. You can follow him on Twitter @AdamBankhurst and on Twitch.

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