Zachary Levi, once the darling of DC fans for his portrayal of the heroic Shazam, has recently stirred up a storm after ing some real-life villains.

To get straight to the point, Levi has ed the “Reclaim America” tour. As the name betrays, the tour refurbishes Donald Trump’s “Make America Great Again” motto to try to conquer hearts and minds in favor of the Orange Man, who has been struggling on election pools since his disastrous debate performance. While everyone is entitled to their political opinion, the “Reclaim America” tour features controversial people such as Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and Tulsi Gabbard, who are guilty of spreading conspiracy theories and misinformation.

First up, we have the anti-vaccine stance. RFK Jr., one of the tour’s headliners, has been a vocal critic of vaccines, claiming they cause autism – a theory that’s been debunked more times than there are stars in the sky. Then there’s skepticism about climate change because science is just a suggestion for some MAGA fanatics. The tour also pushes for “election integrity,” which is code for questioning the legitimacy of the 2020 election results. In short, they are trying to rewrite history with the speed of Mercury and the stamina of Atlas. Sadly, they forgot to use the wisdom of Solomon.

To make matters worse, Levi is actively using the Shazam role to promote his ideals, which should not only get him in the crosshairs of DC Studios’ legal team but also make it harder for fans to rewatch the Shazam! movies.

Zachary Levi is trying to co-opt his DC persona in favor of Donald Trump

During his speech at the event, Levi didn’t just dip his toes into the political waters; he dove headfirst. Standing on stage, he boldly declared his for Donald Trump, leaving many to wonder if some sort of reality-altering supervillain had zapped him. “We’re here to make sure that we are going to take back this country,” Levi proclaimed, sounding more like a politician than the charming superhero fans have come to know and love. 

But Levi didn’t stop there. He went full DC on us, referring to himself as “Shazam” during his speech. It’s as if he thought shouting his character’s name would magically make his political arguments more convincing. Spoiler alert: It didn’t.

The actor’s endorsement extended beyond Trump, whom he cautiously introduces as the best of two not-so-great options. Levi expressed for RFK Jr. and Gabbard and everything they mean. “I stand with Bobby, and I stand with Tulsi, and I stand with everyone else who is standing with President Trump,” Levi declared, apparently forgetting that superheroes are supposed to stand for truth, a word lacking in the MAGA dictionary.

This isn’t Levi’s first time ruffled feathers with his political views. He’s previously tweeted agreement with anti-Pfizer sentiment, praised Jordan Peterson on Joe Rogan’s podcast, and made eyebrow-raising statements about white men leading conversations on racism and sexism.

At least his Trump-ing statements have become less cryptic and have changed drastically as the years . Now, no one can say they are confused about the uniform. Levi is no hero.

Well, it was fun (some of the time, at least) while it lasted, but the DC Extended Universe has officially come to an end.

With the release of Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom on Dec. 22, 2023, the DCEU is defunct. Originally created as a rival to the MCU, the DCEU was launched with 2013’s Man of Steel, shortly followed by a Marvel-like phase full of projects planned for the next decade. As it happened various corporate upheavals and box office misfires ensured the franchise’s final line-up looked very different from what was first announced. All in all, however, the DCEU released 15 theatrically released films and one famous streaming-exclusive director’s cut.

The DCEU’s day is over now, though, due to James Gunn coming in to create a new shared universe — simply titled the DC Universe — from the ground-up, starting with 2024’s Creature Commandos animated series. It’s not as unwieldy as the MCU’s 30+ movies, then, but there’s still some confusion over the best way to watch the DCEU from start to finish.

Wonder (woman) no more, however, as here’s your guide on how to view the DC Extended Universe in chronological order.

What order do I watch DC movies in?

Wonder Woman (2017)

The first film on the DCEU timeline is 2017’s Wonder Woman. A prequel origins story for the Princess of the Amazons, following her role in Batman v Superman, Wonder Woman introduces Diana as she fights alongside Chris Pine’s Steve Trevor in the War to End All Wars. Most of the film takes place in 1918, aside from a handful of scenes set in the present day. This is the perfect starting point for your DC movie marathon.

Wonder Woman 1984 (2020)

Some scenes in this 2020 sequel take place prior to the events of the first Wonder Woman, but for the most part, Wonder Woman 1984 is set — you’ll never guess! — in 1984. Living among mortals in the 1980s, Diana is living a double life as an art historian at the Louvre and helping save the day in a (mostly) incognito fashion, which just about adds up with her being an unknown figure in the DCEU’s present-day.

Man of Steel (2013)

Man of Steel was the movie that kickstarted the DCEU and gave us Henry Cavill’s cult favorite incarnation of the Man of Tomorrow. The film showcases Superman’s origin story, including the destruction of Krypton, growing up as Clark Kent on Earth, and facing the fearsome General Zod. Man of Steel introduces key characters, components. and ideas that went on to shape the trajectory of the DCEU.

Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice (2016)

Batman v Superman introduces the character of Bruce Wayne/Batman (Ben Affleck) into the DCEU. The movie initially positions itself as an action epic pitting the billionaire vigilante against the Last Son of Krypton, but it quickly becomes apparent that they will have to team up to deal with the dual threat of Lex Luther and Doomsday. This film acts as an all-important bridge for the DCEU as Superman, Wonder Woman, and Batman unite in live-action for the first time.

Suicide Squad (2016)

While the film takes place inside the DCEU and references the events of Batman v Superman, Suicide Squad’s narrative is mostly disconnected from the other films. The main cast of the movie consists of villains making their big-screen debuts — excluding the Joker, of course — including Harley Quinn (Margot Robbie), Deadshot (Will Smith), and plenty more of Task Force X — a black-ops team made out of expendable supercriminals — from the comics.

Justice League (2017)

The theatrical cut of Justice League was the first film to assemble DC’s premier group of heroes. The DCEU’s incarnation of the team consists of Batman, Superman, Wonder Woman, The Flash (Ezra Miller), Cyborg (Ray Fisher), and Aquaman (Jason Momoa). During the film, the League is forced to deal with the threat of Steppenwolf and the hordes of foes sent by Darkseid in his conquest to assemble the apocalyptic Mother Boxes.

Zack Snyder’s Justice League (2021)

After the fierce backlash to Justice League’s theatrical cut, Zack Snyder was invited back to complete his original vision for the film. The resulting Snyder Cut is a four-hour spectacle that adds new scenes explaining the reasoning for major choices in the film as well as adding whole new plot points and characters to jazz up the action. Although fans would prefer this one to be canon, filmmakers have confirmed WB considers 2017’s Justice League to be in continuity, so feel free to watch this one as an optional extra.

Aquaman (2018)

After his introduction in Justice League, fans got their first standalone take on Aquaman in 2018. In this movie, we pick up months after the events of (the theatrical) Justice League and see Arthur Curry return to Atlantis to deal with a threat of his power-hungry brother, Prince Orm, and the revenge-fueled Black Manta. The film also has some flashbacks which give viewers a glimpse into the origin story of the Atlantean hero.

Shazam! (2018)

For the past couple of decades, DC has been notorious for the dark and serious tone of its movies, but Shazam! completely threw that formula away and was well-received by fans and critics alike. This film takes place after the events of Justice League, but doesn’t rely on the previously established lore to build its characters. The standalone spectacular is simply an introduction and origin story to the hero of Shazam and his family (or *sigh* Shazamily).

Birds of Prey (and the Fantabulous… Whatever) (2020)

Birds of Prey (full subtitle: (and the Fantabulous Emancipation of One Harley Quinn) takes place around the same time as Shazam!, following the formation of the Justice League. The film follows on most directly from Suicide Squad, picking up with Harley Quinn as the lead, putting together her own team of anti-heroes to take on the crime boss Black Mask. The mish-mash group has a lot of chemistry, and there are a lot of stylish choices from directory Cathy Yan, making this a fun addition to the DCEU.

Shazam! Fury of the Gods (2023)

Due to the interconnectivity drying up (more on that in a moment), it’s difficult to pinpoint exactly where the latter-day releases fall in the timeline. However, thanks to the importance of the ages of the Shazamily, we know exactly where Shazam! Fury of the Gods falls. Billy Batson and his foster siblings are known to be two years older than in Shazam!, which means the sequel must take place in 2020. Just a sunny, happy alternate 2020 where no one’s heard of COVID.

The Suicide Squad (2021)

According to James Gunn, who made his retroactively significant DC debut with this one, The Suicide Squad takes place in 2021. Righting the wrongs of David Ayers’ first outing for the anti-hero team, The Suicide Squad introduces a massive cast of new characters and brings some familiar faces back into the fold to do what the Suicide Squad does: save the world and die along the way.

Peacemaker (season 1)

No, Peacemaker is not a movie, but as the only TV series set within the continuity of the DCEU it is a much-watch. Apart from following up on characters introduced in The Suicide Squad, including Jennifer Holland’s Emilia Harcourt (who went on to cameo in both Black Adam and Shazam! Fury of the Gods as well), it also features a memorable — and hilarious — appearance from the Justice League themselves.

Black Adam (2022)

By this point in the DCEU, WB was only interested in making standalone films rather than movies that are just one piece of the puzzle, a la Marvel, so even though Black Adam is ostensibly a Shazam! spinoff it’s mostly self-contained. It’s notable for introducing the Justice Society of America into the canon, establishing that superheroes have been around since long before Superman and the Justice League.

The Flash (2023)

The Flash is a tricky one to map out in the canon because it’s mostly set in an alternate universe in 2013, the Flashpoint timeline, in which a different version of the events of Man of Steel take place. However, if we use Barry Allen as the barometer then, as he comes from the present-day and is a veteran member of the Justice League at this point, it’s probably best to stick it on at this point in the watch-through.

Blue Beetle (2023)

In many ways, Blue Beetle is a taste of the DCU to come as James Gunn has confirmed Xolo Maridueña’s Jaime Reyes is the first DCU character. However, slightly confusingly, the film itself is counted as DCEU not DCU. At one point, we thought this might’ve meant Blue Beetle took place before some big DCU-birthing universal reset in The Flash, but now that doesn’t seem to be the case, so the film occupies the penultimate position in both the release and chronological watch orders.

Aquaman and the Lost Kindom (2023)

An inebriated Arthur Curry featured in The Flash‘s post-credits scene, so presumably we can infer that the events of The Lost Kingdom occur soon after that. Clearly, many years have ed since the events of 2018’s Aquaman, as the King of Atlantis is now a husband to Amber Heard’s Mera and a father to Arthur Junior, meaning we can probably say that it matches the real-life gap between the two films. It’s unintentionally fitting that the DCU ends with a movie introducing the next generation of the Justice League, just as we’re about to get a fresh roster of heroes in the DCU.

It’s an all-too-familiar scenario: you find yourself out in public when you hear an amazing song playing over the speakers, but you have no way to identify what’s playing. Before smartphones, your only option was to ask someone and hope they knew the title, or risk never adding the song to your playlist. Fortunately in our modern age, there are plenty of apps on both iOS and Android that will help you figure out which unidentified bop is playing near you.

Most music recognition apps work the same way: you allow the app access to your microphone, and record a small section of the song. The app then consults a large database of songs and compares your snippet against this collection of music. Finally, the app reports back with its findings and tells you what song you’re listening to.

There are enough music recognition apps on the market that it can be hard to choose the best for your needs. Here’s our favorite as well as some solid backup apps for the next time you find yourself wondering what song is playing at that restaurant/cafe/club or wherever you might be.

Our favorite music recognition app

Our favorite is also the most popular of these apps, Shazam. Shazam has a simple, -friendly interface: upon opening the app, just press down on the circular logo in the middle of your screen, allow access to your microphone, and the app will record a short snippet of the song playing. Then, just like magic, Shazam will identify the song and artist for you.

The app will helpfully tell you what the last song you Shazammed was right when you open it, and you can also access a section titled “My Music,” where you can sort your Shazams by most recent, or by artist. You can also use Shazam without recording anything; there’s a Search function which allows you to search for songs by lyrics, artist, or title.

When Shazam successfully identifies a song, it will give you information like how many times that song or artist has been Shazammed, as well as the album the song is from, the music video if applicable, other recommended songs, and the option to open it on your Apple Music or Spotify. The more you use the app, you’ll receive a “Playlists For You” section, in which Shazam will recommend music based on what you search for.

Shazam also has an “Auto Shazam” feature which listens to music and identifies even it when you’re not actively using the app. If you’re not connected to the internet/data, don’t fret: Shazam will save audio it records and search for a match when you come back online.

The app isn’t perfect — it can’t pick up music if there’s a lot of background noise, for example — but it’s the best available. Shazam is available for both Android and iOS s and is owned by Apple, making it a particularly good option for iOS s with its integrated features like a Siri shortcut.

What are some music recognition apps besides Shazam?

While Shazam is the best option, in our opinion, it’s not the only one. Some other music identification apps might be better suited to your particular needs. Here’s a list of some of the best alternatives as well as some of their defining features:

• SoundHound: SoundHound has a interface similar to Shazam, but has an option to use voice control; just say “Hey SoundHound” and you can command the app to search for songs. You can also discover music by genre, and play song samples through SoundHound’s in-app music player. As far as we know, this is also the only app to humming or singing a song as a way to identify music. SoundHound is available on both iOS and Android for free with ads, which you can remove for a fee.
• Song Finder: Song Finder looks similar to both Shazam and SoundHound, and features YouTube integration along with Spotify and Apple Music. Along with the standard features found in other music identification apps, Song Finder is unique in that it has a music translation feature (handy if you enjoy listening to music not in your native tongue). The app can also identify the genre of a song, and has an option to explore what’s popular in different countries. Song Finder is available for free exclusively on iOS.
• Musixmatch: Much in the way Shazam is partnered with Apple, Musixmatch is d with Spotify, which enables it to provide song lyrics. While you can identify music by audio, Musixmatch is primarily focused on lyrics. You can explore new releases as well as what’s popular, and contribute to any lyrics missing in a song. When a song is identified and you press play, the song’s lyrics will immediately appear. You can Musixmatch for free on both iOS and Android as well as purchase a subscription for $3 per month, which allows you to save song lyrics for offline usage and enables lyric syncing.

Next time you find yourself in a situation where you need to know what song is playing, you’ll have the app you need to identify any tune.

New, never-before-seen footage from Shazam! Fury of the Gods has captured the moment that one of the film’s heroes loses her powers. First obtained by Comic Book Resources, the deleted scene was one of multiple to be included in the DC film’s home media release. The clip sees Grace Caroline Currey’s character of Mary Marvel involved in a sky-bound chase with Lucy Liu‘s Kalypso. 

After boarding the dragon Ladon, Kalypso follows Marvel into the clouds, where she’s eventually struck by an invisible force and blasted by Kalypso’s staff. Marvel then reverts back to her non-superhero alter ego, before plummeting back to earth. The clip is noticeably free of the visual effects given to scenes used in the theatrical cut of the movie, which suggests that Fury of the Gods director David F. Sandberg scrapped it early-on in the production process. Watch the full deleted scene below.

The aerial showdown between Marvel and Kalypso is one of multiple deleted scenes to surface since the release of Fury of the Gods in March. Elsewhere, fans have seen an extended cut of an interaction between characters Billy Batson (Asher Angel) and Freddy Freeman (Jack Dylan Grazer), which included a callback reference to fellow DC film, Justice League.

Inversely, fans have also declared that they saw a scene in the final theatrical cut of Fury of the Gods that Sandberg insists never appeared. Audiences believed they had watched the titular hero in a throne scene alongside various versions of other Shazam,, to which Sandberg responded that “it has never been in the movie.”

“Sorry but that version of the movie doesn’t exist,” the director explained. “I’m sure it’s weird but memories just can’t be trusted.” In any case, the influx of deleted scenes might prove too little, too late for Fury of the Gods, which recently lost to the equally reviled Morbius in of box office success. Add in an onslaught of negative reviews and you’ve got a DC film fans would prefer to forget.    

It seems like a lot of the Shazam! Fury of the Gods cast will need to start looking for new work after the sequel flopped big time; although Jack Dylan Grazer, who plays Freddy Freeman, may have already found his next gig in the form of a classic DreamWorks remake.

Allegedly, the actor is in talks to play the lead role in the live action adaptation of DreamWorks’ How to Train Your Dragon. We can sort of see it; if you squint, you can imagine him as Hiccup. 

However, fans of the animated trilogy aren’t as excited by the news, and they haven’t exactly accepted the casting choice with open arms. It’s nothing personal, there are just better options for the role. At least that’s what a lot of the community have been saying on Twitter as put forward fan-castings they believe would work better.

I can see it, but Sean Giambrone is literally right there.

— H. A. Rennings (@walllcrush98) April 25, 2023

i have a better idea pic.twitter.com/NebiYX5pYq

— Arthur | jack wolfe protector nr1 (@reallifewylan) April 25, 2023

It should actually be me

— Yumi (@YumiMain) April 25, 2023

It seems like everyone has their own casting ideas for Hiccup; even we came up with our own list. But unfortunately, Dreamworks won’t be able to please everybody.

Other fans were more angry at the fact that a live-action adaptation was even in the works. 

i don’t like that this movie is happening but this would be great casting

— jake (@jvkecinnema) April 25, 2023

The films are pretty much perfect after all, but it’s been shown to be massively profitable (thanks Disney), so we’ll probably be seeing more live-action adaptations from multiple studios in the coming years. All we’re saying is don’t be surprised when Illumination announces a live-action Despicable Me.

Nothing’s been confirmed yet, so HTTYD fans will likely be waiting with baited breath to see who will be announced as our live-action Hiccup. Whomever it is, the only guarantee is that fans will be upset.

Warning: This article contains spoilers for Shazam: Fury of the Gods.

In our world of endless comic book franchises, post-credit scenes have taken on something of an oversized role in their importance to the fandom. Previously, there have been plenty of great ones too, being both a fun way to end films while also revealing lots of important information for fans patient enough to wait right up until the theater lights come on.

Now, there are many fans who are taking this line of thought when it comes to the recent easter eggs that appear at the very end of Shazam! Fury of the Gods. The Zachary Levi film isn’t exactly tearing it up when it comes to box office numbers, and its critical reception isn’t faring much better, which is unsurprising given the controversy around its star and the slow, sad death of this version of the DCEU. As a result, fans of the character have been latching onto anything that shows it might have a shot at continuing in James Gunn’s new reboot, most notably in Peacemaker — even if their wishes are bordering on delusional, as shown by this post to the DC_Cinematic subreddit.

There are two post-credit scenes in Shazam! Fury of the Gods, both of which might give hope to s who’ve posted things like the above. The second, and less confusing of the two, sees the villain from the first movie (Dr Sivana, portrayed wonderfully by Mark Strong) still imprisoned as a result of his actions in the 2019 film, now complete with the sort of bushy facial hair that incarceration gives you the time to cultivate. He’s seen talking to Mister Mind, who made him a promise that they would “rule the seven realms,” so real villain stuff, and an intriguing teaser. Of course, after two years of captivity, Siviana is incredibly annoyed he hasn’t been freed, which Mister Mind apologises for, before claiming he’s still working on getting him out. Mister Mind then slowly moves out of the shot, telling Siviana that he just needs to do “one more thing” before he can finally free the doctor from his imprisonment. Siviana, ever the optimist, ends the scene with a pretty reasonable shout of “goddamit!”

This, of course, is effectively setting up the third Shazam movie, which is highly unlikely to appear any time soon. Gunn has announced his projects for the newest phase of the DC universe, subtitled Gods and Monsters, and the boy who can turn into an adult wizard is not involved at all, having been cut alongside many other favorites. This scene would have been shot before Gunn was announced as the new head of the DCU, and perhaps if the second Shazam film was raking in the cash, he might have been convinced to make a third. As it is, Gunn seems focused on his vision as opposed to dragging old DCEU content into his new phase – something commenters on the Reddit post were keen to point out.

The other post-credits scene is definitely worthy of a little more discussion, though — especially as it involves some famous characters that we know Gunn has used heavily in his other work in the franchise. In this snapshot, Shazam runs into Emilia Harcourt (Jennifer Holland) and her assistant John Economos (Steve Agee), both of whom have worked with ARGUS. The two agents have both appeared in much of Gunn’s previous work in the DCU, with roles in Suicide Squad and Peacemaker. At the behest of Amanda Waller (Viola Davis), the pair ask Shazam if he’d like to the Justice Society, to which the wizard enthusiastically agrees. However, in a bit of comic relief, Shazam then realizes that he has ed the Justice Society, not Justice League, as he wished. A suitably down moment for the end of a movie that’s been a bit of a flop.

The reason these cameos are so interesting is because they now connect the Shazam universe to the Suicide Squad, Peacemaker, and Black Adam worlds, at least two of which Gunn appears keen to further explore. Add in the fact that Waller has been confirmed to be a part of the new DCU, and it’s hard not to see a link between the old universe and Gunn’s new reboot, which is something most people thought wouldn’t happen. Also, let’s not forget that Peacemaker has had cameos from Jason Momoa’s Aquaman and Ezra Miller’s Flash (although, much like Levi, Miller isn’t exactly in best shape at the moment, although there have been noises Gunn is seeking to keep him in the role of the Flash), as well as the heavy implication that Superman and Wonder Woman were part of the Peacemaker universe thanks to their shadows appearing. Then there’s Gal Gadot’s Wonder Woman appearing in the second Shazam film, completing the slightly confusing soup of potential cameos and crossovers between the old DCU phase and Gunn’s newer one.

The thing is, Gunn would have surely had some say in these post-credit scenes, purely because of the way they implicate his universe. And it’s not like there wasn’t time for him to change them. Plus, David Safran, who’s working with Gunn on the newest DCU phase, produced both of the Shazam films. So, the idea that there will be links between old and new suddenly doesn’t seem so farfetched. Maybe that Reddit wasn’t just an optimist, but on to something.

With that all said, most fans have resigned themselves to the fact that Shazam is dead in the water for now. Even these scenes have been the subjects of many jokes online, especially in the usually savage battleground of comic book Twitter.

So, if you’re one of those people who is hoping the Shazam! Fury of the Gods post-credits scene is a sign of things to come, you might be waiting for a long time. However, given the hype around Gunn’s reboot, and the fact so much is still up in the air, we might be seeing Levi return in some capacity in the coming years, possibly with John Cena in the highly rated series. The only way to find out is to watch.

Zachary Levi may be known to many as the superhero Shazam! in the DCU, but did you know that he was close to playing another DC character?

During his appearance in Chicago’s C2E2, Levi revealed that he once auditioned to play Lex Luthor in the Smallville. It’s not just Luthor that he auditioned for, either. According to The Direct, it was also revealed that he also tried to audition for Superman, but the show’s producers told him to consider playing the villain.

“When it came to Smallville… I originally auditioned for Superman… Didn’t get it. Wasn’t meant to me, wasn’t meant to be. But at the audition for Superman, they go, ‘Hey listen, you did a great job. But we actually think you’re more Lex Luthor. Would you mind taking a look at these sides">Rosenbaum also has eyes for the role, but it’s now up to James Gunn if he wants to fix the mistakes of the past and give his buddy the role he truly deserves.

]]> https://wegotthiscovered.sitesunblocked.org/tv/zachary-levis-superman-audition-led-to-him-reading-for-lex-luthor/feed/ 0 1463844 https://wegotthiscovered.sitesunblocked.org/movies/zachary-levi-loses-again-as-marvel-fans-declare-the-mcus-shortest-lived-superhero-superior-to-shazam/ https://wegotthiscovered.sitesunblocked.org/movies/zachary-levi-loses-again-as-marvel-fans-declare-the-mcus-shortest-lived-superhero-superior-to-shazam/#respond Mon, 03 Apr 2023 11:22:44 +0000 https://wegotthiscovered.sitesunblocked.org/?p=1463197 Five minutes of screen time beats 'Fury of the Gods,' apparently. ]]>

Forget Shazam! Fury of the Gods, the cast and crew of Shazam! have faced the fury of the fans since the DC sequel released last month to both underwhelming reviews and poor box office. Not only has director David F. Sandberg had to field endless hate from trolls, but the titular superhero team-leader himself Zachary Levi has taken it upon himself to (unsuccessfully, it has to be said) turn the tide against the movie single-handed thanks to a stream of suspect social media posts.

Unfortunately, Levi’s facing another loss from the superhero crowd as Twitter appears to be unanimously declaring the MCU’s shortest-lived hero better than Shazam. @conquerorcomics went viral for sharing their love of Anson Mount’s performance as Black Bolt in 2022’s Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness. The Star Trek; Strange New Worlds icon made quite the impression on viewers despite not uttering a line of dialogue and swiftly being killed off by Scarlet Witch.

“Anson Mount’s performance in this single shot alone was better than anything Zachary Levi ever did as Shazam,” went their claim. A cruel comparison? Shazam loyalists might say so, but the almost-two thousands likes the tweet has accrued suggests t’s one many agree with.

https://twitter.com/conquercomics/status/1642665492086390784

Comparing Shazam and Black Bolt might seem rather random, but actually the pair make an interesting case study as the characters have had the exact opposite arcs in of public opinion. 2019’s Shazam! was universally praised, only for Fury of the Gods to retroactively make it one of DC’s least popular franchises, Mount’s Blackagar Boltagan was initially nothing more than the lead of ABC’s infamously awful Inhumans TV series, but his Doctor Strange 2 opened him up to a whole new audience of fans. Now folks would love to see him return to his role a third time.

Levi’s future in the rebooted DCU, meanwhile, remains to be seen, although perhaps the star’s friendship with bosses James Gunn and Peter Safran might help his chances.

]]> https://wegotthiscovered.sitesunblocked.org/movies/zachary-levi-loses-again-as-marvel-fans-declare-the-mcus-shortest-lived-superhero-superior-to-shazam/feed/ 0 1463197 https://wegotthiscovered.sitesunblocked.org/movies/all-it-takes-is-a-disastrous-sequel-for-everyone-to-turn-on-one-of-dcs-best-reviewed-movies-ever/ https://wegotthiscovered.sitesunblocked.org/movies/all-it-takes-is-a-disastrous-sequel-for-everyone-to-turn-on-one-of-dcs-best-reviewed-movies-ever/#respond Mon, 03 Apr 2023 10:14:12 +0000 https://wegotthiscovered.sitesunblocked.org/?p=1463170 Was it really as good as we ?]]>

When Shazam! hit theaters back in 2019, it provided a sigh of relief for DC and its fans. As it turns out, DC can make good movies, so it was safe to say Shazam! was DC’s golden child, at least for a little bit, but now the film seems to have lost the good will of fans after a disappointing sequel.

It doesn’t take much for fans to turn against a good film as demonstrated by the recent negative attention given to the first Shazam! movie. The second movie was decidedly weak, but now the first one is also a bad movie by association. One fan took to the DC Cinematic subreddit to ask why the film is getting so much hate as of late.

Why does it kind of feel like public opinion turned on this movie overnight?
by inDC_Cinematic

The movie has an impressive score on Rotten Tomatoes with critics’ reviews aggregating at 90%, making it one of the highest-rated DC films of all time. Shazam!: Fury of the Gods, on the other hand, sits at a ‘rotten’ 51%. Could it be that the lackluster sequel has caused fans to go back and re-evaluate a movie they previously enjoyed? Other Redditors replied with theories as to why public opinion on the movie has changed so drastically and they have some pretty good explanations.

Comment
by u/ProjectDarkInfinity from discussion Why does it kind of feel like public opinion turned on this movie overnight?
in DC_Cinematic

The simplest explanation is that the film just got lucky with when it came out. After all, there wasn’t really much to compete with in the DC roster, it looks like the film got a lot more praise simply for not sucking than it did for actually being a good movie. Since DC are starting to get themselves together, with James Gunn taking the reigns and cutting the whole universe down to the bare bones, the standards have been raised and therefore fans have become more critical.

Other fans blamed people for hopping on the bandwagon to hate just because it’s not cool to like the film anymore, pointing to other examples like Thor: Love and Thunder and Thor: Ragnarok, that prove no matter how good a film is, a bad sequel can really sour the experience.

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by u/5213 from discussion Why does it kind of feel like public opinion turned on this movie overnight?
in DC_Cinematic

Comment
by u/YoloIsNotDead from discussion Why does it kind of feel like public opinion turned on this movie overnight?
in DC_Cinematic

It seems that Shazam! was a little too highly praised back in 2019, and now that the sequel has reminded fans that it exists, they have gone back only to be disappointed by a film that’s good, but not exactly the flawless masterpiece many ed it as in 2019. The disproportionate amount of hate it’s currently getting only seems to be rebalancing the scales for a film that just got off a little too easy when it was released.

]]> https://wegotthiscovered.sitesunblocked.org/movies/all-it-takes-is-a-disastrous-sequel-for-everyone-to-turn-on-one-of-dcs-best-reviewed-movies-ever/feed/ 0 1463170 https://wegotthiscovered.sitesunblocked.org/movies/jason-momoa-needs-to-look-at-zachary-levi-if-he-thinks-having-friends-in-high-places-will-protect-him-from-dc-oblivion/ https://wegotthiscovered.sitesunblocked.org/movies/jason-momoa-needs-to-look-at-zachary-levi-if-he-thinks-having-friends-in-high-places-will-protect-him-from-dc-oblivion/#respond Tue, 28 Mar 2023 18:27:16 +0000 https://wegotthiscovered.sitesunblocked.org/?p=1459225 The real power is the friends they made along the way... or is it?]]>

There are a lot of superpowers that save the day in the DC universe, but two stars of Marvel’s chief rival for comic book cinema domination seem to believe that the most important is the power of friendship. Or, at least, the power of having friendships with those in power. Aquaman himself Jason Momoa has finally broken his silence on the potential for the King of Atlantis to swim into James Gunn’s rebooted DCU, and it’s sounding suspiciously similar to Zachary Levi‘s responses about Shazam.

“Peter [Safran]’s my producer [on Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom], and is a dear friend,” is what Momoa told Total Film (via GamesRadar) when asked about what’s next for Arthur Curry once the James Wan-directed sequel arrives this Christmas season and the reboot button is hit on the shared franchise. “I absolutely think Aquaman will be involved in the DCU. It’s on, bro – there’s no one bigger than Aquaman!”

It seems Safran has a habit of forming close bonds with his stars as the producer is also good buddies with Levi, thanks to his work on the two Shazam films. It’s no surprise that the Fury of the Gods actor has previously likewise used his friendship with Safran as Exhibit A for why he’s hopeful he’ll return in the DCU, which is of course helmed by both Gunn and Safran. As Levi memorably once joked, “if they don’t have a plan [for more Shazam], then they are not my friends anymore.”

Unfortunately, that quip was made several months ahead of Shazam! 2‘s release, and it’s notable that Levi has yet to bring his friendship with Gunn and Safran back up in the wake of Fury of the Gods seriously floundering both financially and critically. In fact, Levi has gone on the warpath on social media, spilling behind the scenes secrets with the same reckless abandon as when Shazam uses his lightning to charge people’s phones. So much so that fans are convinced the actor is sure he’s worn the spandex for the last time.

It may seem pessimistic, but it’s not hard to imagine a similar situation playing out at the end of the year, if Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom likewise fails to make much of an impression. However much Gunn and Safran may value their friendships with their leading men, at the end of the day the duo are running a billions-deep business and are ultimately at the behest of Warner Bros. high-ups. If the corporate incentive isn’t there to continue the Shazam and Aquaman brands anymore, then their hands are tied.

Having said that, 2019’s Aquaman remains the highest-grossing DCEU film ever, so it certainly has a step up on Shazam! 2. And, who knows, there’s still room for more of Levi’s Billy Batson, considering his newfound ties to the Justice Society. There is a world in which both Momoa and Levi live on as Aquaman and Shazam in the DCU, but it probably won’t be the power of friendship that makes it happen.

]]> https://wegotthiscovered.sitesunblocked.org/movies/jason-momoa-needs-to-look-at-zachary-levi-if-he-thinks-having-friends-in-high-places-will-protect-him-from-dc-oblivion/feed/ 0 1459225 https://wegotthiscovered.sitesunblocked.org/movies/an-underrated-superhero-epic-that-delivered-what-shazam-and-black-adam-could-not-earns-honor-among-dc-fans/ Tue, 28 Mar 2023 13:42:18 +0000 https://wegotthiscovered.sitesunblocked.org/?p=1459016

DC's animated library just doesn't miss.]]>

For all the woes DC fans have had to put up with on the big screen up to now, one may be forgiven for forgetting that Superman and company have an uncontested monopoly on top-tier animated superhero projects. Indeed, where Marvel has historically soared above its counterpart in live-action, DC has done the same in the animated department — from Justice League Unlimited to Static Shock and Young Justice, the on-screen struggles that plague DC’s live-action projects are nowhere to be found.

The most recent site of such struggles is Shazam! Fury of the Gods, whose rapidly declining box office campaign is all but indicative of the limited time left for the DC Extended Universe, to say nothing of the egregious misstep of not including Black Adam in the latest plight of Billy Batson.

Luckily, where the DCEU has failed, the world of DC’s animated projects has more than made up for over a decade earlier, thanks to director Joaquim Dos Santos’ Superman/Shazam!: The Return of Black Adam.

Thought on this movie/short films
by inDC_Cinematic

Part of the DC Showcase collection of short films, which also includes the likes of The Spectre, Batman: Death in the Family, and Jonah Hex, Superman/Shazam!: The Return of Black Adam follows a down-and-out Billy Batson who, with the help of Superman, finds himself facing off against the insatiable Black Adam after the wizard Shazam declares him as his next champion. Complete with Tawky Tawny in a pivotal role, it was one heck of a ride.

Hoping to avoid thinking about the current debacle going on in the land of live-action, DC fans came out in droves to celebrate this animated gem that, in just 25 minutes, managed to accomplish what the DCEU couldn’t do in three feature-length movies.

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by from discussion
inDC_Cinematic

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by from discussion
inDC_Cinematic

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inDC_Cinematic

Among the film’s standout qualities was its ability to nail the characterization of its leads in a way that’s both faithful and entertaining.

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by from discussion
inDC_Cinematic

We have faith that James Gunn’s incoming reboot will finally do the live-action DC library the justice these characters deserve, but while we wait for Superman: Legacy to usher in such an era, it would be wise to explore DC’s backlog of animated content in the meantime; it just might scratch the itch the DCEU only seems to want to worsen.

]]> 1459016 https://wegotthiscovered.sitesunblocked.org/movies/zachary-levi-dishing-all-dcs-dirty-secrets-leaves-fans-more-convinced-than-ever-that-weve-seen-the-last-of-shazam/ https://wegotthiscovered.sitesunblocked.org/movies/zachary-levi-dishing-all-dcs-dirty-secrets-leaves-fans-more-convinced-than-ever-that-weve-seen-the-last-of-shazam/#respond Fri, 24 Mar 2023 14:17:06 +0000 https://wegotthiscovered.sitesunblocked.org/?p=1456695 Has he said the magic word for the final time?]]>

when Shazam! came out in Easter 2019 and, while it didn’t blow up the box office, it was one of the most harmless, least-antagonizing comic book films of the decade? Honestly, it’s hard to recall that time now, in the wake of its sequel Shazam! Fury of the Gods inciting so much controversy and backlash online. To such an extent, in fact, that star Zachary Levi has, in a surprising move, taken to Instagram Live to spill some behind-the-scenes secrets in a bid to stem all the hate.

It’s a frankly unprecedented move from a DC star, although perhaps it’s an inevitable follow-up to DC chief James Gunn’s full transparency with the fans on Twitter. Unfortunately, Levi’s own honesty has the comic book film crowd more convinced than ever that we’ve seen the last of the Chuck star as Shazam. In a Reddit thread unpacking Levi’s revelations — like how Henry Cavill’s Superman cameo was “thwarted” and a Justice Society team-up in Fury of the Gods was forbidden — folks itted to feeling like the actor may know his time at DC is wrapping up.

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byu/kush125289 from discussion
inDC_Cinematic

It’s been said before that a third Shazam would depend on the second one’s financial performance and, well, we all know how that’s going.

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byu/kush125289 from discussion
inDC_Cinematic

Of course, Levi being a close personal friend of both Gunn and Peter Safran is a bit of a plus.

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byu/kush125289 from discussion
inDC_Cinematic

But Gunn is ultimately beholden to Warner Bros. so his hands may be tied.

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byu/kush125289 from discussion
inDC_Cinematic

And if Levi’s Shazam is done, that probably means we won’t have any more Shazam movies period, as the character is — let’s face it — hardly at Batman’s level.

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byu/kush125289 from discussion
inDC_Cinematic

Set your clocks for 15 years’ time, Shazamily.

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byu/kush125289 from discussion
inDC_Cinematic

Maybe the whole Shazam shtick just doesn’t work in live-action?

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byu/kush125289 from discussion
inDC_Cinematic

On a more positive note, though, there’s nothing stopping Levi from turning up for a cameo somewhere.

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byu/kush125289 from discussion
inDC_Cinematic

Until we’re fully aware of the extent to which Gunn plans to reboot the DCU — e.g. Superman and Batman are getting recast but The Suicide Squad characters aren’t? — it’s hard to say for certain if Levi could be recast as Shazam. It seems that, unlike his on-screen alter ego, there’s no magic word that will instantly solve this situation.

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