Zachary Levi attends the World Premiere of ‘Shazam! Fury of the Gods’ in Westwood, CA. Photo: Eric Charbonneau.
Zachary Levi opens up about the superhero film ‘Shazam! Fury of the Gods’ and his future with the franchise. In an interview with The FilmUp Podcast, the actor acknowledges the criticism from movie critics, “I don’t know what the future holds for it all because, unfortunately, the second movie was not well received,” Levi says of the low critics’ score, “The audience score is still quite good, but the critics’ score was very oddly and perplexingly low, and people were insanely unkind.”
Currently, ‘Shazam! Fury of the Gods’ stands at 49% from critics on Rotten Tomoates and an audience score of 86%. For comparison, the 2019 ‘Shazam!’ is certified Fresh on the aggregator site, with a 90% critics’ score and 82% audience score. The film became available on digital less than a month after its theatrical release, grossing $133 million worldwide. The production budget for ‘ Shazam! Fury of the Gods’ was $125 million.
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The actor eludes to reasons why the sequel did not perform as well as its predecessor:
“I think even just the world, from the first movie to the second movie, the world has shifted so much. Social media has shifted so much. Hate, online hate and haters and trolls, and factions and all that has just gotten more galvanized in its toxicity. I think there are people who genuinely, unfortunately, want to destroy certain projects because they don’t like them, or they don’t like me, or they don’t like other people involved in them or whatever.”
Levi questions whether or not he’ll be able to return as Shazam in the new DCU but remains hopeful, “I have no idea where we go from here. I just hope that or believe that history will show… it will be one of those things that people will go back, people will watch ‘Fury of the Gods’ on home streaming or on a plane or whatever, and it will be this movie that they heard so much s**t about and then they will be like, ‘Well, wait a minute.’ ”
Zachary Levi is not the only actor with an uncertain future in the DCU. Fellow actors who held titular characters such as Henry Cavill, Gal Gadot, and Dwayne Johnson are unlikely to return to reprise their roles. While certain superheroes have made cameo appearances in recent films such as ‘Shazam! Fury of the Gods’ and ‘The Flash’ it doesn’t cement their return to the DCU since its revamp. We have yet to see a brand-new movie released under the reign of James Gunn and Peter Safran, other than what has been laid out in the initial roadmap promising ‘Superman: Legacy,’ ‘Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow,’ ‘Brave and the Bold,’ ‘Swamp Thing,’ and ‘The Authority.’
Just yesterday, DC Studios Co-CEOs James Gunn and Peter Safran made the first of what will likely be several big announcements about the future of DC movies, TV series and video games, which they’re aiming to link together in one unified universe (excepting the likes of ‘The Batman’ and ‘Joker’, which will exist as ‘Elseworlds’ titles).
While Gunn didn’t go into many details about other filmmakers who will be involved in crafting the movies and series in his actual announcement, he did drop a few names. “Tom King has been my partner throughout all of this. He was giving me answers to shit before I took the job,” said Gunn in a presentation. “So me, him, Christal Henry who worked on ‘Watchmen’ and is doing ‘Waller,’ Christina Hodson who wrote ‘The Flash,’ Drew Goddard, and Jeremy Slater, who just did ‘Moon Knight.’ That group of people we’ve been meeting with and, you know, putting all of this together.”
One name he didn’t drop was James Mangold, but the director dropped a teasing hint about his potential collaboration by posting a ‘Swamp Thing’ image on social media.
That immediately sparked speculation that he might be involved in the movie, which was one that Gunn mentioned in his announcement. And now, according to The Hollywood Reporter, he’s in early talks to write and direct the ‘Swamp Thing’ film but wasn’t brought up because the deal isn’t done yet.
“This is a film that will investigate the dark origins of Swamp Thing,” Safran said on the DC blog the day of the announcement. It’s intended as a horror movie, but Swamp Thing will end up interacting with other characters down the line.
As a character, Swamp Thing was created by writer Len Wein and horror artist Bernie Wrightson, first appearing in a stand-alone story in 1971’s ‘House of Secrets # 92.’ The character proved popular enough that he got his own book soon after, although it was short-lived. Swampy achieved his peak in the 1980s during a seminal run written by Alan Moore and drawn by John Totleben and Stephen R. Bissette and has since gone on to become a key figure in the darker side of DC, spurring the creation of the Vertigo imprint.
‘Swamp Thing’ first appeared on screens in 1982 in a movie directed by Wes Craven, while ‘The Return of Swamp Thing’ landed in theaters in 1989. There was a live-action TV series that ran for three seasons in the 1990s, an animated series and a short-lived live-action show on the equally short-lived DC Universe platform.
Mangold, meanwhile, has form with comic book based movies with ‘The Wolverine’ and the acclaimed ‘Logan’. Next up for him is ‘Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny’, headed to theaters on June 30th this year. And after that’s complete, he still intends to make a film about Bob Dylan’s early life starring Timothée Chalamet.
Oscar® nominee for Best Adapted Screenplay, James Mangold arrives on the red carpet of The 90th Oscars® at the Dolby® Theatre in Hollywood, CA on Sunday, March 4, 2018. Photo: Ross Costanza Photography.
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James Gunn and fellow DC Studios CEO Peter Safran have been teasing for a while what we can expect from the movies, shows and video games that will form part of their planned 8-10 year reboot of the DC onscreen universe. Gunn took to twitter today to make the initial announcement, one which includes new versions of Batman, Superman, Supergirl, Green Lantern and more.
Gunn confirmed that the existing DC movies still to be released––‘Shazam! Fury of the Gods,’ ‘The Flash’, ‘Blue Beetle’ and ‘Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom’––are all still on track for release, with the Flash outing and its universe-rebooting nature key to helping to usher in the new shows and movies.
Those films will then lead into what Gunn and Safran are calling ‘Gods and Monsters’, which is a major part (but not all) of the first “Chapter” in their plans. “The one thing that we can promise is that everything from our first project forward will be canon and will be connected,” says Gunn. “We’re using some actors from the past, we’re not using other actors from the past, but everything from that moment forward will be connected and consistent.” It’ll be a mix of TV (both animated and live action) and movies, with games tying in as needed.
Writer, director, co-chairmen and co-CEO of DC Studios, James Gunn. Photo courtesy of James Gunn’s Twitter account.
“DC has had great individual movies over the years, but we think that what the audience really appreciates and needs is a connected universe,” adds Safran. “It minimizes audience confusion and it maximizes their connectivity to it across all the platforms.”
Gunn talked up 10 initial titles. For TV, first up will be the animated ‘Creature Commandos’, which looks to include the likes of Weasel (as seen in Gunn’s move ‘The Suicide Squad’). Gunn has written the first batch of episodes and the plan is for characters to cross between animated and live-action, and for the same actor to both voice and play the role where possible.
There was also confirmation of ‘Peacemaker’ spin-off series ‘Waller’, with Viola Davis reprising her role as the tough wrangler of Task Force X, interacting with some characters from ‘Peacemaker’ (and one from ‘Creature Commandos’). That show will be overseen by Christal Henry, who was a writer on the TV’s ‘Watchmen,’ and Jeremy Carver who created ‘Doom Patrol’. The series will sit between the first and second seasons of ‘Peacemaker’.
Viola Davis as Amanda Waller in 2016’s ‘Suicide Squad.’
Those are what Gunn is calling an amuse bouche for the main DCU launch, which will officially start via one of DC’s heavy hitters: Superman. ‘Superman: Legacy’. As he’s previously said, Gunn is writing the new take on the hero, and there is the hope he’ll also direct (though that hasn’t been confirmed yet). And it has a locked in release date of July 11th, 2025. “With our stories, we want to take it away from good guy vs. bad guy,” Gunn says. “There are really good—almost saintly—people and Superman is among them. There are really terrible villains like Gorilla Grodd or the Joker. And then there’s everybody in between them, so there are all these shades of gray which allow us to tell complex stories.”
That will be followed by ‘Lanterns’, which is the latest iteration of the series that has been in development at HBO Max for a while now. It’ll be an Earth-set series featuring Lanterns Hal Jordan and John Stewart (with others popping up) and is described as ‘True Detective’ with a “terrifying mystery” that ties into the wider universe.
On the movie front again, ‘The Authority’ will utilize characters from the WildStorm Comics Imprint that DC bought. Says Gunn, “It’s a very different kind of superhero story. They are basically good-intentioned, but they think that the world is completely broken and the only way to fix it is to take things into their own hands, whether that means killing people, destroying heads of state, changing governments—basically, whatever they want to do to make the world better. We’ll see how that journey goes for them.”
Wonder Woman fans are getting ‘Paradise Lost,’ a show set on Themyscira, the birthplace of Princess Diana, and described as ‘Game Of Thrones’ with the Amazons. “It’s an origin story of how this society of women came about. What does it mean? What are their politics like? What are their rules? Who’s in charge? What are the games that they play with each other to get to the top?,” Gunn enthuses. “I think it’s really exciting.” It’s set before Diana is born.
DC Comics’ Damian Wayne/Robin. Photo courtesy of DC.com.
Batman will be all new in the main DCU via movie ‘The Brave And The Bold’, adapting Grant Morrison‘s run, and featuring yet another Bruce Wayne who tries to keep his son, Damien Wayne, in line as Robin. This will launch the “Bat-family” into the movie universe.
‘Booster Gold’ is touted as an HBO series. “I think of it as basically the story of a superhero’s imposter syndrome,” says Gunn. “How do you deal with that? It follows how he tries to use this future technology to be loved by the people of today and what is really at the base of that. It’s a character story that’s going to be a very different type of show, and we’re talking to an actor about it now.”
‘Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow’ will be a big-scale sci-fi film based on Tom King and Bilquis Evely’s comic run. It features a “darker, harsher” version of Kara Zor-El raised on a surviving chunk of Krypton who sees everyone around her die.
DC Comics’ Supergirl from writer Tom King’s ‘Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow.’ Photo courtesy of DC.com.
Finally, a new ‘Swamp Thing’ movie will be a horror-inflected origin story for the creature, one that still intersects with the rest of the DCU.
What, then, does all this mean for the likes of Matt Reeves’ ‘Batman‘ or Todd Phillips’ ‘Joker’ sequel? They will fall under the umbrella title ‘Elseworlds’. “The bar for an Elseworlds tale is going to be higher than the bar for a movie within the DCU,” says Gunn. “Not that we’re not always going to have a high bar, but it’s got to be something really special for us to tell that story outside of our regular continuity and to spend the money to make it.”
“We are actually developing a few other things as well, but for one reason or another, we can’t say them,” Gunn concludes. This is the first batch of stuff, but there may be a couple of surprises to come.”
It’s certainly an ambitious plan. Now we wait and see whether it truly comes to fruition––as previous DC regimes have made bold statements, but haven’t always lasted to see their ideas realized…
DC Comics’ Booster Gold. Photo courtesy of DC.com.
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Less than a week after premiering on the streaming service DC Universe, “Swamp Thing” has been canceled.
The series, which premiered on May 31, has aired just one episode on DC Universe; the remaining nine episodes will be released on the streamer.
“Swamp Thing” was the third live-action series to launch on DC Universe, following “Titans” and “Doom Patrol.” The show centered on CDC scientist Crystal Reed (Abby Arcane), who returns to her Louisiana hometown to investigate a deadly disease ravaging the bayous.
She develops a bond with scientist Alec Holland (Andy Bean) — only to have him tragically taken from her. But she soon discovers that the swamp holds mystical secrets, both horrifying and wondrous — and the potential love of her life may not be dead after all.
The cancellation comes after the series had its episode order cut from 13 to 10, reportedly due to creative differences.
DC Universe’s future is also up in the air, since WarnerMedia is working to launch a streaming platform by 2020.
Producer James Wan‘s fingerprints are all over the new full-length trailer for the DC Universe streaming service’s upcoming “Swamp Thing” series, with horror lurking around every dark, slimy corner in the creepy clip.
“Swamp Thing” follows CDC researcher Abby Arcane (Crystal Reed) as she descends on a small Louisiana town that’s been plagued by a deadly virus. The illness — which has the ability to tear people apart from the inside as they sprout twisting vines, among other disgusting symptoms — is linked back to the town’s mysterious swamp, which has been the site of some shady occurrences in recent years, including chemical dumping.
Many of the town’s residents seem convinced that there’s something evil emanating off — and ruminating in — those murky waters, which Abby herself begins to accept as the mysteries (not to mention gross, mangled bodies) continue to pile up.
“We’re dealing with something beyond the known scope of science,” she notes.
One townsperson, meanwhile, has a more bonkers (and yet, kind of correct?) summation.
“The swamp’s had enough!” he declares. “This is payback!”
Despite the silliness of that statement, this trailer makes the argument that Wan and co. have packed the series with enough genuinely creepy moments to keep the camp factor at bay. Fans can see for themselves when “Swamp Thing” premieres on DC Universe on May 31.
There’s been another “Swamp Thing” sighting, and it’s even scarier one than the last.
DC released the latest teaser for its upcoming horror series on Monday, and it shows all kinds of nightmarish footage — punctuated with screams, of course. While the previous teaser trailer focused on the titular monster (Derek Mears), we get to see more of the show’s stars this time. The series’ cast includes Crystal Reed, Henderson Wade, Jennifer Beals, and Andy Bean.
“Swamp Thing” is based on the DC comic books of the same name, which are created by Len Wein and Bernie Wrightson. The upcoming series centers on scientist Abby Arcane (Reed) as she investigates a deadly virus and instead discovers the horrors within a Louisiana swamp. See some of what’s in store for her below, and be prepared to be creeped out.
“Swamp Thing” is set for 10 episodes and will premiere May 31 on the DC Universe subscription streaming service.
A new “Swamp Thing” TV series is due out this year, and we’ve just gotten our first look. The teaser trailer has hit the internet, and it shows the titular bog monster (Derek Mears) rising from the dark watery depths. It’s the stuff of nightmares.
One of the show’s cast members, Ian Ziering, shared the teaser via Instagram, and he wrote, “Try draining this Swamp, I dare you.” The series will deal with problems in the swamp. Specifically, scientist Abby Arcane (Crystal Reed) will investigate a suspected deadly virus but will find that the marsh harbors even scarier dangers.
The show is based on DC’s “Swamp Thing” comics created by Len Wein and Bernie Wrightson. There will be 10 episodes, down from its original order of 13, according to THR.
“Swamp Thing” will premiere May 31 on the DC Universe subscription streaming service.
“Sharknado” star Ian Ziering has joined the cast, Deadline reports. He’ll play Daniel Cassidy, a former stuntman and actor whose career has died down after playing the demonic Blue Devil. It’s a recurring role in the DC Universe series.
“Swamp Thing” is based on the comics series created by Len Wein and Bernie Wrightston. The cast already includes Crystal Reed as Abby Arcane, a woman investigating a Louisiana swamp; Andy Bean as biologist Alec Holland; and Derek Mears, who plays Holland after he transforms into the Swamp Monster. Other actors involved include Maria Sten, Jennifer Beals, Jeryl Prescott, Virginia Madsen, and Will Patton.
The series is written by Mark Verheiden and Gary Dauberman, both of whom are executive producing alongside director Len Wiseman, James Wan, and Michael Clear. It comes from Atomic Monster and Warner Bros. Television, and it is set to stream on the DC Universe digital subscription service in 2019.
Ziering comes to the project having most recently starred in Syfy’s Sharknado movie series. He is also well-known for his role on the hit ’90s drama “Beverly Hills 90210.”
“Riverdale” actor Henderson Wade will play Matt Cable in the upcoming series on Warner Bros.’s new streaming service, DC Universe, Deadline reports. He’ll have a somewhat similar role, as the publication pointed out; Cable is another law enforcement officer, like Wade’s “Riverdale” character, Sheriff Michael Minetta.
Both TV series may involve lawmen, but their problems are very different. In “Swamp Thing,” there will be a mysterious monster at the center of the story. The DC Comics-inspired story follows Abby Arcane (Crystal Reed) as she digs into a mystery involving a Louisiana swap, a scientist doing work there, Alec Holland (Bean), and a “swamp thing” (Mears). In the comics, Matt Cable is assigned to protect Holland, as Deadline reports, and he had a crush on Arcane when they were kids.
In addition to appearing in Season 2 and 3 of “Riverdale,” Wade has also had roles on “Extant,” “American Horror Story: Roanoke,” “NCIS,” and more. “Swamp Thing” should keep him busy for at least a while. The series is expected to premiere in 2019.
“Swamp Thing” has added two actors, including one who will play the show’s titular monster.
“Power” star Andy Bean and Derek Mears (“Friday the 13th”) have joined the DC Universe series, Deadline reports. Bean will play a biologist, while Mears takes on the role of the so-called swamp thing. The upcoming show is already set to star Crystal Reed.
“Swamp Thing” follows Abby Arcane (Reed) as she tries to uncover the danger a Louisiana swamp holds. Although a virus is originally thought to be the culprit, there’s actually something even more terrifying. Meanwhile, biologist Alec Holland (Bean) is also working in the swamp when he becomes transformed into the Swamp Monster (Mears). The cast also includes Maria Sten, Jennifer Beals, Jeryl Prescott, Virginia Madsen, and Will Patton.
The upcoming show is based on the comic books of the same name created by Len Wein and Bernie Wrightson, which also inspired the 1982 film “Swamp Thing.”
