WB's SHAZAM 2 starring Zackary Levi (4/1/22) 1 1

[thegiftedone45]

On 3/19/2023 at 2:40 PM, Gatsby77 said:

Wait - it opened worse than Birds of Prey too?

Yep according to google Birds of Prey opened at 33.25 million opening weekend and Shazam 2 barely reached 30.5 million.

[theCapraAegagrus]

On 3/18/2023 at 5:13 PM, media_junkie said:

If that was an attempt at sarcasm it didn't come through as such.  I read that and it makes me not really want to see this movie because it "reads" as if all he cared about was the "phat lewt" he got paid and he knew it was a stinker.

To me, it just seems like he doesn't care if it makes WBD/DC any money, and I'm with him on that.

[theCapraAegagrus]

On 3/19/2023 at 1:24 PM, thegiftedone45 said:

James Gunn rebooting the DC universe?

This is really the only reason I know of why people are intentionally not seeing it. Most people I know of liked the first one, but since the series was sold as part of the DCEU, what's the point?

It's not that you can't watch a movie not within a franchise, but that this isn't the product line we were advertised.

[eastriver400]

 

What a disappointment. I just hope Gunn/Safran reboot Shazam in the DCU.    My hope is they didn't announce anything Shazam related in order for people to go see FOTG. 

[Bosco685]

Maybe the new Co-CEO's shouldn't have referred to the current movies as not in scope for the DCU future. Though then Gunn said at least The Flash and Blue Beetle are.

[Bosco685]

Wow!

[Gatsby77]

Y'all are vastly overestimating the effect of comic book fans on the overall box office.

Very few people outside of the comic book collecting bubble know, let alone care, that this film - or Shazam in general - won't be part of the new vision for interconnected films 2-3 years from now.

It's not for us - we are not the broader movie market.

Perfect example - once upon a time, Warner Bros. released an exceptional superhero film, knowing it was made for fans of the source material - but would be a *really* hard sell to the general public - due to the no-name heroes and harsh adult subject matter.

That film was Watchmen. It was excellent and it bombed.

Shazam Fury of the Gods was marketed to kids and parents - as a family friendly superhero comedy romp.

It bombed with that audience, on those terms.

The studio neither cared about comic book nerds, nor catered to them with this film - they literally don't care what we think.

[Bosco685]

On 3/20/2023 at 12:51 PM, Gatsby77 said:

Y'all are vastly overestimating the effect of comic book fans on the overall box office.

Very few people outside of the comic book collecting bubble know, let alone care, that this film - or Shazam in general - won't be part of the new vision for interconnected films 2-3 years from now.

It's not for us - we are not the broader movie market.

Perfect example - once upon a time, Warner Bros. released an exceptional superhero film, knowing it was made for fans of the source material - but would be a *really* hard sell to the general public - due to the no-name heroes and harsh adult subject matter.

That film was Watchmen. It was excellent and it bombed.

Shazam Fury of the Gods was marketed to kids and parents - as a family friendly superhero comedy romp.

It bombed with that audience, on those terms.

The studio neither cared about comic book nerds, nor catered to them with this film - they literally don't care what we think.

I have to disagree. As you can't say only comic book fans were excited about 'DCEU' properties. That would be short-sighted and misinformed.

But the general audience saw in Shazam (2019) there was a previous hero whom the wizards awarded his powers and then Shazam the Wizard took those powers back.

And even before this Superman/Shazam: The Return of Black Adam (a wildly popular animated short) educated general audiences about how Shazam, Black Adam and Superman had history together. 

So with the announcement Black Adam was dead, Cavill's Superman was no more and DCU was going to launch a younger, new Superman it killed the momentum from those earlier productions. And yes, we are all clear how Black Adam as a live movie depending on Dwayne Johnson as its marketing director failed. WB Studio Marketing had lost that focus to clearly continuing to connect the dots these things all had a link together.

There was a way to make this all come together. The studio failed more than once to drive general audience attention. And yet the general audience were told early on where this journey was supposed to take them.

[Bosco685]

 

[theCapraAegagrus]

Comic book fans affect the box office by telling their family/friends which productions to watch. If I tell everyone not to see it, there's hundreds of people that word is going to reach. Even all of my coworkers specifically ask me if a movie is worth seeing in theaters.

[Gatsby77]

On 3/20/2023 at 2:55 PM, theCapraAegagrus said:

Comic book fans affect the box office by telling their family/friends which productions to watch. If I tell everyone not to see it, there's hundreds of people that word is going to reach. Even all of my coworkers specifically ask me if a movie is worth seeing in theaters.

Nah.

If that were true, Justice League Part 1 wouldn't have bombed.

[Bosco685]

On 3/20/2023 at 2:57 PM, Gatsby77 said:

Nah.

If that were true, Justice League Part 1 wouldn't have bombed.

You mean the film they didn't care for, but then later rallied around the Snyder Cut?

[Straw-Man]

On 3/20/2023 at 1:55 PM, theCapraAegagrus said:

Comic book fans affect the box office by telling their family/friends which productions to watch. If I tell everyone not to see it, there's hundreds of people that word is going to reach. Even all of my coworkers specifically ask me if a movie is worth seeing in theaters.

exactly my experience.

[drotto]

On 3/20/2023 at 2:58 PM, Bosco685 said:

You mean the film they didn't care for, but then later rallied around the Snyder Cut?

I am not a Snyder cut fanatic, but at least it was a watchable and enjoyable film.  Not great, but I liked it.  The theatrical release was a hacked up, disaster, and I can not get through it.

[Gatsby77]

On 3/20/2023 at 2:58 PM, Bosco685 said:

You mean the film they didn't care for, but then later rallied around the Snyder Cut?

?

You gave the theatrical cut a glowing review.

Unfortunately lost now to the ether, after you and @Jaydogrulesgot the original thread poofed.

[Bosco685]

On 3/20/2023 at 4:41 PM, Gatsby77 said:

?

You gave the theatrical cut a glowing review.

Unfortunately lost now to the ether, after you and @Jaydogrulesgot the original thread poofed.

Uhmm... you mean when you kept trashing the film on your continued quest to protect the forum from mean Zack Snyder after you were so disappointed in BVS?

And I gave BVS a strong review. Not JL. Please keep your negative talking points straight.

[Gatsby77]

On 3/20/2023 at 4:52 PM, Bosco685 said:

Uhmm... you mean when you kept trashing the film on your continued quest to protect the forum from mean Zack Snyder after you were so disappointed in BVS?

And I gave BVS a strong review. Not JL. Please keep your negative talking points straight.

You gave them both strong reviews.

But the positive theatrical Justice League one was surprising - even for you.

[Bosco685]

On 3/20/2023 at 6:36 PM, Gatsby77 said:

You gave them both strong reviews.

But the positive theatrical Justice League one was surprising - even for you.

[The humble Watcher lurking]

On 3/19/2023 at 11:37 AM, paperheart said:

if you thought Black Adam was a bomb at $393M WW, this one is looking at $200M less

I really think it is superhero fatigue. People have just grown tired of the super hero genre. People want to seek out new and different entertainment.

Other factors could also be a majority of the audience ages out, and the China bump doesn't seem to be that big of a bump anymore.

I expect more the same mediocre results for

• May 5, 2023 - Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3
• June 9, 2023 - Transformers: Rise of the Beasts (might be better than I thought)
• June 23, 2023: The Flash
• July 28, 2023 - The Marvels
• August 4, 2023: Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Mutant Mayhem
• August 18, 2023 - Blue Beetle

Edited March 20, 2023 by The humble Watcher lurking

[Gatsby77]

On 3/20/2023 at 4:52 PM, Bosco685 said:

And I gave BVS a strong review. Not JL. Please keep your negative talking points straight.

Umm...

'Dis you?:

 

Quote

 

My original review posting the night I came back:

Now THAT was a fun movie!

And when Lois Lane reads that closing statement in the end, the audience actually applauded. I haven't been at a movie this year when the audience applauded like that.

Man, they sure cut some scenes into the film where you could tell there were new ideas. Even more than BvS. But again - THAT was fun!

  

The team coming together and their personality differences learning how to mesh together made this so great to see on film. And Steppenwolf was not that horrible. The mistake they made was no real message beforehand why he was doing the things he did, leading to a later larger threat.

I agree with folks on the credit scenes. The first one is a nice callback to the old comics. Nothing more. But that second one - WOW!!!

Ranking:

1) Man of Steel

2) Wonder Woman

3) Justice League

4) Batman v Superman Ultimate Cut

0) Suicide Squad as a guilty pleasure

Easily a 7.0/10.0 movie with the heart of a 9.0 film.

 

 

Edited March 20, 2023 by Gatsby77