' streaming release could be more successful than its unfortunate box office performance. The Shazam! sequel first released in theater on March 17th and is now available to stream for free for Max subscribers, giving it a second chance at success after a disappointing box office. Despite its poor financial performance, its streaming release could be a far bigger hit than the movie was when it landed in theaters.
The first Shazam! was one of the best-reviewed movies in the DCEU and a moderate success at the box office earning a 90 percent on Rotten Tomatoes and bringing in $366 million from the worldwide box office from a $100 million budget. Unfortunately, Shazam! Fury of the Gods wasn't received so warmly, earning a 49 percent on Rotten Tomatoes and only drawing $133.4 million worldwide from a slightly higher production budget. Despite its box office flop, Shazam! Fury of the Gods could be more popular on streaming than it was in theaters.
Shazam 2 Was Really Popular With Illegal Movie Pirating Sites
While it wasn't very popular at the box office, TorrentFreak reported Shazam! Fury of the Gods was the most torrented movie the week of April 10th after its VOD release. It was the second-most torrented movie the week of April 17 (below Avatar: The Way of Water), fourth the week of May 1, and seventh the week of May 8. While digital piracy is illegal, it's an indicator of demand, suggesting people had a desire to see Shazam! Fury of the Gods, they just didn't want to pay the cost of admission. If that demand persists, its streaming release on Max could give the movie a second life.
Shazam! Fury of the Gods' Rotten Tomatoes Audience Score Is a Good Sign For Streaming
Despite Shazam! Fury of the Gods' low 41 percent Rotten Tomatoes score, it had a much higher 79 percent score with audiences, which is almost as good as the original Shazam!'s 82 percent audience score and higher than the DCEU's 75 percent average audience score. While reviews don't always impact box office or streaming performance, the Rotten Tomatoes audience score does have a stronger correlation to box office and streaming numbers. Since Shazam! Fury of the Gods had an overall positive audience reception, there could be a sizeable audience waiting for its streaming release to check it out.
Shazam! Fury of the Gods may be one of the biggest box office flops in the DCEU, but that doesn't mean it's a total failure. Its Rotten Tomatoes audience score and high demand on digital piracy sites are signs that the audience was receptive to it. Unfortunately, the art or entertainment value of a movie is often overshadowed by its commercial performance, since box office numbers and profitability are what justifies the budget to the studio. Many movies have famously flopped at the box office and gone on to see success on streaming, and Shazam! Fury of the Gods could do the same.
