David F. Sandberg, director of DC's upcoming Shazam! Fury of the Gods, responds to recent rumors about the future of the DCEU's Justice League line-up. Sandberg first made his way into the DCEU in 2019 with the release of the first Shazam!. The film marked a stark tonal and narrative departure from the types of movies that had come to define the franchise up until that point, particularly from grittier filmmakers like Zack Snyder and David Ayer. Zachary Levi's take on the classic DC hero proved to be enough of a hit with audiences for the studio to greenlight the sequel, which is poised to release in theaters in 2023.

Over the past several weeks, rumors have begun to circulate regarding the potential future of the Justice League in the DCEU. The current line-up, as established in Zack Snyder's Justice League, comprises Superman (Henry Cavill), Batman (Ben Affleck), Wonder Woman (Gal Gadot), Aquaman (Jason Momoa), The Flash (Ezra Miller), and Cyborg (Ray Fisher). Only half of the team (Gadot, Momoa, and Miller) is expected to return beyond 2022's The Flash, while the other three (Cavill, Affleck, and Fisher) are not returning or are otherwise uncertain about their continued involvement. The rumor purports that the events of The Flash will conclude with the Flash, Shazam, and Supergirl (Sasha Calle) forming a new iteration of the Justice League. Sandberg's surprise at the news, however, may call the rumor's veracity into question.

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In response to the rumors, Sandberg posted a tweet implying that he was unaware of Shazam's involvement in the formation of a new Justice LeagueHe followed up his tweet by clarifying that he hadn't "watched (or read the script of) The Flash so I guess anything could happen." Check out the director's full tweets below:

Sandberg's comments may be amusing, but they don't necessarily debunk the rumors regarding Shazam's role in The Flash. As another commenter points out, Sandberg's involvement (or rather, lack thereof) in the upcoming Black Adam film shows that DCEU directors aren't necessarily in the know when it comes other films in the franchise, even if the characters' lore overlaps in the comics. Shazam may very well play a role in The Flash without Sandberg even knowing.

Drastic shifts in the status quo will always be a gamble in long-running franchises such as the DCEU. Fans of the universe first established by Zack Snyder may find this new Justice League line-up, without Cavill's Superman and Affleck's Batman, disappointing. That being said, a fresh take on the Justice League could open the door for new storytelling possibilities, ones that won't have to adhere to the strict parameters of the comics. Considering the fact that Shazam! Fury of the Gods will be more of a Shazam Family-centric story, it may still be several years before audiences see Shazam in a Justice League film. Hopefully, it'll be worth the wait if it happens.

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Source: David F. Sandberg/Twitter

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