Shazam! Fury of the Gods director David F. Sandberg confirms that one line from the film's trailer, which was ridiculed online, isn't in the final movie. Released in 2019, Sandberg's first installment in the DC franchise proved popular with audiences and critics, telling the story of 14-year-old Billy Batson (Asher Angel) who has the ability to turn into the adult superhero Shazam (Zachary Levi). The sequel is slated to be released in the spring of next year and is expected to see Billy and his superhero siblings fight the Daughters of Atlas, who will be played by Rachel Zegler, Helen Mirren, and Lucy Liu. The first trailer for the film has already teased some of what fans can expect, including a return of Shazam!'s unique brand of humor.
One line in the Shazam! Fury of the Gods trailer has gotten some fans up in arms, however, with one user taking issue with the hero saying, "I just threw a truck at a dragon. I love my life," a common trope in which a character points out something obvious for comedic effect. After the post garnered tens of thousands of likes and hundreds of comments, Sandberg himself responded, revealing that the line in question isn't in the actual movie. The director also then responded to another fan, explaining why the marketing department would use the scene when it's not in the movie. Check out Sandberg's tweets below:
Shazam 2's Cut Line Matches The Franchise's Humor
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The first Shazam! is by far the most humorous DCU movie thus far, a noticeable contrast to the likes of Wonder Woman, Aquaman, and Dwayne Johnson's recent Black Adam. The original film was widely praised for its humor, with both Billy and his superhero alter ego delivering handfuls of funny lines or moments of physical comedy. Even Mark Strong's villain, Doctor Thaddeus Bodog Sivana, had some funny scenes. The backlash to the line in the Shazam! Fury of the Gods trailer, however, speaks to the ever-evolving nature of the superhero movie landscape.
What was funny, clever, or fresh a few years ago can quickly feel like an overused trope or crutch after several subsequent movies, even those that don't exist in the same universe. Shazam's truck-throwing line, for example, mirrors a lot of the comedy in the MCU, perhaps the most similar example being Hawkeye (Jeremy Renner) poking fun at himself for using a bow and arrow in Avengers: Age of Ultron. Although the cut line does mirror the silly sense of humor that was featured in the first Shazam!, the original film also makes clear that Sandberg's humor is more varied and creative than the cut line gives him credit for.
When Will Shazam 2's Next Trailer Release?
After the release of Black Adam, Sandberg's sequel is the next DCU movie that will be hitting theaters, with a release date now under 4 months away. Considering the last trailer was released at this past summer's Comic-Con, DCU fans are likely in for a new look at Shazam! Fury of the Gods within the next month or so. For now, however, those who weren't amused by Levi's hero's line in the trailer can rest assured that the moment didn't make it off the cutting room floor.
Source: David F. Sandberg
