Shazam! Fury of the Gods is the latest victim of not banking at the box office, but it doesn’t tell the full story of a fun film.
A disappointing opening weekend for Shazam! Fury of the Gods has the future of the franchise in doubt, despite the post-credit scene. Rumors of Dwayne Johnson’s involvement in what went down (or, more appropriately, what didn’t) between Shazam and Black Adam franchises has sparked division online. Still, the dark superhero fantasy follows the disappointing box office of The Rock’s Black Adam. Neither film lived up to the financial expectations.
Nevertheless, the lack of box office success is not indicative of what the movies had to offer. Fury of the Gods was more plot-driven than its predecessor, opting to focus on the dangers ahead as opposed to the characters. Still, it gave us glimpses into the internal struggles that exist within the family and expanded the universe by dropping hints that we could see the Shazam Family, the Wizard, and other gods in future films. Fans enjoyed a funny action-packed, fantasy superhero film that created a new star in Mary Marvel.
With Black Adam, we saw an origin story that differed from the comics, but it still gave fans a fantastic look at an anti-hero who struggled to find a place in the new world. It was the typical Dwayne Johnson movie, albeit with him playing a more serious role. Still, it was full of action with an excellent cast that nailed their performances. More importantly, the introduction of the Justice Society of America gave fans hope for more stories to come in other DC Films and TV. Black Adam dabbled with historical fantasy and explored the mindset of the vengeful super-powered man who knows no limits. The JSA, led by Hawkman (Aldis Hodge) was the perfect foil character, which made for a great dynamic in the film.
The lack of box office success with DC Films isn’t exclusive to Shazam and Black Adam. Comic book movie fans have seen this problem with other comic book movies but more than a few DC Films suffered from a lack of financial success in recent memory.
Birds of Prey and the Suicide Squad were great films, but box office flops
Birds of Prey and The Suicide Squad are two DC Films that didn’t perform as well at the box office as some of their predecessors. But don’t let that fool you. These movies tell great stories, showcase phenomenal acting, and capture the essence of what makes DC Comics characters so compelling. In this article, we’ll explore why the lack of box office success doesn’t tell the full story about how great these movies truly are.
Let’s start with The Suicide Squad. This movie features an all-star cast that includes Margot Robbie, Idris Elba, John Cena, and Viola Davis, among others. While the original Suicide Squad made a ton of money at the box office, it failed to capture the essence of what makes the Suicide Squad such an interesting team. The story was weak, the character development was lackluster, and the villain was forgettable.
The Suicide Squad, on the other hand, is a fantastic movie that tells a compelling story, features amazing action sequences, and provides ample character development for its ensemble cast. The villain, played by Peter Capaldi, is both menacing and memorable. Director James Gunn brings his signature style to the film, infusing it with humor, heart, and just the right amount of gore. Its underperformance can be attributed to its release during the pandemic (and its simultaneous release on HBO Max) but it still didn’t catch on at the box office in the way many had hoped.
Similarly, Birds of Prey is a movie that didn’t perform as well at the box office as some of its DC predecessors. But that doesn’t mean it’s not a great movie. In fact, Birds of Prey tells one of the best stories in the DC Films universe. It’s a fun, colorful, and quirky movie that focuses on Harley Quinn, played brilliantly by Margot Robbie. The movie is packed with great action sequences, hilarious one-liners, and fantastic performances. It doesn’t shy away from the darker aspects of Harley’s character, but it also balances those with moments of levity and heart.
Box office success doesn’t mean the movies are good
Now, let’s take a step back and consider why the lack of box office success for these movies doesn’t tell the full story. Movies like Batman vs Superman and Justice League made a ton of money at the box office, but they were nowhere near the quality of films like The Suicide Squad and Birds of Prey. Batman vs Superman was a bloated mess that failed to capture the essence of what makes those characters so compelling. Justice League was a mess of a movie that suffered from a troubled production and failed to deliver on its promise. These movies made money because of the popularity of the characters and the early hope that the DCEU would deliver, not because they were great movies.
So, why do movies like The Suicide Squad and Birds of Prey struggle at the box office? There are a few factors at play. For one, these movies have R ratings, which limits their potential audience. Additionally, they’re not as well-known as some of the other DC characters, which means they don’t have the same built-in audience, making it harder for these movies to succeed.
With Shazam 2 and Black Adam, there’s a lot of competition at the box office, streaming services, and maybe some comic book movie fatigue (particularly as the quality of more recent releases hasn’t been as great), and lack of trust with DC Films – especially due to the lack of direction since the DCEU is essentially going to be reset after The Flash, potentially rendering these recent releases as meaningless.
Shazam! Fury of the Gods is now in theaters. You can watch Black Adam, Birds of Prey, and The Suicide Squad on HBO Max.
Do you think DC’s reset with The Flash could help the DC Universe bounce back from its recent box office struggles? Let us know in the comments below.