SHAZAM! The World's Mightiest Movie!

[useridgoeshere]

What does a DC movie have to do to get a bigger opening? I don't get it. If SHAZAM! makes less than $70 million on its opening weekend, with all its positives, then I don't understand what audiences are looking for. The hatred for DC must be really real if they can't get people to come to their movies on the first weekend.

No hate. Don't have a victim mentality. It's opening at the same level as Ant-Man, which makes sense. First movie. Comedy. Unknown character. And it has lesser known actors than Ant-Man. It's a good opening and it could even have a bigger multiplier than people are predicting this weekend because it's a kids' movie.

It's pretty much guaranteed to be a financial success at this point and get a sequel.

[anyajenkins]

The Sins are definitely creepy and, thanks to CGI, they're more articulated/creepier/gross than most movie monsters for a PG-13 movie. There is also a decent amount of murder and death (though not nearly as much as other DCEU movies).

From a more normal standpoint, there are scenes of bullying and topics about adoption/family separation/what really makes up a family that smaller kids might want to talk about, which is only fair and educational.

Hmm...the family/adoption stuff sounds fine, the ‘monsters’ might be something too ‘scary’...something to think about . Thanks!

[Jim Kelly]

wrong thread. sorry.

[Ramsay Snow]

I'll chime in as someone who didn't really care for the movie. I didn't regret watching it, but I just found it to be a really average film. I thought Wonder Woman was better, and I wasn't too crazy about the WW film, either. Not counting Nolan's Batman trilogy, the only recent DC film I've particularly liked so far is Aquaman.

I will say Meagan Good and the kid from It were excellent in their roles.

[stargazer01]

It was a very good movie. Very charming with a lot of heart. Some very serious scenes, but lots of comedy to balance it out. At times it felt like a Potter movie. Loved the end credits and the final scene.. The family themes were the best part, imo.

I love DC.

I don't think it's about hatred.

It's about demonstrating consistent, fun movies.

If the current trend continues, DC will get the same level of instant support Marvel enjoys.

For me, most of the modern DC movies don't look enjoyable to watch.

I agree with this. thanks to the Snyder movies, some general audiences don't have a lot of trust in the DC brand I guess. Maybe they want more entertaining movies and half of the DCEU movies haven't been very family friendly. I didn't say bad because I don't think they are bad, just more serious and somber..

Ok, so i’m The designated nerd in the family/neighborhood and am fielding questions about if this movie is ‘younger kid friendly’ (like under eight). The previews make it look good for littler kids, but are there any ‘scary’ and or ‘adult’ parts that parents should look out for?

There is some very scary stuff and violence, so it depends what those kids watch. I think it's fine for 8 and older. Probably not for very little kids.

[The True Detective]

I love DC.

I don't think it's about hatred.

It's about demonstrating consistent, fun movies.

If the current trend continues, DC will get the same level of instant support Marvel enjoys.

For me, most of the modern DC movies don't look enjoyable to watch.

But Shazam's trailers were lighthearted and were seen as enjoyable by most people, it's not like the trailers sold the film as dark and serious like BvS. People always say they want DC to make lighter more humorous movies then when they do they don't support them. Shazam being an unknown hero probably played a part in it's opening not being as high as some thought it would be. Aquaman may have been famous for being the butt of the joke but he was famous nonetheless. That clearly helped in his movie making over $1.1b. Likewise Suicide Squad having Joker, Harley and Batman helped at the box office despite bad reviews.

Hopefully Shazam has good legs before Endgame comes out.

[Jim Kelly]

Just seems to me that, if you look at the trailers for AQUAMAN and SHAZAM!, and your reaction is they "don't look enjoyable to watch" then some bias against the DC movies is feeding into that. Because, absent of any other information, I don't see why you would have that reaction. Plus it's been over a year since JUSTICE LEAGUE and two years since BATMAN V SUPERMAN--which is a lifetime in the movies--and AQUAMAN made a billion dollars most recently, so that ought to work against those lingering negative feelings about the movies.

Again, I just don't see what DC or WB can do about that, if people really have that perception and refuse to see movies that might actually change that perception. It just means that the DC movies will continue to make less money, no matter how they change the product.

[stargazer01]

Just seems to me that, if you look at the trailers for AQUAMAN and SHAZAM!, and your reaction is they "don't look enjoyable to watch" then some bias against the DC movies is feeding into that. Because, absent of any other information, I don't see why you would have that reaction. Plus it's been over a year since JUSTICE LEAGUE and two years since BATMAN V SUPERMAN--which is a lifetime in the movies--and AQUAMAN made a billion dollars most recently, so that ought to work against those lingering negative feelings about the movies.

Again, I just don't see what DC or WB can do about that, if people really have that perception and refuse to see movies that might actually change that perception. It just means that the DC movies will continue to make less money, no matter how they change the product.

I think it has to do a lot with the Shazam character being very unknown, not having any really famous star, and I also think the trailers, while funny and lighthearted, didn't look truly epic and full on action. The movie is very good, IMO, but it's not nearly as spectacular as Aquaman or even Wonder Woman. Shazam is more comedy and fantasy than action. At least for me the action wasn't impressive like other DCEU movies. For the kind of movie it is and the budget, I think it's doing well. If the box office is solid, I expect a sequel... And if The Rock is Black Adam and the story is good, I'm sure it will do bigger BO.

[Ilan Preskovsky]

Expecting DC's films to have the same level of Box Office as just about any MCU film at this point is highly unrealistic. It doesn't have much to do with hate but Marvel has built up a cohesive fictional universe where people want to know what's going to happen next PLUS they have shown a level of consistency that just in't there with DC's films to this point. Plus, the Shazam trailer doesn't exactly screem "cool" in the way the latest Spider-man or Avengers trailer did - and I say this as someone who absolutely loved the film.

I do think that it will have some legs for the next couple of weeks and will do well overall but releasing it at such a crowded time and a few weeks before Endgame was an interesting choice to say the least.

[Jim Kelly]

It's not expecting them to make as much as today's Marvel movies, it's expecting them to make as much as the early Marvel movies when they were unproven. Hoping that SHAZAM! makes 60 million on its first weekend doesn't seem so unrealistic--that's less than half of what most Marvel movies make on their opening weekend. That's not asking for the moon.

Legs helped AQUAMAN because it had several weeks to accumulate its money. SHAZAM! has a very confined window of opportunity. It might do okay in the next couple of weeks, but then ENDGAME will crush everything in sight. So if SHAZAM! doesn't make a lot this weekend, it's not going to accumulate that much in the following weeks to push its box office very high. It doesn't have to make a lot to justify its budget, but it would be nice if it did better than 600 million worldwide.

[AJBopp]

SHAZAM! has a very confined window of opportunity. It might do okay in the next couple of weeks, but then ENDGAME will crush everything in sight.

I am going to go against the grain here and just suggest that because one movie is going to do well, all other movies are not by definition going to crash and burn at that moment. The movie audience is large enough for Endgame to succeed and SHAZAM! to continue to do well.

[Buried Alien]

I am going to go against the grain here and just suggest that because one movie is going to do well, all other movies are not by definition going to crash and burn at that moment. The movie audience is large enough for Endgame to succeed and SHAZAM! to continue to do well.

As long as people are willing and able to spend the time and money.

Buried Alien (The Fastest Post Alive!)

[Bruce Wayne]

I am going to go against the grain here and just suggest that because one movie is going to do well, all other movies are not by definition going to crash and burn at that moment. The movie audience is large enough for Endgame to succeed and SHAZAM! to continue to do well.

Endgame and Shazam are chasing money from the same subset of people. Endgame doing well means Shazam won't. And people's purchasing power are finite. In addition the lifespan of a movie in theaters here is measured in weeks. Endgame will crowd out Shazam as people will vote with their dollars and go for the more popular alternative.

[anyajenkins]

It was a very good movie. Very charming with a lot of heart. Some very serious scenes, but lots of comedy to balance it out. At times it felt like a Potter movie. Loved the end credits and the final scene.. The family themes were the best part, imo.

There is some very scary stuff and violence, so it depends what those kids watch. I think it's fine for 8 and older. Probably not for very little kids.

I just saw it and I agree. Though I would wish they would have toned down the scary parts a bit, because little kids would love the rest of it.

[tabo61]

I enjoyed it. I liked how it was in Philadelphia.