The Box Office

[Jon-El]

I keep seeing comments like “Why go see Shazam? That universe is gone. It won’t lead to anything.” When I go see a Marvel film, I sometimes try to leave when it’s over & everyone just sits there. They’re trained to wait for a post credit scene. I think the Marvel movies have also trained people to expect these universes where all the movies are part of a puzzle.

[SUPERECWFAN1]

I keep seeing comments like “Why go see Shazam? That universe is gone. It won’t lead to anything.” When I go see a Marvel film, I sometimes try to leave when it’s over & everyone just sits there. They’re trained to wait for a post credit scene. I think the Marvel movies have also trained people to expect these universes where all the movies are part of a puzzle.

One article detailed (Deadline) that what killed Shazam 2 was the character seemed like an after thought in the grand scheme of the wider DC Film Universe in a way. Even with these surprise cameos they would do , the character never appeared elsewhere or built onto that 1st film. Which as the article claims shocked Warner Bros then because the film was off done by New Line and a completely different type film than what was going on in the wider Universe of films like Aquaman , Wonder Woman etc. (it made $75 million after everything at box office)

In the grand scheme of things WB Discovery guessed wrong. Batman is $$$. He's a money character. Even if Batgirl was just awful that movie would have done way better at box office and given Brendan Fraser's Oscar win the company is looking like absolute f'n fools right now. They had Batman and an Oscar winning actor in a role. Just mind blowing foolishness at Warner Bros Discovery.

[Maestro 216]

One article detailed (Deadline) that what killed Shazam 2 was the character seemed like an after thought in the grand scheme of the wider DC Film Universe in a way. Even with these surprise cameos they would do , the character never appeared elsewhere or built onto that 1st film. Which as the article claims shocked Warner Bros then because the film was off done by New Line and a completely different type film than what was going on in the wider Universe of films like Aquaman , Wonder Woman etc. (it made $75 million after everything at box office)

In the grand scheme of things WB Discovery guessed wrong. Batman is $$$. He's a money character. Even if Batgirl was just awful that movie would have done way better at box office and given Brendan Fraser's Oscar win the company is looking like absolute f'n fools right now. They had Batman and an Oscar winning actor in a role. Just mind blowing foolishness at Warner Bros Discovery.

WB: Let's accounce the fact Flash will make the Shazam film irrelevant.

[regnak]

If not for this board I would not even have known Shazam 2 was out. Marketing matters. Of course since the local AMC closed over a year ago I am not sure about a 25 mile ride to the next theater.

[SUPERECWFAN1]

WB: Let's accounce the fact Flash will make the Shazam film irrelevant.

That and they could have weeks/months ago made an announcement that Shazam would have a place in post DCU reboot films. Like at least say , were gonna have him appear at some point in chapter 1 of Gods & Monsters to help the box office here. (by appearing a post credits scene or something to entice viewers to see the character)

[kingaliencracker]

One article detailed (Deadline) that what killed Shazam 2 was the character seemed like an after thought in the grand scheme of the wider DC Film Universe in a way. Even with these surprise cameos they would do , the character never appeared elsewhere or built onto that 1st film. Which as the article claims shocked Warner Bros then because the film was off done by New Line and a completely different type film than what was going on in the wider Universe of films like Aquaman , Wonder Woman etc. (it made $75 million after everything at box office)

In the grand scheme of things WB Discovery guessed wrong. Batman is $$$. He's a money character. Even if Batgirl was just awful that movie would have done way better at box office and given Brendan Fraser's Oscar win the company is looking like absolute f'n fools right now. They had Batman and an Oscar winning actor in a role. Just mind blowing foolishness at Warner Bros Discovery.

If we're being honest, had the first Shazam not been made with a relatively miniscule budget, its box office would not have justified a sequel. I think someone from the prior regime really believed in the property to green light the sequel, but WB as a whole clearly didn't feel the same way, hence why they made no effort to do anything else with the franchise - not even an animated feature. It almost feels like they were obligated to do the sequel, which may explain why it took 4 years (2 years too late IMO) to get it in theaters.

It's a shame really. I love Captain Marvel/Shazam and think both movies were really good. But I probably won't see another live action Shazam movie made in my lifetime.

[SUPERECWFAN1]

If we're being honest, had the first Shazam not been made with a relatively miniscule budget, its box office would not have justified a sequel. I think someone from the prior regime really believed in the property to green light the sequel, but WB as a whole clearly didn't feel the same way, hence why they made no effort to do anything else with the franchise - not even an animated feature. It almost feels like they were obligated to do the sequel, which may explain why it took 4 years (2 years too late IMO) to get it in theaters.

It's a shame really. I love Captain Marvel/Shazam and think both movies were really good. But I probably won't see another live action Shazam movie made in my lifetime.

We have to remember the Covid 19 deal caused the film to be delayed as well as problems behind the scenes with WB Discovery. The movie was moved around in 2022 as it was planned to be released then and due to WB Discovery having issues with money and promotion , moved it finally to 2023. In all ....the film had nothing got in the way likely would have came out in 2021 or early 2022. But behind the scenes issues killed it.


The 1st films budget was $90-100 million. The 2nd films budget was $125 million. So its not like WB Discovery threw a huge production budget into the 2nd film.

[Jokerz79]

With the exception of No Way Home, all of the Marvel movies released post-Covid have underperformed at the box office and Marvel has had its worst critical scores in that same span. I haven't even mentioned DC, who outside Joker and The Batman haven't had a hit since Aquaman.

There is definitely fatigue settling in. That's not to say they can't recover or that one big hit won't put things back on track. But I think it's clear with statements made by Disney that even they acknowledge they may have saturated the market.

The Phase 4 underperforming is a huge Myth IMO.

Black Widow, Shang-Chi, and Eternals were released while Covid-19 protocols were in place in areas. Black Widow also had a Disney+ same day release and made 60 million in pure profit from it not sharing with theaters while Eternals has been the MCU most watched movie on D+.

While Multiverse of Madness made close to 956 million dollars, Wakanda Forever almost 878 million, and Love and Thunder made 760 million just 10 million less than the Batman. Quantumania is the only one to seem to truly underperform because the 2021 films had obstacles that were beyond their controls.

in 2019 9 movies did over a billion dollars in 2020 none, 2021 one No Way Home and in 2022 3 Avatar 2, Top Gun Maverick, & Jurassic World Dominion. This year none so far but ironically the highest grossing film released this year so far is Quantumania.

This is less Superhero fatigue but the ripple effects of the Pandemic which will be felt probably for a few more years. The way this might affect the Superhero genre is due to their budgets Studios might want to release less of them and concentrate on lower budget films where lower box offices bring in higher profits.

[Wildling]

Both shazam 2 and megan hit china--and both are duds there!

To be fair to M3gan, China is not known as a horror market (a lot of stuff wouldn't get past censors in the first place) and M3gan was released there after it was already available on streaming/VOD so it was left wide open to piracy. I also heard it was not really marketed/non-existent in social media. It makes sense, from Universal's perspective, they wouldn't substantially spend any more on a movie that already made them more than enough money to announce a sequel. Maybe if it had been released same date, but M3gan came out when IIRC China was still not even authorizing Marvel releases. The fact Shazam's sequel, which you would think would be the more mainstream option, only did around 3 times what M3gan did while being same date released probably says more about the current state of that market for most Hollywood movies/franchises. Even Universal's own latest Minions movie only did half of what the previous one did in China.

M3gan having a debut similar enough to Happy Death Day (also from Universal's Blumhouse) all of 5 years ago seems decent enough to me.

[CliffHanger2]

WB: Let's accounce the fact Flash will make the Shazam film irrelevant.

Basically, and it didn't help he looked goofy af. Can't even fly right in the second movie. I can watch Greatest American Hero on dvd.

[SUPERECWFAN1]

China is a weird country for the fact that Black Adam would have been helped by a release there months ago. But rejected due to any film having a demon or something near that will not be released.

[krazijoe]

In the grand scheme of things WB Discovery guessed wrong. Batman is $$$. He's a money character. Even if Batgirl was just awful that movie would have done way better at box office and given Brendan Fraser's Oscar win the company is looking like absolute f'n fools right now. They had Batman and an Oscar winning actor in a role. Just mind blowing foolishness at Warner Bros Discovery.

Not sure how a MAX movie is going to make them millions.

[Jokerz79]

Not sure how a MAX movie is going to make them millions.

Brendan Fraser during his renaissance and awards season wins including the Oscar and Michael Keaton as Batman, Hell Flash alone is promoting the hell out of Keaton because they know it's a draw. They would have at least broken even and had none of the negative press.

[krazijoe]

Brendan Fraser during his renaissance and awards season wins including the Oscar and Michael Keaton as Batman, Hell Flash alone is promoting the hell out of Keaton because they know it's a draw. They would have at least broken even and had none of the negative press.

I don't see it. I don't see HBOMax pulling in enough new subs to make that claim.

[SUPERECWFAN1]

Not sure how a MAX movie is going to make them millions.

I don't see it. I don't see HBOMax pulling in enough new subs to make that claim.

Well once the budget exceeded $90 million it was likely going to theaters like the new Evil Dead film that was planned for HBO Max 1st or Magic Mike. Both were originally planned for the service there.

But was moved to theaters. WB Discovery didn't want to put $30 million into finishing the film with editing and $100+ million into marketing it on theater release.

Just boggles my mind how stupid you can be and not realize....Batman at theaters is money. We need a $$$ film in 2023.