Following a still-swirling game of musical chairs at DCU, the internet population which has had its fill of upsetting news over the past 6 years has found a new target — Zachary Levi. The actor who portrays the DC comics superhero Shazam has become the target of trolls who are now keen to see him go, and the best way to drum up some online chatter is to generate enough rumors about his exit. However, the actor is not having any of it.
In an Instagram Live, Zachary Levi shut down the fake news and the rumor mill by fast-talking reasons why people should trust James Gunn to do his job, instead of making assumptions.
Zachary Levi Shuts Down Rumors of His Exit as DC’s Shazam
After a recent uptake in rumors about the recasting of Zachary Levi as DC superhero, Shazam, the actor has taken to social media to shut down the trolls. Via Instagram Live, Levi claimed:
“Listen, I have no idea what ultimately is going to happen to me. I think I’m in a pretty good position, I think we made a great movie, I think it’s going to do well — reasonably well, I hope so. But again, regardless of that, if they decide at some point that this is the way we gotta go — them’s the breaks, that’s how it goes. And at whatever point I finished playing the role of Shazam, I hope people enjoyed my tenure playing the role.”
James Gunn himself felt the need to clear the air about these “uproarious” rumors online a few days ago and claimed that even though DC right now is a “fractious environment”, both in terms of the franchise narrative and the occupying fandom, Gunn and Safran “can promise everything we do is done in the service of the STORY & in the service of the DC CHARACTERS we know you cherish and we have cherished our whole lives.”
So far, Henry Cavill has definitively made his exit while Ben Affleck is set to retire post-2023.
The History and Evolution of DC’s Live-Action Shazam!
In 1941, DC’s Captain Marvel aka Billy Batson aka Shazam became the first comic superhero to be adapted for television, even predating the Superman cartoons by six months. The character went on to appear later in a ’70s series starring Michael Gray and the infamous Les Tremayne. In its third run, the live-action film went on to premiere in an era when the demand for comic book movie adaptations couldn’t be higher. And as such, the Zachary Levi-starring Shazam! demands a franchise that has now fallen prey to doubt and rumors after the controversial DC shakeup.
After the blatant cancelations and erratic exits, James Gunn’s DC Studios is now regaining consciousness after spending 8 months under the knife. As the DC Universe comes to life, the comic superhero too falls under the new regime’s umbrella and is as much an integral part of the franchise as his fellow counterparts. However, after the recent outburst of Zachary Levi, there has been no comment on the matter from James Gunn or Peter Safran, leaving the rumors still open for discussion.
Shazam! Fury of the Gods premieres on March 17, 2023.
Source: Instagram | Zachary Levi
