Shazam 2 had a really rough journey after it debuted early this year only to tumble and plummet to the lowest opening spot of any theatrical DC film. Its final run was not the most disappointing though, after the trailer revealed everything that could be spoiled in the movie.
Before Zachary Levi’s ill-fated project, there was Zack Snyder’s Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice. The trailer showed every crucial scene from the entire movie and literally gave away the most exciting parts, including the Trinity and the final battle.
2016’s Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice Spoiled All Critical Points In One Trailer
In a Twitter thread showing a trip down memory lane in the history of DC live-action projects, a user recalled to fans how the second trailer of Zack Snyder’s Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice received so much criticism. Check out the post below:
December 2, 2015: The second trailer for BvS is released to widespread criticism.
Many fans, as well as well-known news outlets, criticized the trailer for spoiling major plot points of the film, the final battle and The Trinity finally forming. pic.twitter.com/M1PSf0ssVO
— The Moonlight Warrior 🌙 (@BlackMajikMan90) December 30, 2023
If fans watched all of the trailers, TV spots, and pieces of footage from the movie, it’s easy to figure out the whole story. There was nothing left to wonder or speculate. The trailer showed Superman versus Doomsday, meaning there was more to life than Batman and Superman brawling. Not only that, but they also revealed that Lex Luthor was the one pulling the strings.
Fans hoped that they would only see a glimpse of Gal Gadot’s Wonder Woman just to keep the excitement regulated, but Warner Bros still decided to go all out and show her iconic entrance.
Like Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, Shazam! Fury of the Gods also followed the same mistake and released all the horses in one trailer. Fans had a similar reaction where they felt they saw the entire movie prematurely.
Perhaps James Gunn’s plan to revamp the old franchise had something to do with Warner Bros feeling compelled to overcompensate. Also, the failure of Black Adam would have affected Shazam 2’s performance had they not shown all that they had in store for fans.
Shazam 2 Still Failed Even After Giving Everything Away In The Trailer
Despite the marketing and voluntarily spoiling everything in the trailer, Shazam 2 underperformed with only a dismal $30.5 million in domestic ticket sales. The movie cost $125 million to make, and its worldwide total of $133.8 million at the end of its run just cemented it as a major box office flop.
Most critics commented that the sequel lost the charm that the first installment showed to the audience, and the unsatisfactory plot paired with the lack of character development only made it even more unbearable to watch.
It has not been a good year for DC movies, as evident in the streak of failed projects over the past few years. Hopefully, under James Gunn’s new legacy, the movie franchise will find a way to build up its heroes and villains again.
