At this point, it wouldn’t be surprising if James Gunn retreated to the Himalayas for all time to come amidst all the incessant, vehement backlash he’s been facing.
For the past month or so, the actions of the DCU co-heads have been the subject of sharp censure from fans. But slowly and steadily, even other celebrities seem to be joining this campaign of hatred, especially those who have already worked in the superhero franchise.
In response to rumors about Shazam! star Zachary Levi being recast due to his age, the actor left a taunting remark which might just be aimed at the Peacemaker director.
Zachary Levi Leaves A Derisive Remark in Response to Rumors
James Gunn has managed to go from one of the most admired to outright despised CEOs, courtesy of his controversial managerial tactics at DC Studios.
Due to Gunn and Peter Safran’s decision to build an entirely new DCU by disintegrating the DCEU, actors like Henry Cavill and Dwayne Johnson will no longer be seen in highly anticipated sequels of Superman and Black Adam respectively.
Gunn, 56, had very clearly stated that the main reason behind recasting Henry Cavill’s Superman was the British actor’s age factor. To put it simply, they’re planning on portraying a much younger version of Clark Kent. Following this chaotic restructuring at the organization, fans became perturbed about the fate of their other favorite superhero characters and the actors playing them. And someone even pointed out how as Zachary Levi is in his ’40s, the same could happen to him as well.
A Twitter user posted a screenshot of Levi’s age, claiming that because he’s basically “a grandpa,” Gunn would probably kick him out of the DCU as well. To that, the American Underdog actor replied with a simple yet hilarious “ageist” for an answer.
Ageist. 😏 https://t.co/pZjCdQxYAO
— Zachary Levi (@ZacharyLevi) December 20, 2022
Just recently, Levi seemingly debunked rumors about his superhero character being recast. Given how Cavill packed his bags at DC to be replaced by someone younger, rumors started to bubble up that the Chuck star might just end up in a similar position. But apparently, that’s not going to happen anytime soon.
DC’s Shazam Will Hopefully Not be Recast
When a fan mentioned how they would hate to see Levi go from DC, given how impeccably he depicts Captain Marvel, aka, Shazam, the actor clarified his status at the studio. Noting how one shouldn’t “go believing everything” they come across on social media, the Remember Sunday star seems to have consoled fans as of now.
Not to mention, Levi is all set to star in Shazam! Fury of the Gods, the sequel to the 2019 action/adventure film that is soon to be released in the upcoming year. So, the future doesn’t seem to be particularly dark for Levi’s Shazam. And considering how Gunn can’t afford to upset the audience anymore, he probably won’t be recasting the actor either. Or at least that’s the hope.
Shazam! Fury of the Gods will premiere on March 17, 2023.
Source: Twitter
