Zachary Levi starrer Shazam! Fury of the Gods is just a few weeks away from release. And it looks like the film’s lead star is getting worried about his future under James Gunn’s DCU. Earlier, the American actor shared that although he doesn’t know the co-CEO’s plans for his future in the DCU, he believes it will be really cool. However, as the film’s release draws closer, his confidence seems to be faltering.
Rumors have been going on that that Levi could be the next DC star to be fired by the co-CEO. In his recent interview with Comicbook, the Shazam star urged James Gunn and Peter Safran to keep his DC character and the franchise alive.
Zachary Levi Wants Shazam to Continue Under New DCU
Following James Gunn and Peter Safran’s takeover of DC Studios, things have been pretty uncertain for DC stars. And with stars like Henry Cavill already out of the new DCU, people don’t have high hopes for the remaining DC actors as well. Similar rumors have also been going around about the Shazam star’s future under the new DCU.
During his recent interview with Comicbook, Zachary Levi once again talked about his future in DCU prior to the upcoming sequel of the 2019 film. He called James Gunn’s plan “kind of a rolling reset” as he shared that there were a lot of things that were already “kind of well” even before the new co-CEOs took over the cinematic universe.
The Chuck star also shared that he feels Shazam could be one of those characters in the new DCU. He claimed that Shazam needs to be in the DCU even if the makers have to “rejigger the role and there’s another actor or whatever.”
“The character is great. The character needs to keep going but other than that, I don’t know how it’s all gonna come together. I’m just taking it a day at a time, trusting a day at a time, one step in front of the other, and trying to work on me to be the best me.”
Levi believes that whatever James Gunn and Peter Safran have in mind would bring out the best for DCU and would also be the best for his character.
James Gunn Suggested Zachary Levi for Shazam!
During his recent interview, Zachary Levi also talked about his years-long friendship with the co-CEOs of DC Studios. He shared that he has known James Gunn for years, and Peter Safran has been the producer of his DC feature.
“We have mutual friends, and we’ve had game nights together in LA. I’ve been at a Christmas party of [James Gunn],” he shared. The Heroes Reborn star further claimed that he was almost cast as Star-Lord in Gunn’s Guardians of the Galaxy, and the American filmmaker was the one who suggested him for the role.
Zachary Levi claimed that when Safran asked Gunn about casting him as lead in Shazam!, the Suicide Squad director said, “Yes, go get that guy he could really go, crush that.” The statement seems to question that if DC Studios’ co-CEO suggested him for Shazam, why he would recast the character?
James Gunn has also said that Shazam has always been “kind of in his own part of the DCU, so he connects very well.” However, nothing is confirmed yet about Shazam or Zachary Levi’s future in the new DCU. The upcoming sequel for the 2019 film could be the second and the very last film featuring Levi as Shazam.
Shazam! Fury of the Gods is set to release on March 17, 2023.
Source: Comicbook
