A new report says Zachary Levi’s Shazam was originally supposed to be part of Black Adam until Dwayne Johnson vetoed the superhero’s inclusion.
This article contains minor spoilers about Shazam! Fury of the Gods, currently playing in cinemas.
Black Adam star Dwayne Johnson has reportedly vetoed the use of Zachary Levi’s Shazam in one of the film’s 2022 post-credits scenes.
According to The Wrap Two top Hollywood insiders have revealed that Johnson privately vetoed a planned post-credits sequence in Black Adam, that would have had Hawkman (Aldis Hodge) along with the rest of the Justice Society offer Levi’s Shazam his place on the superhero team. Though it was removed from the 2022 movie, the scene was later used in the scene that ended in mid-credits in Shazam! Fury of the Gods. Instead of the Justice Society, Peacemaker characters Emilia Harcourt and John Economos were seen trying to recruit Billy into the Justice Society on behalf of Amanda Waller.
Per The Hollywood Reporter, Shazam! The Wrap reported that Fury of the Gods’ star Zachary Levi responded via Instagram to the news report. On the 21st of March, Levi shared a post that referenced the report and wrote in the caption: “The truth shall set you free.” Official confirmation of the initial report regarding Johnson’s involvement in the Fury of the Gods post-credits scene is not yet available.
Related: Black Adam Seems to Have Retconned Major Shazam! Plot Point
The Wrap‘s insiders have also said that Johnson’s indifference to Black Adam’s connection to Shazam! could have been a factor in Fury of the Gods being a disappointment at the box office. They claimed that Johnson did plenty of work to undermine the Shazam! franchise in public, mostly through teasing a future clash between Superman and Black Adam despite the latter being Shazam’s archnemesis. Johnson was adamant about Black Adam‘s mid-credits scene, where the character’s antagonist confronted Superman. Henry Cavill played the last part.
Black Adam Is Not Part of James Gunn’s Original DCU Plans
Johnson repeatedly expressed that he would like to see Black Adam’s DC Universe journey culminate with the creation of a Black Adam vs. Superman film. However, following James Gunn and Peter Safran’s appointment as co-CEOs of DC Studios, Johnson shared that the future DCU plans that involved Black Adam had been put in limbo in the meantime Gunn and Safran crafted their 10-year vision of the universe that they share. Johnson revealed that he’d spoken to James Gunn, and Black Adam will not be included in their first chapter. “However DC and Seven Bucks have made arrangements to explore the most beneficial method Black Adam can be used in the future DC multiverse stories.”
Related: Dwayne Johnson Angered WB Execs by Going Over Their Heads to the CEO
What does the future hold for Shazam?
Shazam! With Shazam! While nothing has been said at this time about the cast continuing in Gunn’s rebooted timeline, Levi previously stated that an impressive performance at the box office would demonstrate to DC Studios that there is still curiosity about the Shazam family. Unfortunately, Fury of the Gods has so far underperformed at the box office and has been a lot less successful than the $53.5 million Shazam!, its predecessor. Shazam!, opened in the year 2019. With the release of The Flash scheduled to revive the shared universe’s timeline, fans may have seen the final of Levi’s Shazam in the DCU.
Black Adam can be streamed on HBO Max and Shazam! Fury of the Gods is currently showing in theaters.