‘Shazam!': DC Superhero Battles Dr Sivana in New Footage (Video)
Umberto Gonzalez
Though mid-week numbers were somewhat lower than expected, Warner Bros./New Line’s “Shazam!” easily stayed at the top of the box office charts with a $25 million second weekend, dropping a decent 53% from its $53.5 million opening.That gives the DC blockbuster a domestic total through two weekends of just under $95 million. Depending on the performance of the horror film “The Curse of La Llorona” next weekend, “Shazam!” has a chance to stay No. 1 for one more frame before “Avengers: Endgame” takes over the box office.Also Read: 'Shazam!' Writer Henry Gayden Will Return to Write Sequel (Exclusive)As for this weekend’s new releases, two of them are on their way to become big flops. One is Lionsgate/Millennium’s “Hellboy,” which has been panned with a 15% critic score on Rotten Tomatoes and a C on CinemaScore. With such poor word of mouth, the R-rated reboot of the Dark Horse Comics hero sits third on the charts with a $12 million opening from 3,303 screens, below projections for a $17-20 million opening and against a reported $50 million budget.Also struggling is Laika’s latest stop-motion animated film, “Missing Link,” which was distributed by United Artists on 3,413 screens. Unlike “Hellboy,” this film had characteristically strong reception for a Laika film with an 88% Rotten Tomatoes score and a B+ on CinemaScore.Also Read: Inside 'Hellboy' Reboot's Fiery Shoot: Fights Over David Harbour, Cinematography and a Tree (Exclusive)The decline of stop-motion films at the box office continues, with “Missing Link” coming in as Laika’s worst opening weekend yet at $5.8 million. That is less than half of the $12.6 million opening earned by 2016’s “Kubo and the Two Strings,” which was Laika’s previous low opening. Despite an Oscar nomination, “Kubo” barely made back its $60 million budget with $69 million grossed worldwide.One new release that did do well was Universal’s “Little,” which hit tracker expectations with a $15.5 million opening from 2,667 screens. Produced by Will Packer Productions on a $20 million budget, the film received mixed review with a 50% Rotten Tomatoes score.But the film was a hit with its primarily female, African American audience, who gave it a B+ on CinemaScore. Even after the release of “Avengers,” “Little” may have a chance to leg out well as counterprogramming to the superhero blockbuster.Also Read: 'Little' Film Review: Issa Rae and Marsai Martin Bring Hilarious Chemistry to Body-Switch TaleThe fourth new release was Aviron’s romance film “After,” an adaptation of the Anna Todd romance novel of the same name. While critics panned it with a 13% Rotten Tomatoes score, it performed slightly above tracker expectations with a $6.2 million opening against a $14 million budget, sitting at No. 8 on this weekend’s charts. The film earned a B on CinemaScore.Among holdovers, Paramount’s “Pet Sematary” and Disney’s “Dumbo” each earned $9-10 million this weekend to complete the top five, with “Pet Sematary” now holding a 10-day total of just under $41 million. “Dumbo” has now grossed $267 million worldwide with a $90 million domestic total.Read original story ‘Shazam!’ Still Flies High at Box Office With $25 Million 2nd Weekend At TheWrap
Trailers for Warner Bros.’ upcoming “Shazam!” have been a lot of fun, but so far they haven’t actually shown the big red cheese in action. Until today, thanks to a new promotional clip featuring scenes of the DC superhero fighting the villain Dr. Sivana. Watch it above.
The clip is an edited-down version of footage showed off by “Shazam!” director David Sandberg and producer Peter Safran during a preview event on the Warner Bros. lot last Friday, which also included: an extended look at the Rock of Eternity scene where Billy Batson (Asher Angel) first meets the Wizard (Djimon Hounsou) and receives the power of Shazam; more scenes of Shazam (Zachary Levi) getting accustomed to his new powers with the help of his friend Freddy (Jack Dylan Grazer); Shazam’s super speed as he tries to stop a robbery; and an longer version of the grocery store scene where Shazam discovers he is bulletproof.
During the event, Sandberg and Safran also explained why Dr. Sivana (Mark Strong) was used as the main villain instead of Black Adam, another Shazam mainstay who will be portrayed by Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson in a future film.
“Sivana is kind of the oldest villain almost for Shazam,” said Sandberg. “It was always that, when I come on board, it was always Sivana. I think they sort of played with the idea of having the first movie be both Shazam and Black Adam and felt like it needs more setup than you want to spend.”
That’s true: created by Bill Parker and C. C. Beck, he debuted alongside Shazam (the called Captain Marvel) himself in “Whiz Comics” #2 (1940).
“Shazam’s origin story is big enough to merit its own film, and I think that’s really what everybody discovered early on and when you see the movie you’ll see that’s what it deserved and that’s what it got,” added Safran.
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And for those hoping rumors that Johnson’s Black Adam might show up in a “Shazam!” post-credit scene are true, stop hoping. Safran says it isn’t happening.
“Complete myth. He might have been available,” said Safran. “That’s the only thing about that statement that might be true. I don’t know if he was or not, but no. There was never a conversation with him about a post-credit sequence.”
That is not to say audiences won’t see Black Adam in a SHAZAM! sequel. Sandberg added, “You’d want to see it at some point, cause he’s a classic villain.”
“He’s a perfect adversary,” added Safran. “One would hope that eventually, you see those two on-screen together, at some point, but not going to be in this one.”
“SHAZAM!” will be released in theaters on April 5.
