Fandoms in superhero universe can be brutal, as director David F Sandberg discovered a couple of years ago. The filmmaker recently revealed that he received death threats from fans after the release of his 2023 film, Shazam! Fury of the Gods. (Also read: Biggest box office bomb of 2024 lost $200 million, was beaten by $2 million indie film, director froze studio out)
David Sandberg on death threats
In an interview with GamesRadar, Sandberg candidly discussed his experience working on the Shazam! sequel and how it has now prevented him from seeking out IP-based projects. The director, known for films like Lights Out, said, “Fans can get very, very crazy and very angry with you. You can get, like, death threats and everything. So, after Shazam 2, I was like, ‘I never wanna do another IP-based movie because it’s just not worth it’.”
About Shazam! Fury of the Gods
Shazam! Fury of the Gods was a sequel to the 2019 DC hit Shazam! Starring Zachary Levi, Asher Angel, Grace Caroline Currey, Jack Dylan Grazer, Rachel Zegler, Adam Brody, Ross Butler, Meagan Good, Lucy Liu, Djimon Hounsou, and Helen Mirren, the film focused on the titular superhero’s fight against the Daughters of Atlas.
The film was a critical and commercial failure. It received unfavourable reviews and holds an adverse 49% approval rating on Rotten Tomatoes. At the box office, it grossed only $134 million worldwide, way below its estimated break-even point.
David Sandberg’s new film, Until Dawn
After the sour experience with Shazam, director Sandberg landed on the script of his upcoming movie Until Dawn, which he believes to be a “so good” script to pass.
Based on a video game of the same name, the movie stars actors Ella Rubin and Michael Cimino in the lead roles. It is currently in the theatres.
