Shazam! Fury of the Gods did not land well at the box office in its opening weekend with a paltry $30.5m domestically, according to reports.
The first instalment made $53.5 million, highlighting its sequel’s disappointing tally.
The disappointing box office result comes shortly after DC announced its plan to revamp its Cinematic Universe.
“As many of you know, DC has been disconnected in film and television for a long time,” James Gunn, who now runs the studio, said about the new direction.
But it’s not just the domestic audiences that are turning their back on Shazam! Fury of the Gods, according to Collider. The superhero sequel is falling short of projections all across the world. The film was expected to open with around $85 million globally heading into its first weekend, but as things stand, it’s looking at a $65.5 million worldwide debut.
The DC Studios film does not appear to be drawing attention to China, which has a huge box office.
According to Deadline, the Fury of the Gods grossed just $4.4 million in China over its opening weekend, far lower than initial expectations.
For comparison, 2019’s Shazam! earned approximately $30 million over its opening weekend in the region.
Forbes stated in a March 19 report that review scores are poor, adding that the original Shazam was the third highest reviewed film in the DCEU with a 90%.
“The sequel, same star, same director, is a 53%, only above the original Suicide Squad, Batman V Superman, Justice League and Black Adam itself, which had a 39%. Audience scores are better at a very solid 87% and B+ Cinemascore, but what matters most, the box office, is where the film appears to be performing the worst”.
