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“Shazam! Fury of the Gods” thunders to a No. 1 opening at the box office, though the DC Comics adaptation is expected to fly in lower than its predecessor.
“Fury of the Gods” earned $11.7 million at the box office on its opening day, a figure that includes $3.4 million in its Thursday opening. That’s nearly half the $20.3 million the 2019 original earned on its first day of release, on its way to a $53 million bow. “Fury of the Gods” has a production budget of $125 million, which is $25 million higher than its predecessor.
The superhero sequel, which opens in 4,071 theaters, will likely struggle to reach a $30 million debut. With DC Studios under Peter Safran and James Gunn’s newly minted leadership, “Shazam! 2” represents something of a relic from a bygone regime for the comic book banner. While a film like “The Flash” was also conceived before Safran and Gunn’s tenure, the two CEOs have often stated their belief in the quality of the upcoming Ezra Miller film. Talk about “Shazam!” the sequel has been much quieter.
The responses are also a step down from the resounding praise that greeted the original. “Fury of the Gods” currently holds a 26% approval rating from top critics on review aggregate site Rotten Tomatoes. The film earned a “B+” rating through analytics firm Cinema Score, indicating general approval among the first round of ticket buyers, but even that is a notable step down from the first film’s “A” grade.
Starring Zachary Levi, “Shazam! Fury of the Gods” sees Billy Batson (Asher Angel) and his foster siblings use their transformative powers to take on the Atlas Daughters, who threaten to destroy the world. Rachel Zegler, Adam Brody, Lucy Liu and Helen Mirren round out the film’s cast, with David F. Sandberg returning as director.
“Scream VI” looks set to slip to second place in its second outing, projecting a 60% drop from its impressive $44 million debut. Paramount and Spyglass Media’s self-labeled slasher “requel” looks set to earn $18 million this weekend, boosting its domestic total to a substantial $76.5 million. “Scream VI” continues to outperform its 2022 predecessor, which ended its theatrical run with $81 million in North America.
More on the way…