As a fan who has watched Zachary Levi’s career unfold over the years, it’s hard not to feel a twinge of sympathy for the man. He seemed destined for greatness after his stint on Chuck, and many of us hoped he would find that elusive “one big role” in Shazam!. Alas, it seems that fate had other plans.
As a movie enthusiast, I have always dreamed of witnessing an actor grab that one transformative role that skyrockets them into cinematic greatness. For Zachary Levi, known for his charming portrayal of Chuck Bartowski on the beloved series “Chuck”, it was hoped that moment would come with the lead role in “Shazam!”. After making appearances in Marvel’s “Thor: The Dark World” and “Thor: Ragnarok”, it seemed he was on the path to bigger things. However, despite the success of “Shazam!”, Levi didn’t quite reach the stratospheric heights one might associate with a character like Captain America himself.
As reported by The Hollywood Reporter, the article delves into the actor’s recent support for Donald Trump as President and sheds light on aspects of Levi’s career and his ambition to thrive in Hollywood’s elite circle. Landing the lead role in Shazam!, Levi believed it could open significant opportunities, such as joining the Justice League. Regrettably, that didn’t materialize. A source talking to the trade stated:
For him, getting the role of Shazam was like a dream come true, believing it would be his path towards becoming someone like Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson or Chris Evans. However, things didn’t work out as he hoped, and he’s now left with feelings of resentment about the situation.
As a movie critic, I can confidently say that “Shazam!” was undeniably one of the shining stars in the DC Extended Universe when it graced our screens in 2019, earning praise alongside the legendary “Wonder Woman.” With an impressive 90% rating on Rotten Tomatoes, a feat rarely achieved by DCEU productions, and a global box office haul of $368 million against a budget of just $100 million, this film certainly left its mark. However, despite the success that ensured a sequel (which duly arrived), a series of factors seemed to derail Zachary Levi’s journey towards A-list status.
Scrapping the DCEU Changed Things for Zachary Levi & Shazam!
In contrast to Dwayne Johnson’s Black Adam, which underperformed despite a stronger star than Levi, the sequel to Shazam! Fury of the Gods was released. Given that these two films belong to the DCEU and have connections, the opportunity arose for bringing together these characters, potentially welcoming back Henry Cavill as Superman. Yet, it seems Johnson had different intentions. Initially, there were reports suggesting that Johnson desired to maintain distance between these characters, focusing on establishing Black Adam as its own entity while also serving as the catalyst for Cavill’s return to the DCEU.
It was clear that Levi had some strong feelings regarding this matter since he posted an article on his Instagram story which explained how Johnson vetoed the idea of Levi appearing in the film, and accompanied it with a caption saying, “‘The truth will set you free,’” followed by an upside-down smiley face emoji.
It seems that even Johnson couldn’t resolve the structure of the DCEU completely, as many of the initial plans, such as Cavill’s reprisal as Superman, were canceled upon the appointment of James Gunn and Peter Safran as co-CEOs for the newly established DC Studios. This revelation occurred during Levi’s preparations for the release of the sequel, Shazam! Fury of the Gods, which significantly affected the film’s marketing. With the unveiling of Gunn and Safran’s vision for the new DCU, fans started questioning if any remaining DCEU releases would hold significance. The uncertainty may have contributed to the modest box office earnings of the Shazam! sequel, which grossed $134 million worldwide on a reported budget of $125 million, effectively making it a financial flop. Critical reception was also disappointing, with the film receiving only 49% on Rotten Tomatoes, effectively ending Levi’s prospects for cinematic superhero dominance.
Apart from his recent blockbuster movies based on comics, Levi also starred in another box office flop, “Harold and the Purple Crayon,” which was panned by critics and earned just $29.2 million globally against a budget of $40 million. This pattern has emerged in his career, with the actor admitting at a recent Trump rally that backing the former President to regain the presidency could be detrimental to his future employment prospects in “extremely liberal” Hollywood, as he described it. While Levi is entitled to endorse any candidate, it appears he has strayed far from the beloved character he portrayed on “Chuck” for a considerable period now.
Read More
Sorry. No data so far.
2024-10-11 17:01