Shazam! Fury of the Gods will create a tradition for the franchise, continuing the first movie’s DC hero cameo, this time swapping Superman for Wonder Woman, but the way the sequel will address Diana’s appearance might make it worse than the original Shazam movie’s headless Superman scene. Shazam! Fury of the Gods can make or break the character’s future in the new DC Universe. DC Studios co-CEO James Gunn has said that Shazam inhabits a relatively separate corner of the DC Universe, making it easier for Zachary Levi to continue in the role than it was for former Superman Henry Cavill.
While it is possible that the new Shazam movie could become DCU canon, Shazam! Fury of the Gods is set to repeat the original movie’s choice of including a cameo from another hero belonging to the wider DC Universe, which, allied to the poor box office projection for the sequel, could end up muddling the franchise’s chances of continuing under the new DC. The original Shazam!‘s headless Superman cameo received its fair share of criticism for not including Cavill as the character, and Shazam! Fury of the Gods appears to be going even further in the wrong direction with its use of Wonder Woman.
Shazam 2’s Wonder Woman Cameo Explained
DC has officially confirmed through a press release that Shazam 2‘s use of Wonder Woman villains will not be the only connection to the Amazon in the film, as actress Taylor Cahill will give life to “Fake Wonder Woman” in Shazam! Fury of the Gods. The move comes amid Gal Gadot’s Wonder Woman future being up in the air, with Wonder Woman 3 being canceled at DC, and director Patty Jenkins walking away from the studio. The recently announced slate of the first projects in the new DC Universe included a Wonder Woman prequel series but no word on Diana herself, or if Gadot will continue playing her.
Gadot has been rumored for some time to have a role in the hero’s new movie, Shazam! Fury of the Gods, although the casting of a new actress to play “Fake Wonder Woman” might impact the star’s role. While the official statement by DC did not include any specifics about what the “Fake Wonder Woman” will be up to in Shazam! Fury of the Gods, a new round of rumors has emerged after the movie’s press screenings, which might explain the character’s role in the movie. According to the rumors, Cahill will be playing Wonder Woman in a date happening in Billy Batson’s imagination.
Why Shazam 2’s Wonder Woman Cameo Is Worse Than The First Movie’s Superman One
Shazam! ended with a cameo from a headless Superman, which did not feature Cavill, as the 2019 movie entered production while the actor’s status at DC was not clearly defined, following the underperformance of 2017’s Justice League. No Wonder Woman 3 complicates Gadot’s DCU future, putting the actress in a delicate place after her movie’s cancelation. Shazam 2‘s “Fake Wonder Woman” cameo is worse than the first movie’s Superman one, due to Gadot being at a worse place now — with her franchise seeing a trilogy finale canceled, and losing its director — than Cavill was then. Shazam! Fury of the Gods not including Gadot would be telling of her future.