In the world of superhero filmmaking, the age-old saying of “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it” applies more than usual. It’s difficult enough to kick-start a new franchise in 2019, let alone a superhero franchise that doesn’t include Marvel Studios in its credits. However, Warner Bros. seems to have done just that with “Shazam” and the studio is ready to fast-track a sequel, with the original creative team intact.
The Wrap is reporting that writer Henry Gayden has been brought back aboard to pen the sequel to the recent film that debuted atop the box office last weekend. In addition to Gayden, though not officially announced, it’s being reported that producer Peter Safran and director David F. Sandberg are also being brought back to “Shazam 2.”
READ MORE: ‘Shazam!’ Leads The Weekend, But It’s Not Quite As Super An Opening As Most [Box Office]
Before the recent superhero film, Gayden’s biggest credit was for the screenplay for the sci-fi/fantasy film “Earth to Echo,” which didn’t exactly light up the box office in 2014. However, things seem to be looking up for the writer, as “Shazam” is a hit and his next film, “Last Human,” is set to be helmed by the creative powerhouse duo of Phil Lord and Christopher Miller.
The curious part of the next entry in the franchise is less about the idea that WB is moving forward with a sequel (that much is completely obvious and expected), but instead, about what direction the franchise moves forward with in the next entry. As we reported yesterday, Dwayne Johnson is still hyping up his “Black Adam” film, which is a spin-off of “Shazam” and tells the story of the character’s biggest villain.
Could they merge “Black Adam” (which is said to have a script but no director) with “Shazam 2,” since the latter has already earned respect among audiences? Or will they film “Black Adam” next year (as Johnson said) and then follow that with “Shazam 2” in a couple of years after that? It’s a unique situation and a bit of a privileged circumstance the studio finds itself in. Either way WB decides to go, the future of the “Shazam” franchise looks bright.
