Zachary Levi is clearing claims from fans that he is being recast as Shazam! amid the DC Universe shakeup following Peter Safran and James Gunn taking over as co-heads.
A fan on Twitter claimed to be “angry” that the Chuck alum wasn’t going to be the superhero anymore as they believed “he was the perfect casting choice.” The Shazam! enthusiast also added that Levi and Gunn are “close friends.” Another Twitter user quoted the aforementioned tweet and added, “I want this not to be true because his Shazam is he ONE thing in the DCEU I would absolutely throw hands for to protect. @ZacharyLevi is perfection.”
Levi saw the previous interaction and clarified his current status at DC tweeting, “Oooh, I really wouldn’t go believing everything you see on the internet. I’m Gucci, Ash. We all Gucci.”
Levi stars in the sequel Shazam! Fury of the Gods where he reprises his role of the superhero.
Fans of the DC properties have worried about the future of their favorite actors in superhero costumes as a new era of the universe is drawn up by Gunn and Safran. After making a special cameo on Black Adam, Henry Cavill returned donning the Superman costume and teased his return to the DC Universe as the Man of Steel. However, Cavill’s return was under the previous regime and the new heads of DC have other plans for Superman that didn’t include him and confirmed that his “turn to wear the cape has passed.”
Gunn is penning a new Superman film and is casting a younger actor for the lead role.
A third installment of the Wonder Woman franchise was also recently shot down leading to Patty Jenkins exiting the DC Universe. Gal Gadot hinted about sharing Wonder Woman’s “next chapter” with fans and Gunn said the actor had not been “booted” either.
The latest shakeup at DC is that Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson will not be reprising his Black Adam role in a sequel for now as the character “will not be in their first chapter of storytelling.”