Aquaman made a splash in the box office last December, and now WB is slowly putting focus on the release of Shazam! in April. As it turns out, the film is actually the lowest-budgeted movie ever made in the DCEU.
According to The Hollywood Reporter, Shazam! had a budget somewhere between $80 million–$90 million, meaning that it doesn't really have to make bonkers numbers in the box office to pull a profit. Before that, the cheapest film to make was Wonder Woman at $150 million; the most expensive film in the DCEU was Justice League which was said to have cost $300 million to make. Ironically, the cheapest film in the DCEU was one of the most profitable with the most expensive one earning the least.
The way it looks, DC decided to minimize the risk when they decided to make Shazam!. Shazam is admittedly one of the more obscure heroes of the DCEU, and it wouldn't be financially sound to spend too much money on a character that only a few people know. The good news is, the film looks fantastic, and Zachary Levi absolutely sells the boy-in-Superman's-body act.
After a success like Aquaman, another stumble is not what the DCEU needs. Let's hope they keep up this momentum for some time. It's kind of tiring having to watch the MCU getting all the praise. Step-up your game, DC!
Billy Batson is a streetwise 14-year-old who can magically transform into the adult superhero Shazam simply by shouting out one word. His newfound powers soon get put to the test when he squares off against the evil Dr. Thaddeus Sivana.
Shazam! hits theaters April 5.
See Also: Penguin and an Unnamed Villain Possibly Confirmed for The Batman
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