Shazam Director Didn't Want to Make Another IP-Based Movie After 'Very, Very Crazy' Backlash to Shazam, but Returned for Until Dawn Adaptation

You might be surprised to learn that David F. Sandberg, the director behind Shazam! and Shazam: Fury of the Gods, is stepping back into the world of IP films with his upcoming movie, Until Dawn. After facing intense backlash from his previous DC Cinematic Universe projects, Sandberg initially swore off IP-based films altogether. However, the compelling script for Until Dawn changed his mind.

In an interview with GamesRadar+, Sandberg explained that what drew him to the project was its departure from simply recreating the beloved horror game. "What I loved about the script [is] that it wasn't trying to recreate the game," he said. "Trying to condense 10 hours into two, or something like that. But it is scary still, even though we're doing a new thing." He acknowledged the challenges of adapting game properties, noting how passionate fans can be about their favorite stories.

Sandberg reflected on the harsh criticism he faced after Shazam 2, saying, "I mean, to be honest, fans can get very, very crazy and very angry with you. You can get, like, death threats and everything so after Shazam 2, I was like, 'I never wanna do another IP-based movie because it's just not worth it.'" Despite this, the script for Until Dawn was too enticing to pass up. "But then I was sent this script, and I was like, 'Ah, this would be so much fun to do, to do all these kinds of horrors? I kind of have to do it, and hope that the people see what we're trying to do and like it,'" he shared. He praised the writers' innovative approach, particularly the time loop concept that echoes the game's replayable nature. "I really thought it was brilliant of the writers to come up with this time loop idea where the night starts over because then you do kind of get that feel of the game, when you're replaying it and making different choices. I think it's very much in the spirit of the game."

Sandberg understands the difficulty of pleasing every fan when adapting an IP, but he believes his approach with Until Dawn is the right one. "I think we would've gotten a lot of critique if we had tried to [recreate the game], because people would've been like, 'It's not as good. It's not the same actors, because, you know, they're older now,'" he explained. "You wouldn't be able to better the game, so you'd just be in a losing situation."

Until Dawn is penned by Blair Butler and Gary Dauberman, known for writing It: Chapter Two, and stars Ella Rubin. The film is set to hit theaters on April 25, 2025.