‘Aquaman 2′,’Shazam! 2’ delayed again? Director reveals main reason why

The sequels to DC films “Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom” and “Shazam! Fury of the Gods” will reportedly be delayed a second time, according to Warner Bros. Discovery.

The recently merged company has been dogged by controversy, including the abrupt cancellation of “Batgirl,” the layoff of approximately 70 employees, and a slew of other project cancellations. It’s no surprise that the corporate strategy shift has an impact on DC films like “Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom” and “Shazam! Fury of the Gods.”

In a tweet addressing the new release dates for the DC Extended Universe films, “Shazam!” director David Sandberg confirms the delayed rumors. The decision, according to the director, was a strategic shift because James Cameron’s “Avatar: The Way of Water” will also be released this Christmas.

The sequel to “Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom” will be delayed nine months, from March to December 25, 2023, while “Shazam! Fury of the Gods” will be delayed three months, from December to March 17, 2023. Director Sandberg, who was also actively responding to tweets on the thread, stated that “Shazam! Fury of the Gods” is nearly finished with production.

Fans are probably pretending to be surprised by the delay announcement for “Aquaman” and “Shazam!” at this point. The sequel to “The Batman,” starring Robert Pattinson, was recently reportedly delayed as well.

Following the recent merger of Warner Bros and Discovery, the DC Films timeline is reportedly being redesigned in a ten-year plan centered on blockbuster films, similar to what Disney did after purchasing the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

Warner Bros Discovery CEO David Zaslav explained:

“We have done a reset. We’ve structured the business. There will be a team with a 10-year plan focusing just on DC.”

Despite the numerous delays, fans are still excited to see Jason Momoa’s return in “Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom,” in which he will reportedly be joined by Ben Affleck as Batman. Zachary Levi, Lucy Liu, and Helen Mirren will star in “Shazam! Fury of the Gods.”