Zachary Levi Reveals ‘Thwarted’ Shazam! 2 Cameo Plans, Defends James Gunn

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Zachary Levi Reveals ‘Thwarted’ Shazam! 2 Cameo Plans, Defends James Gunn

Shazam! Fury of the Gods star Zachary Levi has shed some light on the turbulence behind the Shazam! sequel’s mid-credits scene. On his Instagram profile, Levi addressed the recent reports involving Black Adam star Dwayne Johnson’s alleged meddling with Shazam! Fury of the Gods mid-credits scene.

Though Levi didn’t name Johnson himself, he did say that the scene was indeed meant to feature Hawkman and Cyclone — two characters who were part of the Justice Society of America in Black Adam. The actor then explained that the attempts to include these characters were “thwarted,” leading to the hasty inclusion of Peacemaker‘s Emilia Harcourt (played by Jennifer Holland) and John Economos (played by Steve Agee) in the JSA members’ places. This also goes against claims on social media that Gunn has been hiring Holland, who is his wife, in multiple DC projects.

“In this movie, people are slagging on James Gunn because Jennifer Holland, his wife — who is an actress who’s on a show, who was on Peacemaker and in Suicide Squad but is connected to the Jusice Society … we used Jennifer and Steve [Agee] in that mid-credits scene in Shazam,” Levi stated during an Instagram Live video. “That was not the original intent. The original intent was to have Hawkman and Cyclone be there inviting me [into the Justice Society]. Walter Hamada, Peter Safran, David Sandberg … we had an awesome scene that would have tied me into the JSA with Hawkman and with Cyclone and we were thwarted.”

Shazam! Fury of the Gods is directed by David F. Sandberg (Annabelle: Creation) from a screenplay written by Shazam! scribe Henry Gayden. It is produced by Peter Safran. The film is now available in theaters.