Shazam Director Returns for Until Dawn After IP Movie Backlash

You might have thought you'd never see David F. Sandberg, the director behind *Shazam!* and *Shazam: Fury of the Gods*, take on another IP film or franchise. After facing significant backlash from his DC Cinematic Universe ventures, Sandberg himself was inclined to steer clear. However, his upcoming film, *Until Dawn*, is about to hit theaters, and he's now sharing insights on what drew him back to the world of IP storytelling.

"What I loved about the script [is] that it wasn't trying to recreate the game," Sandberg explained to GamesRadar+ about the adaptation of the popular horror game. "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 that fans of game IPs can be very particular about how their favorite stories are translated to the screen.

"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,'" the filmmaker reflected on his DCU experience and its aftermath.

Despite his hesitations, the compelling narrative of *Until Dawn* drew him in. "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,'" Sandberg said. He praised the writers for their innovative approach, incorporating a time loop concept that echoes the game's replayability and choice-driven gameplay. "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 challenges of pleasing all fans when adapting an IP, but his approach aims to resonate with *Until Dawn* enthusiasts. "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,'" the *Shazam* director noted. "You wouldn't be able to better the game, so you'd just be in a losing situation."

*Until Dawn* was penned by Blair Butler and Gary Dauberman, known for his work on *It: Chapter Two*, and features Ella Rubin in the cast. The film is set to premiere in theaters on April 25, 2025.