Shazam Director Returns for Until Dawn After IP Movie Backlash

You might have thought that David F. Sandberg, the director behind *Shazam!* and *Shazam: Fury of the Gods*, would steer clear of IP films after the intense backlash he faced. Yet, here he is, ready to unveil his latest project, *Until Dawn*, in theaters soon. Reflecting on the tumultuous reception of his DC Cinematic Universe entries, Sandberg shared with GamesRadar+ what drew him back into the world of IP adaptations.

"What I loved about the script [is] that it wasn't trying to recreate the game," Sandberg explained about the adaptation of the beloved horror game *Until Dawn*. "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 high expectations and particular tastes of IP fans, who often have strong opinions about how their favorite stories should be brought 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,'" Sandberg admitted, reflecting on his DCU experience and its aftermath.

Despite his reservations, the potential of *Until Dawn*'s story intrigued him. "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 said. Sandberg praised the writers' innovative approach, particularly the time loop concept that echoes the game's replayability and choice-driven narrative. "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 challenge of pleasing every fan when adapting an IP, but he believes his approach with *Until Dawn* is the best way to win over its fans. "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* was penned by Blair Butler and Gary Dauberman, known for his work on *It: Chapter Two*, and stars Ella Rubin. The film is set to hit theaters on April 25, 2025.