Shazam Director Returns for Until Dawn After IP Movie Backlash

You might have thought you'd never see Shazam! and Shazam: Fury of the Gods director David F. Sandberg return to helm another IP-based film or franchise—and honestly, he felt the same way. However, with his new film Until Dawn set to hit theaters, he's reflecting on the intense backlash he faced with his previous DC Cinematic Universe projects and what ultimately drew him back into the world of IP storytelling.

"What I loved about the script [is] that it wasn't trying to recreate the game," Sandberg shared with GamesRadar+ about the beloved horror game turned film. "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 emphasized that even when adapting a game, IP fans have strong opinions on 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,'" the filmmaker admitted, reflecting on his DCU experience and its aftermath.

Despite these challenges, Sandberg found the potential of the Until Dawn story irresistible. "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. "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 that it's impossible to please every fan when adapting an IP, but his approach seems tailored to capture the hearts of 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 explained. "You wouldn't be able to better the game, so you'd just be in a losing situation."

Until Dawn, penned by Blair Butler and Gary Dauberman—who is best known for writing It: Chapter Two—stars Ella Rubin. The film is slated to premiere in theaters on April 25, 2025.