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-based films after the tumultuous reception of his DC projects. However, he's back with a new film, *Until Dawn*, and he's opening up about the intense backlash he faced and what drew him back to the world of IP.

"What I loved about the script [is] that it wasn't trying to recreate the game," Sandberg shared with GamesRadar+ about the horror game-to-film adaptation. "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 IP properties can be incredibly 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 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,'" Sandberg said. He praised the writers for their innovative time loop concept, which captures the essence of the game by allowing the night to start over, much like replaying the game 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 property, but his approach aims to win over *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,'" 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 *It: Chapter Two*, and features Ella Rubin. The film is set to hit theaters on April 25, 2025.