David F. Sandberg Wanted to ‘Never’ Direct Another IP-Based Movie After Receiving ‘Death Threats’ For ‘Shazam! Fury of the Gods’: ‘It’s Just Not Worth It’

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Despite his upcoming theater release of the video game adaption “Until Dawn” this weekend, it’s said that director David F. Sandberg has decided not to work with intellectual properties anymore following the unfavorable reception of “Shazam! Fury of the Gods” by fans.

In a frank discussion with GamesRadar, Sandberg shared that the challenges and criticism encountered during the production of “Shazam! 2” made him hesitant towards taking on intellectual property (IP) based projects for a while.

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Sandberg openly discussed with GamesRadar how the backlash from fans during the making of “Shazam! 2” caused him to reconsider working on IP-related projects temporarily.

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In an open conversation with GamesRadar, Sandberg expressed that his experience on “Shazam! 2,” including the negativity from fans, made him momentarily wary of undertaking intellectual property (IP) projects.

In essence, fans can become extremely passionate and even furious, to the point of issuing threats of harm. Following the release of ‘Shazam 2’, Sandberg expressed that he doesn’t want to work on any more franchises as the potential backlash isn’t worth it.

Despite his disenchantment with IP following “Shazam!”, Sandberg found the script for his upcoming film, titled “Until Dawn”, too captivating to resist. “Upon receiving this script,” he said, “I felt an overwhelming urge to take on these horrors because they seemed too exciting to pass up. I’m hoping that the audience appreciates what we’re trying to achieve and enjoys it. The concept of a time loop in which the night resets was particularly appealing to me. It mirrors the gameplay experience, where you replay scenarios with different choices. I believe it perfectly encapsulates the spirit of the game.

The “Until Dawn” video game, initially released in 2015, employs a mechanic known as the “butterfly effect,” where players are compelled to make quick decisions on the spot, and these choices can significantly impact the story’s direction. In Sandberg’s cinematic adaptation of the game, this “butterfly effect” is depicted in a manner similar to the movie “Groundhog Day,” creating a time loop scenario.

Sandberg shared that one aspect he appreciated about the script was its avoidance of attempting to replicate the game. Instead, it didn’t strive to compress 10 hours into just two, or something similar. Yet, it manages to remain terrifying even with this fresh approach.

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2025-04-26 21:16