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Just hours after an explosive report claims Black Adam star Dwayne Johnson vetoed a possible cameo from Shazam star Zachary Levi, the actor confirmed the report.

Levi, 42, starred in 2019’s Shazam!, which fared well but wasn’t a massive box office hit, opening to $53.5 million en route to $140.4 million domestic and $366 million worldwide from a $100 million budget and strong reviews (91% on Rotten Tomatoes).

Levi returned for the sequel Shazam! Fury of the Gods, which debuted over the weekend with a disappointing $30.1 million opening weekend and 51% on RT.

A report from The Wrap revealed that Johnson vetoed both a cameo from Levi as Shazam in Black Adam and a post-credit scene with other members of Black Adam’s Justice Society of America.

While insiders are claiming Johnson’s maneuvering to position himself and his Black Adam character at the center of the DC Universe may have had a hand in tanking both Black Adam and the Shazam franchise… Levi essentially confirmed the report in a carefully-worded Instagram story post.

Explosive: Just hours after an explosive report claims Black Adam star Dwayne Johnson vetoed a possible cameo from Shazam star Zachary Levi, the actor confirmed the report

Explosive: Just hours after an explosive report claims Black Adam star Dwayne Johnson vetoed a possible cameo from Shazam star Zachary Levi, the actor confirmed the report

Report: A report from The Wrap revealed that Johnson vetoed both a cameo from Levi as Shazam in Black Adam and a post-credit scene with other members of Black Adam's Justice Society of America

Report: A report from The Wrap revealed that Johnson vetoed both a cameo from Levi as Shazam in Black Adam and a post-credit scene with other members of Black Adam’s Justice Society of America

Levi shared an Instagram story post from Cinema Empire Arena, reporting on The Wrap report, which revealed that the original post-credit scene in Shazam! Fury of the Gods was supposed to feature characters from the JSA recruiting Shazam, and instead they brought in Peacemaker’s Emilia Harcourt (Jennifer Holland) and John Economos (Steve Agee).

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Levi shared the post – which tagged both Levi and Johnson – as the actor added his own caption at the bottom: ‘The truth shall set you free’ with an upside-down smiley face and prayer hands emoji.

The actor didn’t comment any further on the report on Instagram or on Twitter, though Shazam! Fury of the Gods director David F. Sandberg did reveal in an interview with The Hollywood Reporter, he confirmed it was supposed to be Justice Society characters, though he didn’t reveal which ones.

‘So there were supposed to be characters from (Black Adam’s) Justice Society, but that fell apart three days before we were going to roll cameras,’ Sandberg said. 

‘I was really upset because we had built that abandoned gas station set, and we could only shoot that scene in that little piece of forest,’ he added.

Johnson had been linked to the Black Adam character since as far back as 2007, and it was expected he would appear in the long-developed Shazam movie ,since they are both deeply connected in the comics.

That all changed in 2017 when it was confirmed that Black Adam and Shazam would be separate movies. 

Instead, Johnson pushed for a showdown between Black Adam and Superman (Henry Cavill), which was teased in the Black Adam post-credit scene – which then DC Films head Walter Hamada had reportedly vetoed… though Johnson went around him and got approval from Warner Bros. Film Group co-CEOs Michael De Luca and Pamela Abdy.

Separate: That all changed in 2017 when it was confirmed that Black Adam and Shazam would be separate movies

Separate: That all changed in 2017 when it was confirmed that Black Adam and Shazam would be separate movies

The post-credits scene in Shazam: Fury of the Gods was actually supposed to be in Black Adam, though when Johnson vetoed the JSA characters like Aldis Hodge’s Hawkman, they brought on Peacemaker’s Emilia and John.

Even with all of his maneuvering, Black Adam debuted with $67 million en route to a disappointing $168.1 million domestic and $392.3 million worldwide from a reported budget of $230 million.

‘By alienating the established property that his character was born out of, and refusing to integrate with other established characters, [Johnson] systematically crippled two franchises, and has harmed DC in the process,’ an insider told The Wrap.

Johnson has not yet publicly responded to the original report, or to Levi’s post at this time, though at the moment, there are no immediate plans for Johnson to be a part of the new DC Universe at all.

Just weeks after Black Adam opened in theaters – and Henry Cavill released a video revealing he will return as Superman – James Gunn and Peter Safran were brought in as the new heads of DC Films, rebranded as DC Studios. 

Gunn and Safran would go on to confirm that planned sequels for Wonder Woman, Black Adam and many more projects would not be moving forward, though there is always the possibility they could return once Gunn and Safran establish their new DC Universe.

There are still three more films from the previous DC regime to hit theaters – The Flash (June 16), Blue Beetle (August 18) and Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom (December 25).

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Gunn has since confirmed that he will be writing and directing the first movie in his slate – Superman: Legacy – slated for release on July 11, 2025. 

Hawkman: The post-credits scene in Shazam: Fury of the Gods was actually supposed to be in Black Adam, though when Johnson vetoed the JSA characters like Aldis Hodge's Hawkman (right), they brought on Peacemaker's Emilia and John

Hawkman: The post-credits scene in Shazam: Fury of the Gods was actually supposed to be in Black Adam, though when Johnson vetoed the JSA characters like Aldis Hodge’s Hawkman (right), they brought on Peacemaker’s Emilia and John

Manuevering: Even with all of his maneuvering, Black Adam debuted with $67 million en route to a disappointing $168.1 million domestic and $392.3 million worldwide from a reported budget of $230 million

Manuevering: Even with all of his maneuvering, Black Adam debuted with $67 million en route to a disappointing $168.1 million domestic and $392.3 million worldwide from a reported budget of $230 million

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