Rumor: Lights Out director David F. Sandberg in talks to helm Shazam!

Last Updated on July 31, 2021

Though the DCEU is having a bit of bad luck with losing BATMAN directors left and right, a little bit of sunshine has just peaked through their rain cloud. That little ray comes in the form of David F. Sandberg, who is rumored to be in talks to take the gig to bring the mighty SHAZAM! to the big screen.

The Wrap reported that the LIGHTS OUT director is in talks to helm the superhero epic for New Line, which is also where he is working on sequels to ANNABELLE and LIGHTS OUT. SHAZAM! would mark the directors first foray into any sort of massive-budget filmmaking.

So far the movie is being written by EARTH TO ECHO scribe, Henry Gayden. If the rumor proves true, getting the director would be a big step forward for the SHAZAM! movie, which we also thought was going to feature Black Adam (Dwayne Johnson) as the villain, until we learned that both characters would instead be getting their own movie.

LIGHTS OUT was a fun little horror movie, and though we haven’t seen footage for ANNABELLE 2 outside of last year’s teaser, we do know the movie was pushed back from its May slot to August 11. The teaser gave me reason to think it could be better than the first, given its secluded-looking setting. Scott Derrickson was primarily from the world of horror before helming DOCTOR STRANGE, and that worked out well, so I have no reason to think Sandberg couldn’t achieve the same success. I mean, it has to get depressing working in the dark all the time. They're probably just excited to shoot something in sunlight.

ANNABELLE 2 arrives August 11, and SHAZAM! is currently set for April 2019.