Shazam Director Avoided IP Films After Backlash, Now Tackles Until Dawn

Few expected David F. Sandberg—director of Shazam! and its sequel Fury of the Gods—to helm another franchise film after his divisive DC experience. The filmmaker himself didn't anticipate returning to IP adaptations either. Yet as his new horror film Until Dawn nears release, Sandberg reflects on the intense backlash from DC fans and why this game adaptation convinced him to revisit franchise filmmaking.

Escaping the Pressures of Major Franchises

"What drew me to this script was that it wasn't trying to recreate the game beat-for-beat," Sandberg told GamesRadar+ about adapting the beloved interactive horror title. "Condensing 10 hours into two would've been impossible. Instead, we crafted something fresh while preserving the scares." He acknowledged the challenges of satisfying dedicated fans when reimagining established properties—especially after facing extreme reactions to his DC work.

"Fans can become incredibly passionate—sometimes dangerously so," Sandberg admitted. "After Shazam 2, I swore off IP films altogether. Death threats over movies just aren't worth it." The director described weathering brutal online harassment during his time in the DC Extended Universe.

A Fresh Approach to Beloved Horror

What changed his mind? The inventive script for Until Dawn recontextualizes the game's branching narrative through a time-loop structure. "The writers brilliantly captured the game's essence—that replayability where choices matter—without rigidly copying it," Sandberg explained. "This approach lets us honor the source material while making something new."

Sandberg recognizes the impossibility of pleasing everyone. "Had we done a straight adaptation, comparisons would've destroyed us—different actors, compressed storylines," he said. "This way, we sidestep those pitfalls while delivering genuine horror thrills." The film stars rising talent Ella Rubin alongside a screenplay by It: Chapter Two's Gary Dauberman and Blair Butler.

Releasing April 25, 2025, Until Dawn represents Sandberg's bold return to franchise filmmaking—this time on his own terms. "I'm cautiously optimistic fans will embrace what we've created," he concluded. "At its core, it's about delivering atmospheric scares and honoring the game's spirit, not checking boxes."