Zachary Levi Criticizes Hollywood for Making Too Much “Garbage”

[Zivouhr]

It sounds like he was frustrated with Shazam 2 not doing well in theaters, and then someone asked him to do an interview, and he forgot to think it over and just ranted. Even though the movie Shazam 2 was just okay, while he indirectly referenced how Shazam 2's trailers are better than the actual movie.

The Shazam 2 trailer was better overall IMO. The movie was mildly interesting.

[DThompson]

Originally Posted by Zivouhr

It sounds like he was frustrated with Shazam 2 not doing well in theaters

And I can't blame him for that.

He finally gets his big leading man franchise breakout with Shazam. Was well received and did decent bank. Then a sequel you're proud of bombs extremely hard and will likely be recast in the new DCU. I'd probably have a bit of a mental break too. But I'd hope my team would keep me from speaking out of term even if there's a some truth to it.

[Zivouhr]

Originally Posted by DThompson

And I can't blame him for that.

He finally gets his big leading man franchise breakout with Shazam. Was well received and did decent bank. Then a sequel you're proud of bombs extremely hard and will likely be recast in the new DCU. I'd probably have a bit of a mental break too. But I'd hope my team would keep me from speaking out of term even if there's a some truth to it.

He's human, that's true, and allowed to complain, even though he could've thought it over a bit more. Maybe say something like "making the best movie we could with what we had, but it didn't do well and now DC is rebooting everything, which is really frustrating."

I forgot this was the guy from Chuck. I still have the promotional DVD they were giving out at Circuit City one month way back when it first aired on TV. I thought it was pretty good. Something about data stored in his brain that he had access to or something along those lines.

[Kevinicus]

Originally Posted by Zivouhr

It sounds like he was frustrated with Shazam 2 not doing well in theaters, and then someone asked him to do an interview, and he forgot to think it over and just ranted. Even though the movie Shazam 2 was just okay, while he indirectly referenced how Shazam 2's trailers are better than the actual movie.

The Shazam 2 trailer was better overall IMO. The movie was mildly interesting.

I thought the Shazam 2 trailers were awful, but found the movie enjoyable, possibly better than the first.

[Zivouhr]

Originally Posted by Kevinicus

I thought the Shazam 2 trailers were awful, but found the movie enjoyable, possibly better than the first.

I liked the 2nd Shazam 2 trailer, as it was like a mini-movie, showing all the major moments in about 3 minutes, saving me a lot of time. The film is like an extension of that, but not as exciting IMO. It's not bad though, and I also liked it better than the first as I wanted to see more of the hero version of Shazam too.

I thought the kid with the disability in the film would be a much better match for Shazam's kid version than the actual kid version of Shazam, who barely had a role in Shazam 2 anyway.

[DThompson]

I love Chuck and liked both Shazams. But Zack isn't exactly a huge star and has been in some mighty stinkers. Maybe keep your opinions to yourself before you piss someone off and end up doing only Hallmark films for the rest of your life.

[bongozoid]

Chuck was a great show and I've always been curious as to why this guy hasn't been more in demand since.

I guess now I know why...

[Tony208]

he's right but he isn't exactly making quality cinema either

[Foggy]

Decent message, wrong messenger.

[Gacivory]

Originally Posted by Foggy

Decent message, wrong messenger.

Just wait in a day or two we’ll get a brand new thread to stir up the same arguments/“discussions”, when someone makes a thread of Charlie Kaufman saying about the same thing.

[RCRochester]

Originally Posted by Foggy

Decent message, wrong messenger.

How so? I mean, he's an actor, not a producer or director, so it's not like he has a lot of power when it comes to deciding what gets greenlit and what doesn't, or much say when it comes to creative control.

He's probably more acutely aware of how much garbage is being made than anybody here, or are people just getting their noses out of joint because it's only anonymous message board denizens who are allowed to say that Hollywood makes garbage?

[Foggy]

Originally Posted by RCRochester

How so? I mean, he's an actor, not a producer or director, so it's not like he has a lot of power when it comes to deciding what gets greenlit and what doesn't, or much say when it comes to creative control.

He's probably more acutely aware of how much garbage is being made than anybody here, or are people just getting their noses out of joint because it's only anonymous message board denizens who are allowed to say that Hollywood makes garbage?

Well a couple things really, most obvious one being as the leading man of a critically and commercially underwhelming blockbuster prior in the year, you can’t help but feel as a statement it feels a little spiteful combined with some of the things he has said in the wake of Shazam 2 means it’s a little hard to take seriously. But you are right, he isn’t involved creatively and he likely has more insight than me or anyone else as to the inner workings of Hollywood.

But we’re also not doing so terribly for decent films at the moment, we’re obviously in the wake of the Barbenheimer phenomenon at the moment, but beyond that we’ve had Mission: Impossible, Spider-Verse and Guardians Vol. 3 fully satisfy audience and critics in regards to Blockbuster fodder and even sleeper hits like Ninja Turtles and Talk To Me. Even two of the more underwhelming films like The Flash and Indy 5 were only really lukewarmly received outside of being out and out trashed. And that’s just the Summer season, although the upcoming weeks look a little less hopeful.

What we’re seeing at the moment is a lot of success stories behind films that feel like the creatives are in control over the execs. I know Mission: Impossible is suffering a little due to an oversaturated market in general, but in the case of Indy 5 and The Flash, they feel like films controlled by committees or pushed into existence thanks to studio execs regardless of audience demand. And I think at the heart of what Levi is really trying to say is that he’s worried that trend is likely to continue in the wake of what the strikes are attempting to combat, to retain that creative essence behind blockbusters and major films.

But I know people are just gonna dismiss it because, had Shazam 2 been a major hit, he’d be keeping his mouth shut and keeping that paycheck safe. It’s just one of those don’t throw rocks at glass houses sort of thing and I know journalists reporting it know that’s the exact reaction people will have to it, and the normal everyday people will go “that’s awful rich coming from him”. It’s nothing to do with what he said, or even if he’s allowed to say it, but at the end of the day people probably be taking it a bit more seriously had it came from Brad Pitt over Zachary Levi.

[Zivouhr]

On the subject of Garbage, there is a movie I watched recently

[Show spoiler]free on fawesome.tv

called Garbage. It's in the subtle comedy style of Napoleon Dynamite and most of it was comical and worth a watch I'd say.

About two Garbage guys (Waste Management Engineers as they refer to themselves) who find an actor's Oscar in the garbage, and it becomes a big Hollywood story for a short time. About how fleeting and shallow fame can be.

Two garbage truck drivers in Hollywood become celebrities overnight after they find a lost Oscar statuette, and suddenly their lives go topsy-turvy.
2012

Director
Phil Volken
Writer
Phil Volken

Michael Madsen is in the film for a brief scene that was kind of funny.

[kevin87]

So, his whole career apart from Chuck and Tangled? And maybe Thor but he's hardly in those (and one definitely wasn't good).

[Sawasdee1983]

Well he is right. Hollywood does definitly too much garbage, but even I loved Chuck, American Underdog and the first Shazam, with the second Shazam and Thor 2-3 he was in some really bad movies too

[RossyG]

He’s right, but it’s an archetypal Dear pot, signed the kettle.

A bit like Madonna speaking out against plastic surgery.

[Stevecribb]

I think he knows he won’t be returning as Shazam so he feels free to voice his opinions against Warner/DC.

I agree with his opinion. Hollywood churns out so much, it’s quantity over quality for a number of years now.

[Doc Samson]

I'm kind of surprised at the negative feedback from people here toward his comments. I'm pretty sure he said what 85% of members say here in any given thread everyday.

[Star Lord]

Bro was in Shazam 2 and that Crayon movie recently, can't be more garbage than that!