Though he's gearing up to face off against equally-powered threats, director David F. Sandberg has explained why Shazam! Fury of the Gods isn't continuing the first DC Extended Universe movie's credits villain tease. The first film, also helmed by Sandberg, chronicled the origins of Asher Angel's Billy Batson, a young orphan searching for his mother who is gifted a slew of powers by the wizard Shazam, turning him into Zachary Levi's hero of the same name. Shazam! primarily followed Billy as he learned to control his abilities, as well as eventually contesting with the power-hungry Dr. Thaddeus Sivana, who was empowered thanks to a mystical eye and the Seven Deadly Sins.
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By the end of the film, Shazam! would successfully defeat Sivana with the help of his foster family, with whom he was able to share his powers with thanks to the wizard's staff, with Mark Strong's villain being locked up in prison for his actions. Before the DCEU movie came to a close, a post-credits scene saw Sivana struggling to re-open the door to the Rock of Eternity, only to find himself visited by a mysterious caterpillar with the ability to talk who offers to forge an alliance. With Mister Mind now a part of the DCEU thanks to Shazam!'s credits scene, many took to believing he would be the villain of the upcoming sequel, and now the director is explaining why he will be absent in Shazam! Fury of the Gods.
With half a year still remaining until the film's arrival, David F. Sandberg took to Instagram Story to answer some of fan's burning questions for Shazam! Fury of the Gods. When asked why the sequel is pitting the titular hero against the daughters of Atlas rather than continue the first DCEU movie's credits villain tease of Mister Mind, the director chalked it up to feeling his inclusion in the story would lead to an overstuffed film. See what Sandberg said below:
Though audiences were hopeful to see Mister Mind return for Shazam! Fury of the Gods, they got their first indication that he wouldn't be returning when Mark Strong himself confirmed he wouldn't be back as Sivana for the DCEU sequel. Given the villain was left powerless by the end of the first Shazam!, some did welcome his absence from the film, instead wanting to see another super-powered duel as the comic book genre has largely become known for, especially the DCEU. With Sandberg stating that Mister Mind had been considered for Shazam! Fury of the Gods' story, it seems likely that the plan was always to move towards the daughters of Atlas for the sequel instead of directly bringing Strong's character back.
In spite of this, Sandberg does seem interested in bringing back Mister Mind to the DCEU after the first movie's credits villain tease. While some are still waiting for the Shazam and Black Adam face-off, and Levi recently stated there were no talks for Shazam! 3 at the moment, one can hope that Sandberg's interest in expanding Mister Mind can be explored in a further movie. Only time will tell when Shazam! Fury of the Gods hits theaters on March 17, 2023.