In an interview with Newsweek, producer Dany Garcia confirmed that the upcoming Shazam film starring Dwayne johnson will in fact be a part of the DC Cinematic Universe, despite the difference in tone between it and films like Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice and Wonder Woman.
“Shazam! is to live in the same world [as the other films] but we have incredible autonomy over this brand and franchise. We are working with a different team, different producers, directors… it’s a different set-up. We don’t feel fettered by, or constrained by, the successes or failures and challenges of the other projects. That was a key component to our participation—that we be able to control the tone and the voice, and do it the way we want to.”
Garcia discussed the film’s relationship to the rest of the DC films:
“It needs to be of the world. You’ve got Justice League, Wonder Woman with a different director, so you’re going to see different points of view. I think by the time we land with Shazam! we’ll fit nicely within the world that’s been created, but not such a shorthand relationship. It’ll be enough that people say, ‘Oh, this is within the family,’ but the culture will be a little different.”
He had this to say about the progress of the project:
“We’re getting [script] drafts in… it’s important to make sure we get the tone right for Black Adam, which is Dwayne’s part. We don’t mind taking our time. We’re being very careful with each act and scene to go back and layer in as much as possible.”