‘Shazam!’ Star Zachary Levi Isn’t Happy With Trolls Pitting His Movie Against ‘Captain Marvel’

Disney Captain Marvel (Marvel Studios’ first female-led superhero film starring Brie Larson) arrives on March 8, and Warner Bros’ Shazam! (the DCEU’s goofy, kid-turned-superhero movie starring Zachary Levi) will dance into theaters on April 5. Given that (way back in the 1940s) the later character was the first to be called “Captain Marvel,” it seems that trolls have hatched a faux rivalry between the two films and generally want to start trouble.

These are the same sexist trolls who waged fake Rotten Tomatoes reviews without watching the movie. And it doesn’t matter that early reactions are overwhelmingly positive for Brie Larson’s movie, because trolls are gonna troll. Well, Levi’s not here for the drama and is trying to shut down the fuss. In an Instagram Live video preserved by Fandom, Levi spoke his mind:

“Just because Shazam used to be called Captain Marvel way back in the day doesn’t mean that somehow Brie or Marvel’s Captain Marvel pitted against us. We’re both movies and we’re both going to be out in theaters at similar times. And the irony of that timing is really interesting, but there is no conspiracy.”

Levi also asked folks to refrain from “defamatory and completely fictitious reviews” while claiming to do so for Shazam‘s cause. He insists there’s “no competition,” and although the warring studios might privately disagree on that point, they certainly don’t appreciate the troll-ish pile-on. Yet will Levi’s efforts work? It may not matter where Captain Marvel is concerned because that movie is already soaring in advance ticket sales, but Levi’s video’s still worth soaking in and will hopefully diffuse some nerd rage.