What better way was there for Warner Bros. Discovery to launch its all-new, all-different (or maybe all-misjudged, all-ugly, if you ask the internet) Max streaming service than by releasing the most notorious box office bomb of the year? Yes, Shazam! Fury of the Gods made its streaming debut as the platform formerly known as HBO Max launched on May 24. And one of the cast of the DC sequel had a, let’s say, unique approach to promoting it.
Rachel Zegler made her superhero movie debut in the film as Anthea, a 1000-year-old goddess who gets together with a 17-year-old (but that’s a story for another time). To announce Shazam! 2 was now streaming, Zegler took to Twitter to post a stylish selfie, as well as a New Girl joke bemoaning that “movies are pretty much all sequels” these days.
The West Side Story actress went on to explain the hidden meaning of the gag, pointing out that New Girl‘s Schmidt is played by none other than Max Greenfield. I’m guessing if it was streaming on Apple TV Plus she would’ve used a photo of Gwyneth Paltrow’s daughter?
You could argue that Zegler’s joke is even more layered going by the fact that her two biggest roles to date and her two most notable upcoming projects are either remakes or sequels. On top of West Side Story and Shazam! 2, Zegler will soon star in The Hunger Games: The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes (a title that just rolls off the tongue) and Disney’s Snow White reimagining. But, hey, don’t blame her for Hollywood’s lack of creativity; she’s just looking for work.