If you didn’t know, Warner Bros. is already hard at work on a new piece of the DC Extended Universe. After the lackluster reception of Justice League, the franchise hopes to revive itself with Shazam! as the film is slated to drop next year. Not long ago, two of the movie’s stars went live on its set to speak with fans, and they took a moment to explain why the film is so unique.
So, here’s a hint: it all comes down to its pint-sized lead.
Videos by ComicBook.com
Recently, Entertainment Weekly set up a livestream from the set of Shazam!, and the event put Zachary Levi and Asher Angel in front of fans. The two answered pre-selected questions from viewers, and it was there the two actors revealed the unique points of their superhero film.
“It is a family movie,” Angel said before stressing Shazam! will give fans some serious Superman vibes. “I think him and Superman have a lot in common. He can basically do everything Superman can do.”
As for Levi, the star said the biggest difference between Shazam! and other films has to do with its dual leads. “It is you in me,” the actor laughed. “It’s a fourteen-year-old kid. You’re the Earth’s Mightiest Mortal.”
Of course, Levi does have a point with his statement. When you look at the current array of superhero films, you aren’t seeing many big-name icons out who are as young as Billy Batson, the boy who gains the ability to transform into Shazam. Last year, Marvel Studios made headway on such a trend when Peter Parker joined the Marvel Cinematic Universe, but the DCEU hasn’t come close to hitting Batson’s age range until now. The closest the franchise has gotten is with the Flash and Cyborg, but their theatrical debuts had less to do with their youth and more to do with parademons. If Shazam! leans into the unique situation its teen hero faces, it would be unlike anything the DCEU has rolled out, and fans are eager to see whether the film’s lighter tone can breath new life into the film universe.
Will you be seeing this DCEU feature once it hits? Let me know in the comments or hit me up on Twitter @MeganPetersCB to talk all things comics, k-pop, and anime!
Shazam! is directed by David F. Sandberg from a screenplay by Henry Gayden and Darren Lemke and stars Zachary Levi as Shazam, Asher Angel as the young Billy Batson, and Mark Strong as Dr. Sivana. The film also stars Grace Fulton, Jack Dylan Grazer, Ian Chen, Jovan Armand, Faithe Herman, and Ron Cephas Jones. Shazam! opens in theaters April 5, 2019.
