'Shazam' Director Describes 'Golden Age Vibe' of Costume

The first photo of Zachary Levi's Shazam costume has gotten fans buzzing about this upcoming DC Films blockbuster, and thanks to a new interview, we have even more insight into the choice for Shazam's costume design!

Speaking with EW, Shazam director David F. Sandberg revealed that he was inspired by the older depictions of the character, and wanted that aesthetic to help inspire the overall tone of the film:

"I wanted to keep the shorter cape as a throwback to the original... It makes him feel a bit more Golden Age superhero, which is the vibe I'm going for."

That quote is going to be good news to DC Comics fans who haven't been fans of the DC Films Universe that Zack Snyder built with this Man of Steel and Batman v Superman films. The general consensus from that (sizable) sector of the fandom is that the films, have been too dark and brooding and simply not all that much fun - which is exactly the opposite of what they expect from the DC Universe.

However, any fan of DC Comics from the past decade will recognize that while there are definitely throwback elements to this Shazam costume, Sanders and his team also included quite a few nods to the "New 52" 2011 reboot costume, with the big lightning insignia, a hooded cape, and golden gauntlets from the animated universe. So if anything, this Shazam is a composite of the old and the new. Of course, the era of the costume doesn't seem to be of as much concern as the look of the muscle-padding, as compared to other DC movie heroes.

As EW notes, Shazam and its DC Films predecessor Aquaman mark an unofficial "second phase" of the cinematic universe. This post-Justice League era has seen a lot of behind-the-scenes shakeups at Warner Bros. and DC Entertainment, while the next line of films is supposedly going to maneuver closer to traditional brand expectations, while also offering more standalone features, and fewer crossovers.

Shazam! is directed by David F. Sandberg and stars Zachary Levi (Shazam), Mark Strong (Dr. Thaddeus Sivana), Djimon Hounsou (The Wizard), Jack Dylan Grazer (Freddy Freeman), Asher Angel (Billy Batson), Grace Fulton (Mary Bromfield), Ross Butler, Adam Brody, and Michelle Borth.

Synopsis: "We all have a superhero inside us, it just takes a bit of magic to bring it out. In Billy Batson's (Angel) case, by shouting out one word—SHAZAM!—this streetwise 14-year-old foster kid can turn into the adult Super Hero Shazam (Levi), courtesy of an ancient wizard. Still a kid at heart—inside a ripped, godlike body—Shazam revels in this adult version of himself by doing what any teen would do with superpowers: have fun with them! Can he fly? Does he have X-ray vision? Can he shoot lightning out of his hands? Can he skip his social studies test? Shazam sets out to test the limits of his abilities with the joyful recklessness of a child. But he'll need to master these powers quickly in order to fight the deadly forces of evil controlled by Dr. Thaddeus Sivana (Strong)."

Next up for DC is Aquaman, which lands in theaters on December 21st. Shazam! is slated to hit theaters on April 5, 2019, while Wonder Woman 2 hits theaters on November 1 2019.