'Shazam!': Updated Box Office Tracking Increases to $50M Opening

Shazam! is a few weeks away from making its debut, and bringing to life a whole new corner of the DC Extended Universe. And if new box office projections are any indication, it sounds like the film will be flying high.

A new report from Forbes reveals that the New Line film is currently tracking for a $50 million domestic debut, up slightly from previous projections of $40 to $45 million. As the report outlines, these projections should mean something promising for Shazam!, as the film has a much more modest budget compared to other superhero movies. Theoretically, the project would only need $230+ million at the global box office to break even, which could easily happen with the overwhelmingly positive word of mouth that the film has already gotten.

Shazam! will star Asher Angel as Billy Batson, a foster kid who is given the ability to turn into an adult superhero (played by Zachary Levi), after he is granted powers by an ancient wizard. The project, which is directed by David F. Sandberg, also stars Jack Dylan Grazer as Freddy Freeman, Mark Strong as Dr. Sivana, Grace Fulton as Mary Bromfield, and Djimon Hounsou as The Wizard.

"This is the coolest thing ever, I'm so happy that I got to do it." Levi told reporters during a recent visit to the film's set. "And being able to like literally just jumpstart my life and I'm healthier and stronger and happier than I've ever been in my life."

Early trailers and teases for Shazam! have hinted at quite a lot of DCEU references. And according to Levi, that's something that the film is proud to include in such a way.

"Our movie takes place very squarely in the DC Universe." Levi said in an interview last year. "In fact, I would argue that we're kind of the most self-aware of it because the movies that we all watch — I mean, Aquaman and Wonder Woman, Batman, Superman — they're all basically documentaries in their world. These things, these are all real events that have happened. Batman and Superman fighting, Superman saving all of Metropolis, whilst simultaneously destroying the entire city — that all really happened.

Shazam! will land in theaters on April 5th. Upcoming DC films include Joker on October 10th, Birds of Prey (and the Fantabulous Emancipation of One Harley Quinn) on February 7, 2020, Wonder Woman 1984 on June 5, 2020, The Batman on June 25, 2021, The Suicide Squad on August 6, 2021, and Aquaman 2 on December 16, 2022.