'Shazam!': New Behind-the-Scenes Photos
The battle between the forces of magic and science will erupt next year when Shazam! premieres in [...]
The battle between the forces of magic and science will erupt next year when Shazam! premieres in theaters, and progress is moving steadily on the new film.
A photograph posted to social media from actor Lou Lou Safran took some photos from behind the scenes of the new movie, posing with writer Henry Gayden and photographer Eric Blackmon, who is close friends with actor Zachary Levi.
The production is currently taking place in Toronto, where they're still in the midst of a snowy winter. Based on the details from the press release and the current climate of the city, we wouldn't be surprised if Shazam! borrows heavily from Geoff Johns' and Gary Franks' origin story from the New 52 Justice League comics.
Though Safran is not listed as an official cast member, she has previously worked with director David F. Sandberg before. She played Tierney in Annabelle: Creation, the spinoff of The Conjuring that told the tale of the creepy doll's origins. Sandberg directed that film before moving on to Shazam!
It should also be noted that the film is being produced by Peter Safran, who also helped with Annabelle: Creation. She might not be filming, but just visiting the set with some family.
Shazam! is shaping up to be unlike any other superhero film yet; a family affair set firmly in a shared universe. It remains to be seen if Wonder Woman or Superman will make an appearance, but the rumors seem to indicate that fans can expect a cameo at the least from one of DC's heavy hitters.
The movie has been described as a superhero version of the Tom Hanks classic Big. It's not hard to make the correlation, as the youngster Billy Batson gets granted the powers of Shazam! and becomes a fully grown superhero whenever he says the wizard's name.
He'll go up against Doctor Sivana in the new film, who will be played by Mark Strong. Sivana is a devious mastermind who hopes to harness the wizard's magical powers for his own nefarious purposes.
Sandberg, who is known for his horror films like Annabelle: Creation and Lights Out, is embarking on his first foray into the world of big budget superhero films.
We'll find out how it all turns out when Shazam! premieres in theaters on April 5th.