'Shazam' Adds Ian Chen and Jovan Armand as Two of Billy Batson's Friends

DC's upcoming Shazam! movie just added two new cast members.

Ian Chen (Fresh off the Boat) and Jovan Armand (Bella and the Bulldogs) are reportedly set to join the film, according to Deadline. Chen will be playing Eugene and Armand will be playing Pedro, both of whom are friends of Billy Batson/Shazam (Asher Angel) in his group home.

For those who are familiar with Shazam's DC Comics world, it isn't too hard to see why Eugene and Pedro are involved. Billy's childhood ensemble - of Eugene, Pedro, Freddy Freeman (Jack Dylan Grazer) and Darla Dudley - factors into the comics quite a bit. In the Flashpoint timeline (something that will factor into the DC Extended Universe very soon), the group even become superpowered members of the Marvel Family.

As of right now, it's too early to tell if the kids will just remain childhood peers of Billy, or will fully transform into their superpowered counterparts in a later film. But their presence does add another layer to Billy's world, and bring an array of misfit characters onto the screen.

The cast of Shazam! will also include Zachary Levi as Billy's adult alter-ego, Mark Strong as Dr. Sinvana, and Grace Fulton in a currently-undisclosed role. And as Shazam! director David F. Sandberg recently teased, a whole slew of casting announcements are still to come.

Justice League is now in theaters; Aquaman arrives on December 21, 2018; Shazam! on April 5, 2019; Wonder Woman 2 on November 1st, 2019; Cyborg on April 3, 2020; and Green Lantern Corps on July 24, 2020.