One of the next productions from DC Films has picked up a ton of momentum in recent weeks with filming set to begin soon, but there’s still a bit of confusion surrounding the movie Shazam!
Ever since DC Comics officially changed the character’s name from Captain Marvel, Shazam! has gone by the magic word that transforms Billy Batson into the magical superhero. In a further attempt to simplify things, the New 52 also changed the wizard Shazam, who grants Billy the power when the boy says his name, into simply The Wizard.
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Reports on the film’s recent casting news have referred to the character similarly as the Wizard, but now director David F. Sandberg chimed in with his own clarification.
Of course, Sandberg hit the nail on the head as we now know there are likely to be two characters referred to as “Shazam” in the movie; the hero formerly known as Captain Marvel, and the wizard himself.
Despite the confusion, the movie is coming together very quickly. Recent rumors have stated the production is eying Luke Cage and Mr. Robot star Ron Cephas Jones to play the wizard Shazam! He would be joining Asher Angel’s Billy Batson and Zachary Levi’s Shazam! (the superhero) in the film on the side of good, while Mark Strong was recently confirmed to be playing the movie’s villain.
Strong, in his second DC Comics-based role since playing Sinestro in Green Lantern, will be portraying the villainous Dr. Sivanna. Many people thought Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson’s Black Adam would be in the movie, but it seems like DC Films and New Line Cinema are holding off that character for his own solo project before bringing him face to face with Shazam!
And because there aren’t many other prominent Shazam! villains, except for the talking genius worm creature known as Mister Mind, it makes sense that Sivana will be the major threat in the new movie.
Shazam!’s official release date was recently confirmed, and the movie will premiere in theaters on April 5th, 2019 — just one month after Marvel’s own Captain Marvel film.
