‘Shazam!’: Zachary Levi Says Billy Batson Isn’t a Superhero Fan

Though Batman, Superman, and other DC Comics heroes have a presence in Shazam!, the film’s main character of Billy Batson apparently is not a fan of super heroes.

While visiting the set of the Shazam! movie, ComicBook.com talked with Shazam actor Zachary Levi. Levi knows the character better than most, so it might be surprising for him to make a claim of Batson not being a fan of super heroes given trailers showing off super hero memorabilia surrounding the kid.

“Oddly enough Billy isn’t a big superhero aficionado,” Levi said. “Billy’s been so obsessed with trying to find his parents, trying to find his family, and he’s lived on the street quite a few times in between all of that. I don’t think — you know, to him, like Superman — that stuff is going on but he’s not caring so much about that.”

The characteristic of not being tremendously interested in the world’s events with super heroes seem consistent with Warner Bros. taking on a new angle with DC Comics movies. Going forward following the success of Aquaman, the studio is focused on standalone outings for the heroes rather than aiming for ensembles or team ups.

Shazam! director David F. Sandberg echoed a similar sentiment during ComicBook.com’s visit to the set.

“Well this movie’s mostly just about introducing Billy Batson and Shazam and who he is, how he came to be,” Sandberg told Comicbook.com on the film’s set. “It takes place in this DC world where all these heroes exist, but in some ways it’s both sort of self contained while also being a part of something bigger, but, yeah.”

More specifically, Sandberg admits, “it’s very standalone.” Of course, there is the possibility of other heroes popping into the film for cameos, such as Superman with actor Henry Cavill reprising the role which was long rumored. “You don’t have to have seen any of the other films, because it’s its own contained story,” Sandberg adds. “It is more the world of it that’s part of a story.”

DC’s Aquaman is now playing in theaters. The Shazam! movie is set to released in theaters on April 5.