DC is playing catch-up and it’s starting to show. It seems like everywhere you turn they’re announcing another movie or a new cast list or adding new directs to projects in development. The big news this time? The Shazam movie has finally cast it’s lead: Zachary Levi.
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Zachary Levi is best known for his role as the voice of Eugene/Flynn Rider in the Tangled franchise and the title character from Chuck. Marvel fans might also recognize Levi as Fandral of the Warriors Three from Thor: The Dark World and the upcoming Thor: Ragnarok. That’s right – Levi’s going to be one of the few actors who as been in both a DC and Marvel film.
For those not in the known, Captain Marvel (referred to as Shazam on the cover because of legal disputes with Marvel) is the alter ego of young Billy Batson, who when he shouts “Shazam!” turns into a superhero. He’s a very popular character in the comics who hasn’t had a live-action adaptation done since the 1940s.
There’s no news yet about who will play young Billy Batson, nor any word on the rest of the cast. Black Adam, a villain who is being played by Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson, will not be appearing in the film, as his character will get a separate solo film. This deviates from the originally announced plan, but in April
David F. Sandberg, best known for directing Lights Out and Annabelle: Creation, will direct and screenplay will be written by Henry Gayden (Earth to Echo) and Darren Lemke (Goosebumps, Shrek Forever After). That has me a little worried, given that their filmographies can be summarized as “good but not great.” Still, with all the money DC is throwing into these projects, there may be hope yet.
There is no premiere date set for the still unnamed Shazam film.
