With every superhero movie recently, both DC and Marvel, the stakes are getting higher, the supervillains are getting eviller, and the destruction is just off the charts. Marvel at least is pulling at our heartstrings, but DC especially seems to be taking themselves way too seriously. Luckily for us, it looks like their dark spell is paused for a minute with the upcoming release of “Shazam!”
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Directed by David Sandberg (“Annabelle: Creation,” “Lights Out”), the newest superhero film in the DCEU will have a kid as the main character, though it may not appear so with Zachary Levi (“Thor: Ragnarok,” “Chuck”) playing him. The story follows Billy Batson, an orphan given the ability to transform into an adult superhero. With his foster brother by his side, the two use the power to troll others and hopefully save the world.
Just from the sneak peeks, we can tell right away that this film will have something (or a lot of things) DC has been somewhat lacking for a while; a sense of humor. That, and the pure-hearted fun that the two boys have as they figure out Billy’s new powers. They even poke fun at the superhero name, which is not hard with a name like Shazam (if not for Marvel nabbing it up first, DC probably would’ve loved to go with Shazam’s alias, Captain Marvel, instead).
READ MORE: Zachary Levi Says He Would “Lose All Of The S—s” If Shazam Joined The Justice League
“Shazam!” is still part of the DC extend universe, with hints and mentions of the goings-on of the big guys, but it’ll be a welcome reprieve from trying to remember who’s still alive and who’s playing the Joker now. The cast will include Asher Angel, Mark Strong, Jack Dylan Grazer, and Djimon Hounsou.
“Shazam!” is set to be out April 5, 2019. Watch the new TV spot; it contains all new footage, is nearly a minute long and probably a shorter preview of the full second trailer that’s apparently arriving on January 22.