[dropcap size=small]W[/dropcap]hen Warner Bros. originally announced its plans for ten films based on DC Comics properties, it was unclear if all the films, notably Shazam, would be in the same universe. Now those questions can be laid to rest, thanks to a recent entry in the DC Comics Blog.
The blog post recapped the announcement made last October and clarified that Shazam will in fact be a part of the same shared universe as Batman, Superman, Wonder Woman, and the Suicide Squad:
“Yes, there were rumors of some sort of film slate, mentions that Warner Bros. had ‘big plans’ for DC Entertainment and occasional informal announcements (like the news that New Line had a Shazam movie in development). But for fans who were hoping to see a DC Cinematic Universe similar to what they’ve seen from other publishers, one that included super heroes other than Superman or Batman, there didn’t seem to be a lot to talk about.
That changed on October 15, 2014, when Warner Bros. revealed a full slate of ten DC Entertainment feature films.”
The fact that New Line was developing Shazam instead of being released under the sole Warner Bros. banner initially led to speculation that the film would act as a standalone and be separate from the other DC movies. But we now officially know three things about the film: it will be part of the DC Cinematic Universe, star Dwayne Johnson as super villain Black Adam, and see a 2019 release.
The confirmation of the shared universe “similar to…other publishers” translates to “Yes, we’re doing what Marvel did. Happy?” Fans have made it clear that they want to see continuity between films coming from the same company, and DC is obliging them; however, the comic giant has made it clear that the connections will stay only in their cinematic universe.
Just two episodes of the critically acclaimed TV series The Flash starring Grant Gustin aired before Warner Bros. announced that Ezra Miller would portray Barry Allen on the big screen in 2018. It was at this point that DC drew the line in the sand and stated that the TV universe would be separate from its films. As a sucker for continuity, I was disappointed to say the least. At least Marvel keeps giving us crossovers from the MCU with Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. and Agent Carter.
Are you looking forward to the shared DC Cinematic Universe? Tell us in the comments!
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