Since its debut at Comic-Con last week, we’ve been thinking about the Shazam! trailer a lot. And that’s a good thing! We genuinely think Shazam! could be a great addition to the DC Extended Universe.
From director David F. Sandberg (Lights Out, Annabelle: Creation), Shazam! is the origin story of how after an encounter with an ancient wizard, troubled foster kid Billy Batson (Asher Angel) gains the ability to become the adult superhero Shazam (Zachary Levi) after saying, well, Shazam!
The first thing we love about the trailer is its tone. This isn’t Zack Snyder’s dreary take on DC heroes, this is must lighter and goofier, but still retains a sense of reality the DCEU was shaped out of. The super strength and flight test sequences between Shazam and his buddy Freddy (Jack Dylan Graz, Eddie from IT!) are a testament to this, and a highlight of the trailer.
What we love most is Zachary Levi as Shazam. We were worried at first when Levi was announced as the lead (yes, we were among those campaigning for John Cena), but the trailer convinced us Levi was the right choice. He’s able to balance the levity needed to be playing a kid in an adult body (the Big effect), while still maintaining the aura of a DC hero.
Plus, his costume is big, red, comic-booky as hell, and that seals the deal. We’re excited for Shazam!, and we hope the best for it.
Shazam! flies into theaters on April 5, 2019.
