shazam

‘Shazam!’ Releases Official Synopsis, Full Cast Revealed

The latest entry into the DCEU, ‘Shazam!‘ has officially begun filming. Although Director David F. Sandberg tweeted some images from the set last week, it seems that New Line has confirmed the film has begun shooting with the release of an official synopsis and a full cast list for the film. This will be the first time that the character formerly known as Captain Marvel (it’s a complicated story) will get the big screen treatment.

In case you are unaware, ‘Shazam!‘ follows the character of Billy Batson, who upon saying the words “Shazam”, transforms himself into an adult superhero who has increased strength, the ability to fly, super speed, among other abilities. Zachary Levi (‘Chuck’) stars as the titular hero, while Asher Angel will play young Billy Batson. In addition to Levi and Angel, the stellar cast includes Mark Strong as the villainous Dr. Thaddeus Sivana, IT breakout Jack Dylan Grazer as Billy’s best friend and “ultimate superhero enthusiast,” alongside Grace FultonFaithe HermanIan Chen, Jovan Armand, Cooper Andrews, Marta Milans, and Ron Cephas Jones as the Wizard.

Shazam!‘ is also set to reunite Sandberg’s Annabelle: Creation creative team, including cinematographer Maxime Alexandre,  production designer Jennifer Spence, editor Michel Aller, and costume designer Leah Butler. Peter Safran (Aquaman) produces, with Christopher Godsick, Jeffrey Chernov, Dwayne Johnson, Dany Garcia and Hiram Garcia are serving as executive producers. When asked by the Toronto Sun about what tone the film would string Sandberg had this to say:

“The big attraction for me with that character is the fact that every kid dreams of being Superman, right? I mean I certainly did, and (Billy Batson) is a kid that gets that chance. He gets to become the superhero. So it’ll be big with superpowers in a way. In terms of what people can expect, I think this will be one of the more fun or lighthearted movies so far in the DC universe. It certainly will be a departure.”

The film is currently scheduled for an April 5, 2019 release date. While we wait for the first reveal of the first images form the film, here’s the new official synopsis for ‘Shazam!‘:

We all have a superhero inside us, it just takes a bit of magic to bring it out. In Billy Batson’s (Angel) case, by shouting out one word—SHAZAM!—this streetwise 14-year-old foster kid can turn into the adult Super Hero Shazam (Levi), courtesy of an ancient wizard. Still a kid at heart—inside a ripped, godlike body—Shazam revels in this adult version of himself by doing what any teen would do with superpowers: have fun with them! Can he fly? Does he have X-ray vision? Can he shoot lightning out of his hands? Can he skip his social studies test? Shazam sets out to test the limits of his abilities with the joyful recklessness of a child. But he’ll need to master these powers quickly in order to fight the deadly forces of evil controlled by Dr. Thaddeus Sivana.

shazam
Image via DC Comics

About Taylor Salan

Taylor Salan is a independent filmmaker who currently resides in the San Fernando Valley. Since childhood, Taylor Salan had a fascination with movies. Although he was an avid fan of film as a child, it wasn’t until his years as a young adult that his passion for the art of filmmaking truly came to fruition. A current student of the film production program at California State University Northridge, Taylor studies Cinematography but ultimately has plans to direct full time if afforded the opportunity. In his spare time, Taylor produces audio podcasts and blogs about film for ageofthenerd.com. He is also a longtime musician, playing drums for over 8 years.

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