‘Shazam’ News: David Sandberg explains costume changes, Zachary Levi talks weight training, Superman’s cameo
Fans have gotten a thrill out of the few photos and trailer for Shazam!, the next DC film after Aquaman this December. Chuck star Zachary Levi stars as the adult superhero with Asher Angel as Billy Batson. From early set photos to now, there have been a ton of changes and questions…and now fans get some answers.
In the first official image from Shazam!, fans noticed that the titular hero was wearing a new boots, something completely different that the set photos and the comic books.
Director David F. Sandberg has now shed some light on what’s been happening in a new tweet:
The first day of shooting the suit we had those boots but we had some problems with them so we made new ones. That close up was reshot at the end of the shoot. https://t.co/fMMu2xbEsB — David F. Sandberg (@ponysmasher) July 27, 2018
Levi became frustrated with some of the early fan backlash after his casting, the set photos showing a padded suit and now the actor explains his weight gain and transformation.
Levi was cast in late-October 2017 and cameras began rolling in late-January, giving the former Chuck and Thor actor roughly 3 months to hit the gym.
In bulk phase I went from 200-224. In cut phase I dropped to 212, and have held there. https://t.co/w8c5EQVPeE
— Zachary Levi (@ZacharyLevi) July 27, 2018
There were also rumors of a Henry Cavill as Superman cameo, but according to Forbes writer Mark Hughes, that is not happening.
It breakout Jack Dylan Grazer plays Billy’s best friend Freddy Freeman. Mark Strong (Sinestro in the Green Lantern film) plays the villain, Dr. Thaddeus Sivana and the following cast set: Grace Fulton as Mary, Ian Chen as Eugene, Jovan Armand as Pedro and Faithe Herman as Darla.
The film is firmly set in the DCEU, but stands in contrast to Batman v Superman and Man of Steel with a fun and “family-centric” tone. Check out the trailer HERE
Adult versions of each character has been rumored, which almost certainly set up the appearance/creation of the Shazam Family: Adam Brody is Freddy Freeman; Michelle Borth is Mary; Ross Butler is Eugene; D. J. Cotrona is Pedro and Meagan Good is Darla.
Djimon Hounsou (Guardians of the Galaxy, Amistad) was cast to play the sorcerer who gives young Billy Batson his powers. Cooper Andrews (Jerry on The Walking Dead) plays Victor Vasquez, the foster dad seen in the trailer.
Shazam! opens four months after the next DC film, Jason Momoa’s Aquaman (Dec. 21 of this year) on April 5, 2019.
While there is still no word, but there is a likely cameo of Dwayne Johnson as Black Adam. Doctor Sivana, way back in Shazam #28, was responsible for bringing Black Adam back using his reincarnation machine.
