‘Shazam’ director David Sandberg echoes the film is ‘Big’ with superpowers
Back when Shazam! was still filming in Toronto, Collider visited the set and spoke with director David Sandberg about the new film, which is likened again as Big meets Superman.
Sandberg clearly is ignoring Justice League, the critics and loves the character: “Well, basically they told me, ‘Oh, it’s like Big with superpowers.’ It’s like, that sounds awesome. Like there’s so much you can have with that wish fulfillment of this kid who gets to become a superhero and try out all these things. Yeah, it just felt very unique.”
This is similar to the remarks made by the star HERE
For the tone, Sandberg said: “It’s sort of a … Yeah, it’s a fun movie…Like, it’s not like a pure comedy, because you still have those … touches some pretty dark subjects and some pretty scary monsters, but it’s more of … I like to compare it to like ’80s movies, like Goonies, and Ghostbusters, and Back To the Future. Like, that sort of like, ‘Oh, it’s a family kind of … ‘ It’s not dark and gritty.
Scripted by Henry Gayden (Earth to Echo) from a story by Gayden and Darren Lemke (Goosebumps), Shazam! tells the story of a 14-year-old boy named Billy who, when he shouts the word “SHAZAM!”, can turn into an adult superhero.
Asher Angel plays Billy, while Chuck star Zachary Levi plays the adult Shazam. It breakout Jack Dylan Grazer plays Billy’s best friend Freddy Freeman.
Sandberg spoke briefly about the cast, some action, before adding to his remarks that the film and character was influenced by the New 52 version.
“Yeah, I wanted to incorporate a little bit of everything, not just in 52, but the older stuff as well, which is … The suit is one part of that where it’s like, ‘Yeah, I want the shorter cape of like the Golden Age comics.’ But then we … And like, ‘Let’s try the hood from the new 52.’ And little things like that, and trying to balance it. So we have things and references from the old comics, but a lot of the story takes inspiration from the new 52. So it’s a combination of like, ‘Oh, I like this, and we like that, and let’s put it together.””
Check out the full interview HERE
Shazam! also stars Djimon Hounsou, Grace Fulton, Faithe Herman, Ian Chen, Jovan Armand, Cooper Andrews, and Marta Milans.
Shazam! opens in theaters on April 5th.
