shazam

SHAZAM! Gets A Superpowered Second Official Trailer

With the current DCEU bookended officially as confirmed by Warner Bros. CEO Kevin Tsujihara as of last week, the limits have have been pretty scaled back which otherwise gives director David F. Sandberg’s latest, Shazam!, some breathing room when it opens April 5. The newest official trailer is running online as well, so this ought to help things move along as wait and see whatever happens elsewhere in-roads of the studio’s DC adaptations. David F. Sandberg (“Annabelle: Creation”) directs New Line Cinema’s “Shazam!,” the origin story that stars Zachary Levi (TV’s “Chuck”) as the titular DC Super Hero, along with Asher Angel (TV’s “Andi Mack”) as Billy Batson, and Mark Strong (the “Kingsman” movies) in the role of Super-Villain Dr. Thaddeus Sivana. Peter Safran (upcoming “Aquaman,” “The Conjuring” and “Annabelle” films) serves as the film’s producer. We all have a superhero inside us, it just takes a bit of magic […]

SHAZAM! Endures Superhero Growing Pains In The Official Trailer

Lee B. Golden III

David Sandberg’s own treatment of DC property, Shazam!, may unofficially share space with the previous DCEU films. However, clearly this one is standing on its own two jolly feet with Zachary Levi and Asher Angel playing the respective alteregos of our title superhero in the new action adventure, as the official trailer proudly shows this weekend. 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 […]

SHAZAM!: Get A Look At A Thirsty Zachary Levi In The First Set Photo

Lee B. Golden III

The latest film phase is set to arrive next Spring with the April 5, 2019 release of New Line Cinema’s DC adaptation, Shazam!. James Hibberd at Entertainment Weekly unveiled the new official first look prominently featuring Zachary Levi in costume as the superheroic adult counterpart of young Billy Batson, played by actor Angel Asher. Also seen in the photo with Levi is It co-star, actor Jack Dylan Grazer. 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 […]

New Line's SHAZAM! Is Underway In Toronto

Lee B. Golden III

Monday saw the official production starts of New Line Cinema’s Shazam! from director David F. Sandberg. Zachary Levi stars in the title role along with Asher Angel as his young counterpart, Billy Batson, inspired by the Whiz Comics 1940 launch from creators Bill Parker and C.C. Beck. Scribes Henry Gayden and Darren Lemke penned the script as an origin tale that also has Mark Strong starring as the film’s principal villain, and with Toronto serving as the film’s Philidelphia, Pennsylvania backdrop. Previous rumors have stirred about as to whether or not executive producer Dwayne Johnson will make his appearance in the long held role of Black Adam for which he is expected to shepherd his own movie. I’ll leave that to the fans to contemplate but…this is the gist of it. We all have a superhero inside us, it just takes a bit of magic to bring it out. In […]

Dwayne Johnson’s BLACK ADAM Will Split SHAZAM In Two Movies

Lee B. Golden III

Long since the confirmation of actor Dwayne Johnson as Black Adam in New Line and DC Entertainment’s upcoming adaptation, Shazam, it appears that the film has undergone an evolution of sorts. A report from THR has otherwise confirmed that there will be two movies instead of one, thus granting Johnson his own spin-off following his recent upworthy meeting with DC Films head Geoff Johns. Shazam was originally confirmed for its installation in the DC Cinematic Universe in 2014 as DC announced its then-official line-up. Hailing from Fawcett Comics in 1939 as Captain Marvel, with ownership and rights evidently landing at DC Comics later on, Shazam was created by Bill Parker and C.C. Beck, telling of a Billy Batson, a young boy who could transform into the adult-sized hero by calling his name, acronymized with its letters standing for the names of ancient gods and heroes. Sharing Shazam’s universe, of course, […]

Johnson And Hart Gear Up For CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE

Lee B. Golden III

It was just a few days ago that actor Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson posted an Instagram picture indicating a pending announcement stating an upcoming announcement for a new buddy action comedy with a hugely vague hint on who his co-star would be. “…In the right lighting and camera angles, we could pass as twins.” he said, and of course that would throw almost anyone off and into an epic guessing game of who looks like the hulking actor. Needless to say, Tuesday’s news finally stated who that actor would be in the form of someone anyone would least expect, with word from Variety that comedian and actor Kevin Hart would be starring alongside Johnson in Dodgeball helmer Rawson Marshall Thurber‘s Central Intelligence, which will start filming next Spring for New Line Cinema. Several versions of the developing script are underway between Thurber, and writing duos Ike Barinholtz and Dave Stassen, […]

Warner Bros. Annonces Its Six-Year Slate Of DC Universe Films

Lee B. Golden III

Marvel muscled up its repetoire on Tuesday with a new addition to its comic book line to possibly accompany its third impending installment of Captain America 3, essentially opening the door to a new phase in their cinematic universe. This comes as DC Entertainment and Warner Bros have been aiming to go neck-and-neck with their current focus on director Zack Synder’s Batman V. Superman: The Dawn Of Justice, following their blockbuster success with Man Of Steel last year, in addition to the development of other properties for film. Well, the competition is now beefing up this week in the months since Warner Bros. and DC Entertainment listed at least nine or ten more movies in an announcement this summer prior to San Diego Comic-Con. Moreover, it is also worth noting that considering the electrifying response that ensued with the exclusive Comic-Con teaser for BvS: DoJ, clearly WB and DC are […]

Dwayne Johnson Announces His Role As Black Adam In SHAZAM For New Line

Lee B. Golden III

It’s high time the truth came out this week, long after comic book and movie fans were aching and itching for actor Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson to just “say the word”, as he so eloquently put it in an interview with Total Film about a month ago. Plans are already underway to accumulate feature films based on famed DC Comics comic book characters, including Warner Bros. current production of Batman V Superman: The Dawn Of Justice. One other such film that’s been hyped like crazy is the upcoming production of Shazam, originally rooted at Fawcett Comics as Captain Marvel by artist C.C. Beck and author Bill Parker. As per a lawsuit at the time, Fawcett Comics relenquished the character and all Shazam-related characters to DC Comics between 1972 and 1991, including Black Adam who didn’t appear in the comic series until 1945 from Beck and writer Otto Binder. Fast forward […]