Hot on the heels of Aquaman and its $1 billion box office, the DC Extended Universe seems to be turning its fortunes around – and it’s about to introduce a whole new hero to the party. Shazam! is a matter of months away at this point, and seeing as the titular character hasn’t featured in any previous DC outings, Warner Bros has released a featurette to introduce Billy Batson and co. Among some familiar footage, you’ll find some fresh snippets from the film that once again show its comic chops more than action spectacle.
If you’re just getting up to speed on this one, Billy Batson (played by Asher Angel) is a foster kid in Philadelphia who is granted a host of superpowers from an ageing wizard – if he says the magic word ‘Shazam!’, he transforms into an adult superhero (Zachary Levi). Like Big, except you turn into Superman instead of Tom Hanks. Batson explores his powers with the help of foster brother Freddy Freeman – and it’s all fun and games until baddie Dr. Thaddeus Sivana (Mark Strong) comes out from the woodwork.
Most of all, it’s interesting seeing the DCEU – which began with the mirthless Man Of Steel and Batman v Superman: Dawn Of Justice, commit to such a comedic tone, and there are definitely some welcome chuckles to be found here. We’ll find out if Shazam! can continue Aquaman’s winning streak when it arrives in UK cinemas on 5 April.
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