‘Shazam’ Could Be DC’s ‘Guardians Of The Galaxy’, Says Optimistic Zachary Levi
Guardians of the Galaxywas far from a sure thing when Marvel Studios released it back in 2013. It essentially served as a test to see how far audiences were willing to go with the studio: if people could accept and enjoy a story involving a talking raccoon and a space tree, there’s basically no limit to the stories Marvel could tell.
Meanwhile, the troubles with Warner Bros.' DC movies have been well-documented. But former Marvel actorZachary Levi, who’s starring as the title character in the upcomingShazammovie that’s scheduled to come out in 2019, hopesShazamcould be DC’sGuardians of the Galaxyequivalent…and he might be onto something.
Speaking at the Heroes & Villains Fan Fest in San Jose, California (viaComingSoon), Levi explained his thoughts onGuardians of the Galaxyand how he thinksShazamcould serve a similar function in the DC cinematic universe:
“James Gunn and the gang killed it. It brought so much heart and humor and I think it was kind of this dark horse that took everyone by storm. I thinkShazamkind of has the possibility to do that, because Shazam is not, for all intents and purposes, it’s not Supes (Superman), it’s not Batman, it’s not Wonder Woman. If you look at most Justice League montages or Justice League posters, Shazam is not necessarily one of the characters you put on there, except he is in the Justice League, so if we do well enough…”
The actor went on to draw a comparison that’s sure to excite fans of early Tom Hanks comedies:
“Shazam gets to be a fun, jovial, because he is, he’s Billy Batson, he’s 13. It’s the movieBig, but with superpowers – which I’m beyond stoked about.”
Not only didGuardianswork on a narrative level, but it was also a huge box office success.Justice League– theoretically the DC universe’s crowning achievement – has only pulled in $197 million domestically after three weeks of release, so the DC universe still has a lot of catching up to do in financial terms. But creatively speaking, I think Levi could have a point: the concept ofShazamis inherently lighter than nearly everything else that has come before it in the DC movie universe, and if all the right pieces fall into place, I can totally see this becoming a breakout standalone movie that could be the most purely fun movie DC has made in decades.
Levi will don the red suit as the superhero, whileAsher Angelplays the 13-year-old Billy Batsonand formerGreen LanternvillainMark Strongsteps into the villainous role of Doctor Sivana.David F. Sandberg(Lights Out) will direct, and the movie is set to arrive in theaters sometime in 2019.
