Zachary Levi Explains Why Shazam! is the Deadpool of the the DC Cinematic Universe
Shazam! is certainly a fun character, and director David F. Sandberg seems to have had a ton of fun playing with him in the DC Cinematic Universe. The first film definitely gave fans a very different, lighter tone than the DC films that Zack Snyder was making and the fans embraced that fun and cheerful playfulness.
Shazam! is definitely unlike any of the other characters in the DCU, and in a recent interview with SFX magazine, franchise star Zachary Levi compared the character to Marvel’s Deadpool. I know it may be hard to see, but he explained how he thinks Shazam! is the Deadpool of the DCU:
"We get to be the most subversive of all the DC characters, almost like the Deadpool of DC. Deadpool gets to sit outside of it and comment on it all and have fun with it all obviously in a more R-rated, mature way. We do the same thing, just a little more family-friendly!"
I don’t know, I get what he’s saying, but I don’t really think Shazam! is anything like Deadpool. Sure, he kind of sits outside the DCU, but that’s as far as it goes. The humor and personalities are different, he doesn’t really offer any commentary on superhero tropes, and he doesn’t break the fourth wall.
The upcoming film, Shazam! Fury of the Gods, “will continue the story of teenage Billy Batson, who upon reciting the magic word ‘SHAZAM!’ is struck by the Living Lightning of the gods and transformed into his adult superhero alter ego, Shazam. He has the powers of six gods: the wisdom of Solomon, the strength of Hercules, the stamina of Atlas, the power of Zeus, the courage of Achilles, and the speed of Mercury.”
Billy Batson and his foster siblings, who can all transform into superheroes, jump into action and fight against the Daughters of Atlas to save the world from a weapon that could destroy it. As you’ll see, this isn’t an easy feat and Billy starts to doubt himself and if he can actually pull it off.
When talking about the film’s humor, Asher Angel, who plays Billy, explained that it’s more adult this time around because the actors and characters have grown up a bit: "There is more adult humor for sure," he said. "It's not as kid-friendly as the first film, but we're still keeping that component a little bit."
Shazam! Fury of the Gods will hit theaters on March 17th, 2023.