After a long and exhaustive search, Warner Bros. has finally found someone to lead David Sandberg’s upcoming Shazam! According to The Hollywood Reporter, the role has gone to Chuck star Zachary Levi, who will now step into the shoes of Billy Batson, a boy who can transform into an adult superhero by uttering the magic word “Shazam!” Obviously, Levi will be playing the older version of the character, while the search still continues for someone to portray the younger Billy.
Given that the actor is most well known for his comedic chops, this will certainly be a bit of a departure for him. That being said, he does have some comic book movie experience thanks to his role of Fandral in the Marvel Cinematic Universe. Not to mention he’s definitely got the geek cred as well, due to his work on the aforementioned Chuck, which was a huge hit. All things considered then, Levi’s an exciting choice to lead the pic and we’re looking forward to seeing him join the DCEU.
Speaking about his plans back in the summer, Sandberg touched base on the tone of the project, promising a fun and lighthearted outing:
“The big attraction for me with that character is the fact that every kid dreams of being Superman, right? I mean I certainly did, and (Billy Batson) is a kid that gets that chance. He gets to become the superhero. So, it’ll be big with superpowers in a way. In terms of what people can expect, I think this will be one of the more fun or lighthearted movies so far in the DC universe. It certainly will be a departure.”
Plot details and the like are still tightly under wraps, of course, but pre-production on Warner’s Shazam! movie is officially underway, now that Sandberg has guided Annabelle: Creation to box office stardom. Assuming everything remains on schedule, filming will commence in the early stages of next year ahead of a planned release in 2019. Closer to home for the DCEU, meanwhile, is the release of Justice League on November 17th.
