5) Shazam
You’ll have to wait a while for this one, but we’ve been promised that it’s coming.
Known as Captain Marvel until relatively recently this hero, in Pokemon creature style, is now named after the exclamation he makes when bursting into superpower: Shazam! This one magic word transforms young boy Billy Batson into a chisel-jawed superhero, who absorbs strength, speed, stamina, wisdom, power and courage from the Gods themselves.
Having made a fleeting appearance on the big screen way back in the 1940’s – a time when this superhero was even more popular than a certain Clark Kent – Shazam’s lack of cinematic presence has paled in comparison to his vast capabilities as a superhero. The last time Billy Batson’s alter-ego stood tall on theater screen, World War II was in full swing, which is enough of an indication to suggest that a Shazam movie is long overdue.
Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson has confirmed his part as anti-hero Black Adam, but it remains to be seen who will bare the bolt of lightning to play the film’s protagonist. Aside from an estimated release date for 2019, cards remain tight to the chest on this one, and it’ll be fascinating to see whether the movie emerges as a family-friendly popcorn blockbuster, or alternatively a complex, mythological slice of dream cinema that will break new ground for a comic book film.
