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Mark Strong Promises That Shazam! Will Be Really Funny

After Zack Snyder's style of filmmaking turned out to be hugely divisive, the DC Extended Universe is about to move into lighter territory with the upcoming Shazam!, starring Asher Angel as the young Billy Batson who's able to transform into an adult superhero (Zachary Levi) when he says the magic word of the film's title.

After Zack Snyder’s style of filmmaking turned out to be hugely divisive, the DC Extended Universe is about to move into lighter territory with the upcoming Shazam!starring Asher Angel as the young Billy Batson who’s able to transform into an adult superhero (Zachary Levi) when he says the magic word of the film’s title.

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Now, one of the cast is promising that the movie won’t just raise a smile from the crowd, but will be a genuinely hilarious experience, too. While talking to Total Film, Mark Strong – who plays the villainous Dr. Sivana – praised the performance of his on-screen nemesis and made it clear that he believes Shazam! will be a real left-turn away from the darker tone of previous DCEU movies. In fact, it’ll be “really funny.”

“Zachary Levi, who plays the lead [Shazam, the superhero alter ego of Billy Batson], is a very funny guy, and I’ve no doubt he will play with that part and make it interesting, I think DC have realized that they’ve got their canon of films that are dark, and they’ve now found one that’s pretty funny! There are some really funny moments in it.”

Zachary Levi in Shazam

Shazam!‘s director David F. Sandberg previously promised fans that his movie would be contain a lot of humor as well, though he clarified that it wouldn’t ape the Marvel style of “quippy one-liners” but rather derive its laughs from situational comedy. Given that the story involves a kid a who finds himself in the body of a superhero, you can see how this situation could produce a lot of funny moments.

At the same time, Sandberg made it clear that he didn’t want the comedy to undercut the more dramatic parts of Shazam!, explaining that he sought to create “a threat that’s serious.” Judging by some other comments Strong’s already made, it sounds like the director has certainly achieved this. The former Green Lantern actor recently described his character as a thoroughly “evil b*stard” in the movie, suggesting that the titular hero will definitely have his work cut out for him.

Shazam! conjures its way into cinemas on April 5th, 2019.