After the well-publicized behind-the-scenes turmoil that seemed to follow Justice League every step of the way, the DC Extended Universe has undergone something of an overhaul in recent years, and now seems more focused on telling standalone stories than forcibly tying everything into the same overarching narrative. This creative rethink brings the likes of The Batman, Birds of Prey and The Suicide Squad, but there are still huge question marks surrounding the future of one of the studio’s marquee characters.
The big screen future of Superman has been under debate for a while now, with conflicting reports surrounding Henry Cavill’s tenure as the Kryptonian superhero. It was rumored that the actor was done playing the character after the in-development Man of Steel 2 was seemingly quietly abandoned, but Cavill has continually expressed his interest in staying on as the Big Blue Boy Scout.
If Superman isn’t getting a solo movie anytime soon, then Shazam! star Zachary Levi has the next best idea; put him up against DC’s own Captain Marvel. The Man of Steel made a brief cameo at the end of the movie, but due to scheduling conflicts it was a stuntman under the iconic costume instead of Henry Cavill. When asked which superhero he would like to go up against, Levi was quick to name Superman as his ideal opponent.
“If I could battle anyone, I think Superman. I think that the Captain Marvel-Superman battle that we’ve seen repeatedly in comics before, and even in cartoons, I think that would be super awesome – pardon the pun. It would be very cool to have that match-up. And then we realize that we’re very evenly matched, because he’s very susceptible to magic, and then we bro it out. Then it’s like, ‘Oh my God, I have a mentor!’. I would love that.”
Levi has made it clear that he would love to see Shazam! cross over with the various superheroes that inhabit the DCEU, and if Warner Bros. are intent on not moving forward with a standalone Superman sequel, then having the character appear throughout the franchise in either cameo or supporting roles would make for a decent enough compromise.
After all, the comic book franchise is plowing ahead with countless projects, and it would be a waste of both Henry Cavill and one of the most iconic figures in popular culture if they can’t find a way to fit Superman into their plans for the future.
