With the release of the long awaited Shazam! now just around the corner the hype is really starting to build. No reviews have been released yet but the film has been screened and the social media buzz is massively positive. Although the character has been around for nearly as long as Superman, having first been published in 1940, a troubled publishing history and a name change from Captain Marvel to Shazam! mean that he is not a household name. DC are hoping that this film will be a launch pad for a new franchise and carry on from their billion dollar success with Aquaman.
Here are five things that we want from the film.
5. Superman to appear
There was a period of time in the 1940s when Captain Marvel/Shazam was out selling the Superman comic books. DC Comics took issue with this and in 1953 sued Fawcett Comics, Shazam’s publisher, out of existence claiming infringement on the Superman copyright. DC acquired the rights to the character in the 70s and have often used Superman as a mentor for Billy Batson. A Superman cameo would be a nice nod to this shared history.
4. Dr. Sivana to call Shazam the ‘Big Red Cheese’
Superman is the ‘Man of Steel’, Batman is the ‘Caped Crusader’ and Shazam is the… ‘Big Red Cheese’. This is the name that Dr. Sivana, his arch nemesis, called him in the comics and it stuck.
3. Shazam to encounter Tawky Tawny
The comic book Tawky Tawny is an
anthropomorphic tiger who befriends the Shazam family and he has appeared since the 1940s. In current continuity Tawny was a normal tiger that Billy visits at the local zoo. As the film is based on the most recent run by Geoff Johns we are hoping to see the tiger on the big screen.
2. References to a bigger mystical DC universe
Shazam can continue DC’s exploration of the magic and mythological parts of their universe. Wonder Woman and Aquaman, their biggest hits so far, both leaned heavily into this and Shazam has a lot to pull from. It could be that we final see Dwayne Johnson as Black Adam, something to do with Isis (most likely with a name change), mention of Hawkman or Doctor Fate. Shazam could become the foundation for a whole new DC Universe.
1. Mister Mind to be revealed as the villain
Mister Mind is one of the most bizarre villains in DC’s catalogue. He is a two inch alien worm that is the criminal mastermind of the Shazam comics. His power is mind control and is often portrayed as just a voice in people’s heads and the power behind the throne. Mind also runs the super villain team the Monster Society of Evil. The reveal of Mind as the antagonist would be a solid setup for a sequel.
What do you want to see in the film? Comment below.
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