From today the adventures of the amusing superhero played by Zachary Levi return to the cinema. The protagonist is still Billy Batson, a teenager who just needs to say a word to transform into an adult with powers. Compared to the first film, released in 2019, there will be more action and more space for the other family members. And also three new villains, played by Helen Mirren, Lucy Liu and Rachel Zegler. From the actors to the story to the controversy over the spoiler in the TV spot: everything you need to know
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The adventures of the funniest superhero in the DC universe return to the cinema. Today, March 16, it comes out in Italy Shazam! Fury of the Godssequel to the 2019 film Shazam!. After postponements due to the coronavirus, the second chapter of the franchise starring Zachary Levi finally arrives in theaters. Once again, the protagonist is Billy Batson, a teenager who just needs to pronounce the magic word “Shazam” to transform into the superhero and his adult alter ego. According to rumors, this second chapter will continue to mix teen movie atmospheres with those of cinecomic fantasy-comedy. But, compared to the first, there will be more action: there will be mythological creatures and fantastic monsters, such as the wooden dragon that can emanate fear. Even the character of Shazam, an atypical hero who doesn’t take himself too seriously, continues his evolution: while not losing his light-hearted and carefree side, he will become more responsible and aware of his role in the world. The role of his family will also be more central, with insights into the characters of the various components. From the plot to the cast, up to the controversy over the spoiler in the TV spot: everything you need to know about the film.
Shazam! Fury of the Gods
The film is the twelfth film in the DC Extended Universe. The original title is Shazam! Fury of the Gods. Distributed to cinemas by Warner Bros. Pictures, it lasts 130 minutes. In 2019, after the success of the first chapter, it was announced that there would be a sequel. However, production was delayed by about a year due to the pandemic. Principal photography then began in May of 2021 in Atlanta, Georgia and wrapped three months later in August. The franchise is based on the character of Captain Marvel, later known as Shazam: created in 1939 by Bill Parker and CC Beck, he is the protagonist of the comics published by Fawcett Comics and then by DC Comics. Like the first chapter, the second is directed by David F. Sandberg and produced by Peter Safran. The screenplay is still entrusted to Henry Gayden, with the addition of Chris Morgan. Christophe Beck composed the score.
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The first Shazam!
In the first chapter, entitled Shazam! and released in 2019, we discover how Billy Batson, a young boy with a difficult childhood, acquires superpowers. The film begins in the 1970s, when young Thaddeus Sivana is transported to another dimension, to the Rock of Eternity. Here he meets the wizard Shazam, who is looking for a new “pure in heart” champion. Thaddeus, however, does not prove to be up to it because he lets himself be tempted by the Seven deadly sins and the magician takes him back to his dimension. Thus we jump to 2019, where in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, we meet Billy Batson: he is 14 years old, has been looking for his biological mother for years, lives with the Vasquez foster family. He treats everyone rudely except Freddy, one of his foster brothers who is passionate about heroes and disabled. One day, Billy is teleported to the Rock of Eternity: here he meets Shazam, who gives him his powers to defeat Sivana (who in the meantime has grown up and managed to take possession of the Eye of Sins). The magician reveals to the boy that, pronouncing the word “Shazam”, he will have the wisdom of Solomon, the strength of (H)Hercules, the resistance of Atlas, the lightning power of Zeus, the courage of Achilles and the speed of Mercury (the initials of the names form the word “Shazam”). Billy utters the magic word and transforms into a muscular, adult superhero. Back on Earth, the boy reveals his secret to Freddy and the two use the powers to have fun and show off. But soon Billy will have to deal with Sivana, who kidnaps Freddy and his other brothers and sisters to hit him. Billy manages to make them escape, but Sivana continues to chase them. The boy understands that the only way to get the better of the villain is to join forces with those of his family: he therefore decides to share his powers with his brothers and sisters. The new group of superheroes thus manages to defeat the Sins and Sivana, who is arrested.
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The plot of the sequel
In the end of the first film, therefore, Billy’s adoptive brothers have become superheroes: they too are endowed with the powers of the gods and all it takes is to pronounce the magic word “Shazam” to transform. The protagonist of the sequel is still Billy, but this time his family is fighting alongside him right away. In addition to Shazam, the team consists of Super Hero Freddy, Super Hero Eugene, Super Hero Darla, Super Hero Pedro and Super Hero Mary. Youngsters must learn to juggle teenage life and superhero duties. But soon they are called to deal with a new danger: the Daughters of Atlas – Calypso, Hespera and Anthea – are in search of the magic that was stolen from them a long time ago, the same magic that allows boys to transform into superheroes. The trio of ancient gods arrive on Earth seeking vengeance, ready to use a weapon that could destroy the world. Billy/Shazam and his brothers and sisters will have to fight not only to save their lives, but also the future of the Earth. Will they be able to stick together and win?
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The new cast
Warner Bros has already announced that the sequel does not feature the return of Dr. Sivana, played by Mark Strong. But even in the cast of this second chapter of the saga there is no shortage of famous names. The three villain Daughters of Atlas, in fact, are played by Helen Mirren, Lucy Liu and Rachel Zegler. Among the reconfirmed stars is Zachary Levi in the role of Shazam. Then there are Adam Brody as Super Hero Freddy, Ross Butler (Super Hero Eugene), Meagan Good (Super Hero Darla), DJ Cotrona (Super Hero Pedro), Grace Caroline Currey (Mary Bromfield/Super Hero Mary), Asher Angel (Billy Batson) and Jack Dylan Grazer (Freddy Freeman). Also reconfirmed Faithe Herman (in the role of Darla Dudley), Ian Chen (Eugene Choi), Jovan Armand (Pedro Pena), Marta Milans (Rosa Vasquez), Cooper Andrews (Victor Vasquez), Djimon Hounsou (Wizard).
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Spoiler controversy
And Gal Gadot, as Diana Prince/Wonder Woman, could also appear in the film. To reveal it is a spoiler present in the last television spot of the film. In the promo we see the superheroine greeting Shazam and encouraging him to continue saving the world. Will she also participate in the battle against the Daughters of Atlas? Or is it just a cameo of a few seconds? No other details have been leaked, but the revelation has caused a lot of controversy. Director David F. Sandberg also spoke, who in a tweet he advised not to search online and not to watch TV commercials in order not to run into “big spoilers”. To those who pointed out that the presence of Wonder Woman creates curiosity and is an incentive to go to the cinema, he answered: “I’m happy if it convinces other people to see the film. But seeing spoilers is certainly not the ideal thing for those people who would have gone to the cinema anyway ”.
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Will there be a third chapter?
The director also spoke about the future of the saga. Shazam! Fury of the Gods will it be the last chapter? It hasn’t been decided yet. “Shazam won’t be part of DC’s future if people don’t go see him and support him, but this seems obvious to me. If you want him to come back, the best thing is to go see him,” he said. A lot, therefore, will depend on the film’s box office. at the cinema.Second variety, the film cost 100 million, much less than other comic strips and in line with the first chapter (it cost between 80 and 100 million dollars). This means that it doesn’t need to reach record box office numbers to generate profits and not be considered a flop: it only needs to gross two to three times the production budget. Warner Bros. could therefore set the bankruptcy bar below 250 million. For comparison, the first film closed with 366 million worldwide. Will the Shazam family be able to win against the box office?
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