Shazam!
Shazam! is a 2019 American superhero comedy film based on the DC Comics character of the same name. Produced by New Line Cinema, DC Films, the Safran Company, and Seven Bucks Productions, and distributed by Warner Bros. Pictures, it is the seventh installment in the DC Extended Universe (DCEU). It was directed by David F. Sandberg from a screenplay by Henry Gayden who co-wrote the story with Darren Lemke, and stars Zachary Levi, Mark Strong, Asher Angel, Jack Dylan Grazer, and Djimon Hounsou. The film follows teenager Billy Batson (Angel) as he is chosen by the ancient wizard Shazam (Hounsou) to be his new champion by saying the name "Shazam", allowing him to transform into an adult superhero (Levi) with various superpowers. Billy and his foster brother Freddy Freeman (Grazer) must discover Billy's new powers in order to stop the evil Dr. Thaddeus Sivana (Strong) and the Seven Deadly Sins. Development of a live-action Shazam! film began at New Line in the early 2000s, but was delayed for several years. The film went into pre-production in 2009, with Peter Segal as director, John August as writer and Dwayne Johnson being considered to star as the villain Black Adam, but the project fell through; Johnson acts as an executive producer on Shazam! William Goldman, Alec Sokolow, Joel Cohen, Bill Birch, and Geoff Johns, among others, were all attached to the project as writers at various points. The film was officially announced in 2014, with Johnson attached to star as either Shazam or Black Adam. In January 2017, he was cast to lead a solo Black Adam development project. Sandberg signed on to direct Shazam! in February 2017, and Levi was cast that October, with Angel joining the following month. Principal photography began in Toronto on January 29, 2018, with most of the film shot at Pinewood Toronto Studios, and wrapped on May 11. Shazam! was released in the United States on April 5, 2019. The film was a box office success, grossing over $367 million worldwide, and received positive reviews from critics, who praised Sandberg's direction and the performances of Levi, Angel and Grazer, as well as its generally light tone and sense of fun. It was followed by the spin-off film Black Adam (2022) and a sequel titled Shazam! Fury of the Gods (2023), both of which failed to meet the critical and financial success of the first film.
Which is really weird, I bet. Uh, it's not as cool as super-strength or super-speed, but it's really helpful when I meet new people. Are you hurt? No, I'm okay. Thank you. Um... I just need a second to think. This has been such a weird day. Um, using my powers of super-observation, I see that you're holding a letter from a college in your hand. Are you upset because you didn't get in? I got in. Well, now my superpowers are failing me and I am very confused. Yeah. Me, too. I don't know. I know I should be excited 'cause this is my dream and I've worked really, really hard for this, but it's like... I don't know. Leaving my family does not feel fun, you know? Could I give you a little piece of advice? Don't be worried about everybody else. Always look out for number one. Gandhi said that. - I don't think he said that. - Yeah, he did. - Gandhi did not say... - Somebody like Gandhi said that. "Take care of number one." It was a really wise... It might've been Yoda. - Listen. - I'm sorry, no. Agree to disagree. The point is, you do you, you know? You gotta look out for you. And get as far away from this place as you can. I don't know if I want to. Of course you do. What're you gonna do? You gonna live in a group home for the rest of your life? Look, families are for people who can't take care of themselves, okay? So... And you can take care of yourself. Also, look both ways when you cross the street.
Shazam!
Gross. You said you'd come. You said I would come! I never said I was... I'm a superhero, dude! Well, you're acting real heroic. How much people paying you today? Listen, I have serious responsibilities now, okay? But that's cool because I can carry that burden with my... Hands! Lightning with my hands!
Shazam!