DC’s Shazam film had finally found its leading role in Zachery Levi back in October and now the film’s production has officially begun. Director David F. Sandberg celebrates this with a post to Instagram featured below.
Young actor Asher Angel will be starring as Billy Batson, the boy who shouts “SHAZAM!” and turns into the older, stronger superhero alter ego played by Zachary Levi. Mark Strong is set to play Doctor Sivana, the lead villain. Ron Cephas Jones will also play the Wizard that gives Billy his powers in the first place.
David F. Sandberg is directing under New Line Cinema. Previously, he has worked on Lights Out and Annabelle: Creation. Peter Safran is producing, while Henry Gayden and Darren Lemke wrote the script. It’s scheduled to be shot in Vancouver.
Oddly enough, Black Adam, the iconic Shazam villain, will not be appearing in the film, but rather in his own project played by Dwayne Johnson.
Shazam was first created in 1939 by artist C.C. Beck and writer Bill Parker. He appeared in Fawcett Comics’ Whiz Comics #2 before DC was a combined project. The name Shazam is actually an acronym for six gods from which he gets his powers; Solomon, Hercules, Aries, Zeus, Achilles, and Mercury.
Shazam will debut in theaters on April 5, 2019.
