Warner Bros. seem to be finally moving towards a shared movie universe for many of the premiere DC Comics characters, but it doesn't seem like Shazam will be included in those plans -- at least not according to Grudge Match director Peter Segal, who was actually involved in talks to bring the character to the screen back around the time of Superman Returns in "Billy Batson And The Legend Of Shazam". Segal tells Coming Soon that he feels as long as Superman is in the limelight that there isn't really room for Shazam. "Now that Superman is being invigorated and going up against Batman, I think it’s difficult for DC to figure out how to launch this character in the wake of Superman’s resurgence." Segal goes on to reveal a few details of what might have been if his take had ever come to fruition. He says that although there would have been humor, it wouldn't necessarily have been a more "kid friendly" flick.
"I was working with Geoff Johns. At its core, it’s a lot like Superman. There’s this boy trapped inside of a superhero’s body. He’s still a boy inside, so there’s this opportunity to play a lot of humor with the action. Originally, Stan Lee brought me “Fantastic Four” a number of years for that very reason. I always have the question when people bring me superhero properties, “Why me?” With Stan, he said, “It’s because there’s a sense of humor within all Marvel characters.” These characters are flawed and, within those flaws, there is humor. When Toby Emmerich came to me with Shazam, it was because of those same reasons. To draw from that humor and to mix it with great action and pathos. I've always loved Shazam, but I don't know if it's going to see the light of day anytime soon."
For the full interview click the link below.
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Mark Cassidy is a writer, photographer, amateur filmmaker, and Rotten Tomatoes-approved critic from Dublin, Ireland.