SHAZAM! - All The Biggest Reveals And Easter Eggs In The Electrifying First Trailer
Warner Bros. surprised us all when they released the first trailer for Shazam! today and we're now taking an in-depth look at that by delving into all the biggest reveals and DC Universe references...
At CinemaCon and a number of other recent film-related events, Warner Bros. showed a behind the scenes sizzle reel for Shazam! featuring cast interviews and brief snippets of footage. Heading into the studios' Hall H panel at Comic-Con today, it was widely believed that was all fans in attendance would be getting but both them and we were instead treated to the electrifying first trailer for the movie.
Despite some reservations fans have had after seeing set photos and the first official images, Shazam actually looks great in action and all the signs are pointing to this being DC's very own Marvel movie (it certainly doesn't seem too different to them in terms of tone). Whether or not it will find the same level of success remains to be seen but we're now taking a closer look at this awesome sneak peek.
To check our breakdown in its entirety, all you guys have to do is click on the "View List" button below.
Meet Billy Batson
In Geoff Johns and Gary Frank's New 52 run, Billy Batson was a pretty horrible kid and something of a bully. Director David F. Sandberg has already said he's toned down those characteristics to make the youngster more likeable and we see that he's just struggling with life as a foster child. He's something of a tearaway (he steals a car at one point) but is far from a bad person when all is said and done.
What works in the comic books doesn't always translate to screen and it's fair to say that changing some aspects of Billy is the right move for Shazam! as it will be more satisfying to see play out.
Freddie Freeman Brings The Laughs
It's pretty clear from this trailer that Freddie Freeman will bring the laughs but humour is obviously a big part of this movie regardless based on what we see throughout this first sneak peek. That's not a bad thing, of course, especially as so many people tore down the likes of Suicide Squad and Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice for being too dark and lacking in those beloved Marvel-style chuckles.
Freddie comes across as someone it will be a lot of fun to spend time with and seeing as he too eventually gains superpowers in the comics, it's going to be interesting seeing how that's handled (and how much screentime the rest of the Shazam Family receives given their absence in this first look).
Superhero Obsession
Freddie has a serious superhero obsession and that leaves the door open to some great nods to the wider DC Universe. For example, we see a drawer full of newspaper clippings about Superman, a Batarang on display, and what appears to be a bullet which bounced off the Superman and was then sold as a collectable. The youngster also has a collection of superhero t-shirts with Aquaman and Wonder Woman both referenced at various points. The big question is whether or not they'll appear!
A Good Kid
While Billy initially seems to have zero interest in getting to know Freddie and the rest of his new family, we quickly learn that while he may be rough around the edges, he's actually a good kid at heart.
That's evident from his decision to stick up for his new friend by taking down the bullies who are picking on him which results in Billy having to go on the run and making a fateful subway journey.
Meet The Wizard
Delving into the character's mythology, the trailer introduces us to the Wizard, a character we recently learned will be portrayed by Djimon Hounsou. Billy's "heroic" actions and pure heart are seemingly what leads to him being chosen to inherit this mantle and this scene will hopefully flesh Shazam's world out in a major way (it's also the perfect place to reference a certain anti-hero, a.k.a. Black Adam).
Unfortunately, we don't see too much of The Wizard's home here but it's pretty clear that the movie is going to follow the comic book in regards to how Billy winds up becoming a magic-based superhero.
Becoming A Caped Crusader
Like any good origin story, Shazam! is going to spend some time dealing with the lead's transformation into a superhero. As well as testing his strength, we get to see Billy try to take flight in a far less epic fashion than Superman in Man of Steel. As time passes, he'll no doubt gain a better understanding of them but seeing an inexperienced hero who is also ridiculously powerful has the potential to not only deliver some massive laughs but to also provide a fun, fresh twist on some pretty worn out tropes.
Revenge Of The Nerds
We know that Shazam! is targeting a family audience and it seems as if there's going to be a lot of wish-fulfilment included. After all, pretty much every kid out there can relate to wanting to get revenge on their high school bully and that's exactly what Shazam does when he crushes his car and lays it out in front of him. Here's hoping Billy is careful with his new secret identity, though, because it may not take much for a certain someone to put two and two together and figure out who he really is...
A Formidable Villain
We know that Dr. Sivana will be Shazam!'s lead villain and he can be seen here proving that he's a formidable threat when the hero crosses paths with him for the first time. The question is, what does he want? Well, it looks like this movie is following The New 52 comics, so chances are he wants Billy's powers for himself and will do whatever's necessary to uncover all of The Wizard's many secrets.
Whether or not that's going to include freeing Black Adam remains to be seen but it would be crazy to think that won't be teased even if Dwayne Johnson has denied that he'll be appearing in any way. Regardless, the quite cocky Billy is going to meet his match in the form of his first real supervillain.
"Shazam!"
In one of the trailer's coolest moments, we get to see what it looks like when Billy Batson transforms into Shazam by saying, well, "Shazam!" David F. Sandberg has nailed this key visual from the comic books and this is a genuinely great scene which should get you behind the movie 100% if you're a fan of the character and had your doubts. Here's hoping we get to see even more like this moving forward.
"Sup, I'm A Superhero."
In a great little sequence where Shazam discovers he's bulletproof, the trailer ends with the hero foiling a robbery and bragging about being a superhero. Just like when he's walking around charging people's phones, it's clear that this movie is going to take the genre in some very unexpected directions and it's honestly hard to imagine this guy fitting into the dark and moody world created by Zack Snyder.
Then again, with theDCEU now heading in a very different direction, this could be indicative of what these movies will be like moving forward. Either way, Shazam! is essentially DC's own version of the Marvel movie and whether or not it ends up working is going to be fascinating to watch. What do you guys think of the movie's first trailer? Let us know your thoughts in the comments section below.