David F. Sandberg is set to make the leap from the horror genre to the DC Extended Universe with Shazam but the filmmaker has now confirmed that the movie won't use de-aging technology to turn whoever plays the titular hero into a child (and vice versa). It's a decision which makes sense but means we'll be getting two different actors when this long overdue DC Comics adaptation is released.
"I wouldn’t want to do that. That seems like way too much of a hassle," the director explained when asked about the youngster who turns himself into a powerful superhero by simply uttering the word 'Shazam!' "So I think it’s just kind of best to have a kid and an adult." Asked about the technological advancements which could make that possible, he said: "Yeah and they’ve done quite well, I mean Kurt Russell was in the latest Guardians was really well made I thought, but I think there’s a limit to it as well. You probably can’t do someone to be a kid. Why create that hassle for yourself?"
It probably could be done but would be an expensive process so that's probably another reason Sandberg and Warner Bros. have no interest in attempting to head down this route for Shazam.
As for when work starts on the project, it sounds like we can expect the cameras to start rolling pretty soon. "Pretty much going into Shazam! right away. I mean my life’s just become so weird because I got to do Lights Out and immediately afterward I got to do Annabelle and now I’m going straight into Shazam!, so it’s like I’m on a roll so let’s just keep going until they kick me out of Hollywood."