Rachel Zegler will make her DCEU/DCU debut as powerful Daughter of Atlas Anthea in Shazam! Fury of the Gods this weekend (you can check out our review here), and the actress gave a hilariously honest response when asked why she joined the cast while being interviewed on the red carpet of the sequel's recent LA premiere.
Zegler shot to fame after appearing as Maria in Steven Spielberg's 2021 West Side Story remake, and is sure to have had her pick of roles after her highly-praised performance. However, the actress tells THR that she decided to "step into this world of DC heroes" because she "needed a job."
Though Zegler is adamant that she's "so serious," something tells is she's at least half joking!
Serious or not, Zegler is a highlight of the DC Comics movie, so we hope to see her stay on as Anthea when the new DCU slate gets underway.
Bestowed with the powers of the gods, Billy Batson and his fellow foster kids are still learning how to juggle teenage life with having adult Super Hero alter-egos. But when the Daughters of Atlas, a vengeful trio of ancient gods, arrive on Earth in search of the magic stolen from them long ago, Billy—aka Shazam—and his family are thrust into a battle for their superpowers, their lives, and the fate of their world.
From New Line Cinema comes Shazam! Fury of the Gods, which continues the story of teenage Billy Batson who, upon reciting the magic word “SHAZAM!,” is transformed into his adult Super Hero alter ego, Shazam.
Shazam! Fury of the Gods stars returning cast members Zachary Levi (Thor: Ragnarok) as Shazam; Asher Angel (Andi Mack) as Billy Batson; Jack Dylan Grazer (It Chapter Two) as Freddy Freeman; Adam Brody (Promising Young Woman) as Super Hero Freddy; Ross Butler (Raya and the Last Dragon) as Super Hero Eugene; Meagan Good (Day Shift) as Super Hero Darla; D.J. Cotrona (G.I. Joe: Retaliation) as Super Hero Pedro; Grace Caroline Currey (Annabelle: Creation) as Mary Bromfield / Super Hero Mary; Faithe Herman (This Is Us) as Darla Dudley; Ian Chen (A Dog’s Journey) as Eugene Choi; Jovan Armand (Second Chances) as Pedro Pena; Marta Milans (White Lines) as Rosa Vasquez; Cooper Andrews (The Walking Dead) as Victor Vasquez; with Djimon Hounsou (A Quiet Place Part II) as Wizard.
Joining the cast are Rachel Zegler (West Side Story), with Lucy Liu (Kung Fu Panda franchise) and Helen Mirren (F9: The Fast Saga).
The superhero sequel is set to hit theaters on March 17, 2023.