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Warning : SPOILERS forShazam !
Shazam!not only introduces the DCEU ’s newest superhero family , it also give up for one of DC ’s most fabled canceled projects : Justice League : Mortal , which was to be manoeuver by George Miller ( Mad Max : Fury Road ) . With Adam Brody and D.J. Cotrona playing the superhero versions of Freddy Freeman and Pedro Peña , Shazam!essentially lets Miller ’s film last on spiritually in the DCEU - since Brody and Cotrona were once cast as the Flash and Superman .
David F. Sandberg ’s photographic film is both a prolongation and course - discipline of the DC Extended Universe that began with Zack Snyder’sMan of Steelin 2013 . About five years before Snyder relaunchedSuperman star Henry Cavill , George Miller was ramping up a Justice League film that would have united all of the World ’s Greatest Superheroes . However , Miller ’s ambitious project never made it in front of camera , despite the pic being cast and pre - production being well underway .
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During the late 2000s , the superhero movie landscape was very different . The Marvel Cinematic Universe had just establish with 2008’sIron Manwhile that same summertime , Christopher Nolan’sThe Dark Knighttook the world by violent storm , earning the late Heath Ledger an Academy Award for his portrayal of the Joker . Meanwhile , Brandon Routh had only recently made his debut as Superman inSuperman Returns , and Tom Welling had an ongoing office as Superman in the popular CW showSmallville . Miller’sJustice League : Mortalwould not only have introduced live - natural process rendering of Wonder Woman , Green Lantern , and the Flash years before Gal Gadot , Ryan Reynolds , and Grant Gustin / Ezra Miller , it would have included contend version of Batman and Superman . This was just one reason whyJustice League : Mortalwas abandoned .
AsShazam!furthers the DCEU ’s focus on nurse standalone superhero films that keep theirshared population connectionswith a light touch , here ’s how Billy Batson ’s big screen escapade also inherit the Mickey Mantle ofJustice League : deathly .
George Miller’s Justice League: Mortal Explained
George Miller’sJustice League : Mortalwas written by Kieran and Michele Mulroney . It was base upon the popularJustice League : Unlimitedanimated series and it was also an adaption of Mark Waid ’s DC ComicsTower of Babelstoryline , in which Batman ’s strategies on how to defeat the League were discovered by the villanous Maxwell Lord and used against the World ’s Greatest Superheroes . Adam Brody ’s Flash ( Barry Allen ) was the POV character and , along with D.J. Cotrona as Superman , Miller assembled a castthat includedArmie Hammer as Batman , Megan Gale as Wonder Woman , Common as Green Lantern , Santiago Cabrera as Aquaman , Hugh Keays - Byrne as the Martian Manhunter , Zoe Kazan as Iris West , Jay Baruchel as Maxwell Lord , and Teresa Palmer as Talia al Ghul .
Production onJustice League : Mortalwas quick to go in Miller ’s aboriginal Australia in February 2008 , with WETA Digital handling the film ’s legion visual effects . Warner Bros. invest the production on cargo area due to issues with its huge $ 200 - million budget as well as problems with the handwriting . TheWriters Guild of America strike in early 2008then made rewrites out of the question . Warner Bros. also decided that output would be moved to Canada , in venom of Miller ’s insistency for the film to be shot at FOX Studios in Australia .
relate : Every Superhero Name Freddy Calls Shazam
Another issue was directorChristopher Nolanand Batman actor Christian Bale not being well-chosen aboutJustice conference : deadly . Nolan was in post - production onThe Dark Knightand both he and Bale utter displeasure at another version of Batman appearing on the bounteous screen and competing with his own . With Miller , the budget , the screenplay and the studio at odds , the options for the cast were allowed to buy the farm and production was ultimately ended . Justice League : Mortalis now one of the most famous " What if ? " superhero films .
Shazam Introduces The Shazam Family
Shazam!is set in the DCEU after the upshot of Zack Snyder’sJustice League(which was drastically changed byJoss Whedon ’s reshoots ) , but a cool surprise is that the moving-picture show does n’t just introduce the nominal Cuban sandwich played by Zachary Levi , it actually debuts five other superpowered defender of truth and justice : theShazam Family .
DespiteShazam ’s many awesome powerslike super strength , hyperspeed , the ability to wing , and the big businessman to shoot lightning , he soon finds he ’s in agency over his head teacher when he ’s hunt byDr . Sivana ( Mark Strong ) . Sivana desire to bestow the big businessman of Shazam to his own evil might , which was given to him by the Seven Deadly Sins . In the end , Billy is able to portion out his magic and constitute an unexpected superhero team comprised of his young foster siblings . Ironically , the Shazam Family is not only Billy ’s own interlingual rendition of the Justice League , but it ’s meet that two of its members would have once been part of the League themselves .
Thomas Nelson Page 2 : The Shazam Family Provides Closure To Justice League : Mortal
How Shazam Provides Closure For Justice League: Mortal
InShazam ! , Billy Batson ( Asher Angel ) finally discovers he can partake in his magic powers with his foster sibling Freddy ( Jack Dylan Grazer ) , Mary ( Grace Fulton ) , Pedro ( Jovan Armand ) , Darla ( Faithe Herman ) , and Eugene ( Ian Chen ) so they can also transform into adult superhero interpretation of themselves . They are portrayed by Michelle Borth as Mary , Meagan Good as Darla , Ross Butler as Eugene , who join Adam Brody ’s Freddy and D.J. Cotrona ’s Pedro . Thanks toShazam ! , Brody and Cotrona at last get to join the DC Universe as superheroes , albeit as different ones than what they hope to be a decade ago .
It was specially crushing for theJustice League : Mortalactors to come so close to playing the iconic superheroes only for the task to collapse at the 11th hour . Over the years , conception art has leak out showing some of George Miller ’s vision , include theSuperman suitCotrona would have have on , a possibleBatsuit for Armie Hammer ’s Bruce Wayne , and Megan Gale’sWonder Woman costume . In the recent 2000s , Brody was come off his star part on FOX’sThe O.C.and he was transitioning to the bragging screen in film likeJennifer ’s consistency . As Barry Allen , Brody would basically have been the lead character ( who even dies at the destruction ) ofJustice League : Mortalso it was a major lose opportunity for the thespian .
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For Brody and Cotrona , the cool thing aboutShazam!is that they finally get to play DC superheroes on the with child screenland and they are certain to continue in their purpose as grownup Freddy and Pedro inShazam 2 . It ’s even possible the Shazam Family could cross paths with the Justice League one day , which would institute Brody and Cotrona ’s careers as DC movie superheroes full circle .
Can The Shazam Family Become The DCEU’s New Superhero Team?
TheDCEU film slatehas a hardening of photographic film with spillage engagement scheduled over the next three years , which includesAquaman 2 in 2022 - a no - brainer weigh James Wan ’s blockbuster gross over $ 1.1 - billion at the worldwide box function . While a more modest smasher , Shazam ! ’s $ 158 - million opening night weekendworldwide ( off an estimated $ 100 - million budget ) assures Zachary Levi will get to say the magic word once again in a subsequence , which has yet to be announced . Meanwhile , DC ’s future film include Matt Reeves’The Batmanand James Gunn’sThe Suicide Squadbut still noJustice Leaguesequel - nor is one anticipated to materialise unless plan alter .
Without the Justice League riposte to the big covert in the foreseeable future , that leaves a nothingness for the Shazam Family to fill . There ’s plentitude of opportunity inShazam 2for Billy Batson and his foster siblings to have more far - reaching adventures outside of their native Philadelphia , and they could cross way of life with a returning Dr. Sivana , Mr. Mind ( as teased in themid - credit scene ) , and perhaps even battleBlack Adam ( Dwayne Johnson ) , the anti - poor boy who was once the Wizard Shazam ’s champion .
Shazam ! ’s final fit establish thatBilly now bonk Supermanand he might be ask round to join the Justice League one day ( as the film ’s animated credits sequence hilariously touch to ) . However , the Shazam Family could also be the DCEU ’s replacement for the League ifJustice League 2doesn’t officially materialise ; the Wizard ’s six champions certainly have enough raw power to defend the Earth from malign menace . For fans who bid they could have seen George Miller’sJustice League : Mortal , it ’s apt that a part of his abandoned imagination hold on inShazam !
Next : Shazam ’s Ending Sets Up A Very Different DCEU Future
