Among the films that are currently in active development is "Shazam!" who will be brought to the big screen for the first time in a live-action adaptation. As pre-production has already begun for the movie, David F. Sandberg took to social media to share with fans how he is approaching the project in terms of research.
Sandberg shared a comic strip of himself crossing paths with the superhero on Twitter, with Shazam unmasking the man who is revealed to be called Ponysmasher, a.k.a. his Twitter username. Ponysmasher has his own magic word just as Billy Batson does, which is a Swedish phrase that translates to "ass butter."
Upon uttering the phrase, Sandberg's character starts to turn into a creepy creature. Shazam is disgusted by the transformation and flies out the window. The comic strip ends with the words "Buy war bonds today!" Fans can probably expect the "Shazam!" director to troll them with this kind of humor, as he has done so in the past, from the joke script with the hero meeting Superman (a possible plot!) to the supposed look of the costume in the movie.
As for his actual research, Sandberg is looking through the character's appearances in DC comics for inspiration. He explained that he is just taking everything in. Sandberg also noted some of the older editions where Shazam is fighting Hitler and the like.
Regarding the casting of the much awaited characters for both Billy Batson and Shazam, the rumored frontrunners on the list for Shazam himself are WWE superstar John Cena and Joshua Sasse. However, there is another actor who is also said to be in the running to play Shazam as well. Derek Theler, known for being in "Ninjak vs. The Valiant Universe," is also a bet to become the superhero.
One Twitter user, ReelFada, has put together a list of social media posts that may suggest that Theler and Sandberg might be working together soon. One such instance is Theler's latest Instagram story of his shadow with a lightning bolt on his chest. There are also a few screenshots of Theler, Sandberg, and DC head Geoff Johns following each other on social media.
Most of Theler's recent follows are related to DC as well, and he has even shared a fan art of himself as Shazam, sharing that the character is one of his favorites. Could Theler be Shazam? That has yet to be determined.
The official release date of "Shazam!" has yet to be determined, although it was originally set for April 5, 2019.
