With "Shazam!" slated to enter principal photography next year, more details regarding the upcoming superhero flick have begun to emerge. Director David F. Sandberg has revealed what fans will not see when it comes to Billy Batson (Asher Angel).
Much like with every comic book adaptation, fans speculate how faithful it will be to the source material, especially when it comes how characters are portrayed. Following recent casting announcements that suggested "Shazam!" would have family members from the New 52 comics, Sandberg responded to a fan's tweet, saying that compared to the Billy in the comics, the movie version will not be a "huge d*ckhead."
Fans know that Billy's origin was changed a little in the New 52 comics. Compared to the original story, the Billy in these comics was made out to be a less-than-likable foster kid.
Sandberg's recent revelation does not mean that aspects of the New 52 version of "Shazam!" will not be included in the movie. It will still be there, only that Billy will be anything but an awful child in the DC Extended Universe.
This depiction is also in line with what Zachary Levi previously said. The actor, who plays the titular character, likened "Shazam!" to the Tom Hanks classic "Big" — except that the former is a superhero film.
In other news, Deadline revealed that "Fresh Off the Boat" star Ian Chen and "Bella and the Bulldogs" star Jovan Armand will be joining the cast of the upcoming movie. Chen will be playing Eugene while Armand will play Pedro. Both characters are Billy's friends in foster care.
Alongside Angel, Chen and Armand, Jack Dylan Grazer was previously announced to join the cast as Freddy Freeman, along with Mark Strong and Grace Fulton.
"Shazam!" premieres on April 5, 2019.
