'Shazam' Movie News: Movie to Feature Billy Batson as a Happy-Go-Lucky Kid, Director Hints
The upcoming "Shazam" movie will feature Billy Batson (Asher Angel) as a happy-go-lucky kid.
A fan recently asked "Shazam" director David Sandberg how Billy Batson will be portrayed in the movie, and the director has suggested in his response that the upcoming movie's version of the character will be a happy-go-lucky kid.
"He will not be a huge d*ckhead," Sandberg replied to the tweet of the fan.
While the director did not specifically address the question, it is now believed that the upcoming movie will not base Billy Batson on the New 52 line of DC Comics. After all, in the New 52, Billy Batson is portrayed as a troubled kid in the foster care, something very different from what fans have been familiar with for a long time.
Nonetheless, DC fans can expect that the first ever live-action movie feature of "Shazam" will have Billy Batson as a happy-go-lucky kid with fun sensibilities, and the movie will not have a dark theme that most DCEU (DC Extended Universe) movies have been criticized for.
Meanwhile, more names have been added to the cast of "Shazam." To recall, on his Instagram account last week, Sandberg posted a photo showing that the "Shazam" movie will have more than 70 characters, and only three had been revealed, including Angel, Zachary Levi (who plays the titular role), and Jack Dylan Grazer. Just recently, though, it has been announced that "Fresh Off the Boat" actor Ian Chen and "Bella and the Bulldogs" actor Jovan Armand have joined the cast as Billy Batson's friends, specifically as Eugene and Pedro, respectively.
"Shazam" is a movie based on a DC character of the same name and was created in 1939. The superhero comes into an existence after his alter-ego, Billy Batson, shouts the word "Shazam," which is an acronym for Solomon, Hercules, Atlas, Zeus, Achilles, and Mercury.
The movie is reported to enter production in February next year and is slated for an April 2019 release.