I’m not an authority or even much of a fan of the superhero genre that has dominated the box office over the past few years, but I’m willing to give it another shot because the new SHAZAM! movie looks like 100% SHAFUN!
Based on the DC Comics character, which was at one time also known as ‘Captain Marvel’ (confusing, right?), SHAZAM! tells the story of 14-year-old foster child ‘Billy Batson’ and his transformation into an adult superhero. It’s sort of like Tom Hanks’ 1988 movie Big, except for the cape and the crime fighting.
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Just as in Big, this movie requires two actors to play the child and adult versions of the main character. Asher Angel (top), who kids will recognize as ‘Jonah Beck’ on Disney Channel’s Andi Mack, stars as the 14-year-0ld Billy Batson. Zachary Levi (above), who starred in the TV series Chuck as well as a couple of the Thor movies, handles the grown-up superhero duties.
The other star of SHAZAM! is the production itself. The script and effects are terrific, far surpassing those of the 1970s TV series that CBS aired on Saturday mornings. The new movie hits theaters in April 2019. Here’s a peek:
