We finally have a peek at what the costume will look like for the upcoming film in the DCEU, Shazam!. A few set photos have surfaced showing the actor, Zachary Levi, sporting the costume on set in Toronto. It looks pretty spot on when compared to the superhero’s look in the comics, complete with the iconic yellow lightning bolt on the chest and signature white cape. Even the actor’s new hairdo matches that of the muscular DC hero’s. Based on the look, it appears the film is on the right track to being a faithful adaptation of the source material.
Now THAT is cool! pic.twitter.com/eBksgMijM9
— Mo (@MisterMoscle) March 6, 2018
The picture will be directed by David F. Sandberg, who is known mostly for directing horror movies, such as Lights Out and Annabelle: Creation, which is a bit of an odd choice. Throughout his comic book history, Shazam usually carried a light and comedic tone. This makes sense for the character, seeing as his origin is that of Billy Batson, who will be played by Asher Angel in the film. Batson is a young boy who gains the powers of gods and turns into a superhero by shouting, “Shazam!” This is a concept that is rife with all sorts of comedic possibilities, so it seems a bit unusual that a director known for working in the horror genre is at the helm of the upcoming feature length movie.
Thankfully, the costume choice gives us a good indication as to what kind of tone the motion picture will present to us. The colors are very bright, not dark and muddy that most gritty comic book films give us. Zachary Levi’s look is reminiscent of the classic American superhero: clean shaven and properly groomed, with a little bit of charm. The overall look gives me the impression that the film will be light in tone and faithful to the source material, and I am looking forward to seeing more news develop on the film’s production.
Shazam! is being distributed by Warner Bros. Pictures and is set to hit theaters on April 5, 2019.