Trailers for Warner Bros.’ upcoming “Shazam!” have been a lot of fun, but so far they haven’t actually shown the big red cheese in action. Until today, thanks to a new promotional clip featuring scenes of the DC superhero fighting the villain Dr. Sivana. Watch it above.
The clip is an edited-down version of footage showed off by “Shazam!” director David Sandberg and producer Peter Safran during a preview event on the Warner Bros. lot last Friday, which also included: an extended look at the Rock of Eternity scene where Billy Batson (Asher Angel) first meets the Wizard (Djimon Hounsou) and receives the power of Shazam; more scenes of Shazam (Zachary Levi) getting accustomed to his new powers with the help of his friend Freddy (Jack Dylan Grazer); Shazam’s super speed as he tries to stop a robbery; and an longer version of the grocery store scene where Shazam discovers he is bulletproof.
During the event, Sandberg and Safran also explained why Dr. Sivana (Mark Strong) was used as the main villain instead of Black Adam, another Shazam mainstay who will be portrayed by Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson in a future film.
“Sivana is kind of the oldest villain almost for Shazam,” said Sandberg. “It was always that, when I come on board, it was always Sivana. I think they sort of played with the idea of having the first movie be both Shazam and Black Adam and felt like it needs more setup than you want to spend.”
That’s true: created by Bill Parker and C. C. Beck, he debuted alongside Shazam (the called Captain Marvel) himself in “Whiz Comics” #2 (1940).
“Shazam’s origin story is big enough to merit its own film, and I think that’s really what everybody discovered early on and when you see the movie you’ll see that’s what it deserved and that’s what it got,” added Safran.
And for those hoping rumors that Johnson’s Black Adam might show up in a “Shazam!” post-credit scene are true, stop hoping. Safran says it isn’t happening.
“Complete myth. He might have been available,” said Safran. “That’s the only thing about that statement that might be true. I don’t know if he was or not, but no. There was never a conversation with him about a post-credit sequence.”
That is not to say audiences won’t see Black Adam in a SHAZAM! sequel. Sandberg added, “You’d want to see it at some point, cause he’s a classic villain.”
“He’s a perfect adversary,” added Safran. “One would hope that eventually, you see those two on-screen together, at some point, but not going to be in this one.”
“SHAZAM!” will be released in theaters on April 5.