One of the most interesting aspects of the first Shazam! is how director David F. Sandberg found a cast to bring DC's Marvel Family to life. Admittedly, they all turned in marvelous performances, which is why it made sense for the ensemble to return for Shazam! Fury of the Gods. However, one member of the family's missing, as Mary Marvel's now going to be played by only one person.
Shazam! 2 Doesn't Have Its Original Mary Marvel
In the first film, Grace Fulton played Mary Bromfield, Billy's academically-driven older sister. She was the voice of reason, a den mother trying to take care of the pack, but when she transformed, she was played by Michelle Borth. Again, this tied into the adopted siblings having older forms to disguise themselves.
However, Fury of the Gods has Fulton playing both forms of Mary Marvel. Now, it's unclear why Borth didn't get brought back. Some speculation claims that it might have involved her support of a member of the group that stormed the United States Capitol in 2021. Scheduling conflicts or salary negotiations could also have factored in, but whatever the case, Borth was axed, and the role went to Fulton.
Shazam! 2 May Have an Easier Mary Marvel Explanation
While no official reason was given for the change, Sandberg tweeted that Fulton's hair and makeup would help her create her secret identity, akin to Diana Prince/Wonder Woman or Clark Kent using glasses to hide he's Superman. Now, Fury of the Gods could easily explain this away due to Mary's age. The first film had her around 17 or 18, while the sequel has her off to college four years later, so it may well be that once one of the siblings becomes a full-grown adult, they don't need a second form to fight villains like the Daughters of Atlas. It could also be that the adult is supposed to fully understand good from evil, with the adolescent transition being a rite of passage and a form of experience.
Regardless, Mary not turning into an older version when using powers is influenced by the Golden Age iteration of the heroine. There, she accessed abilities without getting older, as this version attained power from a different set of gods. But seeing as they all use the Wizard Shazam as their power source and Borth's status is a mystery, fans will just have to accept it until Fury of the Gods offers a true explanation.
Shazam!: Fury of the Gods debuts in theaters Mar 17.