While Shazam! Fury of the Gods has plenty of bombastic action, goofy comedy, and surprising horror that fans have come to expect from DC films, it also thrives on the hearts of its central characters. Even with a magic word at their disposal that can give him amazing powers, Billy Batson, Freddy Freeman, and the rest of their adopted family are still just trying to figure out their place in the world. That heart makes the film stand out in a crowded field of superhero films, especially in the eyes of the movie's stars.
During an interview with CBR ahead of Shazam! Fury of the God's Mar. 17 theatrical debut, Asher Angel (Billy Batson) and Jack Dylan Grazer (Freddy Freeman) dive into the elements that make Shazam! stand out from the rest of the current superhero cinematic landscape, some of their dream directions for the series' DC future, and if Freddy's alter-ego of "Captain Everypower" would be able to take on Grazer's other recent superhero role.
CBR: Theaters have been full of superhero films in the last few years, but there's something to Shazam!'s idiosyncratic energy that makes it stand out. From your perspective, what is it about these films that make them unique?
Jack Dylan Glazer: There's a whimsy about it. It's almost so unaware of itself, that it's a superhero movie... When you watch another superhero movie, it's very much the superheroes brooding, and they're tough. They have deliberation and intention. Then you see Shazam, and he's like a lost baby deer finding its footing. And then eventually, we watch him get his footing, but he's still got this uncertainty with him, which makes him so lovable and unique. Idiosyncratic was the best word to use. Yeah, that's what I love about this movie so much.
Asher Angel: That's a great answer. I think it's very authentic. It's just fun. We used to reference that it's Big meets a superhero movie. And so I love the family dynamic of it. I think those things make it unique. I mean, it's a kid superhero... There are so many different aspects to it that make it unique and funny. All those things are what make it stand out.
Jack, you also got the chance to play a different superhero recently in Battle of the Super Sons, where you played Superboy. Real quick, cage-match between Superboy and Captain Everypower, who wins?
Glazer: Oh, Captain Everypower. It's in the name!
One of the things I loved about the film was how much you all get to play around with the DC-ness of it all. What other corners of the DC Universe would you love to see the Philadelphia Fiascos end up in going forward?
Glazer: There are a few. There's a good handful. It's tough to answer these questions.I'll be honest -- I got a team breathing down my neck about the things that I can and cannot say. However, I would love to work with Batman. In a perfect world, George Clooney Batman. [Laughing] I mean, I'd love to see expansion. I'd love to see what the Flash is doing right now, crossing over between universes and making it so meta-conceptual, and it'd be great to see Shazam dip its toe in that.
Angel: I think [Peter Safran and James Gunn] have created such an amazing plan for the universe, and I'm just so excited to see what they're going to do. Obviously, I think there's a lot left to tell with Shazam, their story, and where it goes. I know we're open to any kind of crossover and excited to see what the future holds.
Shazam! Fury of the Gods opens in theaters Mar. 17.