WARNING: The following article contains spoilers for Shazam!, in theaters now.
It was hard to see what kind of future DC's film universe had ahead of it after years of failure. At one point in time, Shazam! seemed destined to be the final installment of the DC Extended Universe. However, the success of Wonder Woman and Aquaman, as well as the positive response to Harley Quinn, has given Shazam! room to grow.
Now that the film is out, it's time to discuss where the franchise can go from here. Shazam! sets up a few elements that can be expanded upon in further sequels and spinoffs, including a new family of superheroes and additional enemies for them to fight. Here is how Shazam! sets up Shazam! 2.
A New Family Is Born
Shazam! serves as more than just a simple origin story for the titular hero. Even after taking Billy Batson through his own solo adventures, the movie has no problem immediately building on the character's legacy. The superhero formerly known as Captain Marvel has always been defined by his large family of sidekicks, so it's perfect that they all show up in this movie.
Billy spends much of the movie trying to figure out his powers and learning to use them responsibly. However, Shazam! has no problem powering up the entire extended family to take down Sivana and the Seven Deadly Sins. By the film's third act, there are now a total of six superpowered kids, with Mary, Freddy, Pedro, Eugene and Darla all receiving a portion of Billy's powers.
By introducing all these characters in the first film, it sets up everything for the sequel all at once. It is easy to imagine that Billy will have his hands full trying to train his extended family to use their powers responsibly. Shazam! saw Billy go from troubled boy to an inspiring hero, so showing him train the others will be a great way to portray his growth.
The Wizard's First Champion
We've been hearing about a Black Adam movie starring Dwayne Johnson for years. It's likely the reason the character's role from Geoff Johns and Gary Frank's comic was filled by Sivana. Regardless of whether that project will ever see the light of day, Shazam! actually provides a little setup for it.
When Billy is inside the Rock of Eternity, he is told about the Wizard's first champion. While his name is never mentioned, it is clear that this original champion is Black Adam. After turning bad and freeing the Seven Deadly Sins, it makes sense why the Wizard would be so cautious about who he chose as his next champion.
Mentioning Black Adam's role in the film's universe might be a cool Easter egg for longtime fans, but it also serves a purpose. By introducing the idea that Bill has an evil predecessor, it sets up for the standalone film to tell that story, and also sets up a future film for Black Adam's inevitable return. The only question will be how evil the former champion is allowed to become.
A New Threat Emerges
Sivana makes it his mission to seize what he believes to be rightfully his after being denied the Wizard's power as a child. Thanks to the intervention of Billy and his friends, the evil doctor is stopped and placed in jail after murdering his father, brother and the board members of his family's business. It is then that a new villain approaches him during the film's credits.
Escaping from the Rock of Eternity, Mister Mind is seen visiting Sivana in his jail cell. The villainous worm promises him power and how, together, they will be able to successfully defeat the Wizard's champion and take over the world. The hyper intelligent baddie clearly has a plan that we may see play out in the eventual sequel to the film.
For a preview of what could be coming next, fans should probably be paying attention to the current Shazam! comic book run by Geoff Johns and Dale Eaglesham. Since the first film was heavily based on Johns and Frank's run on the character, it's entirely possible the sequel could continue that trend. Mister Mind mentions taking over the Magiclands at the end of the film, and the current comic is exploring those worlds. Could we be getting a preview of what to expect in the next movie?
Directed by David F. Sandberg, Shazam! stars Asher Angel as Billy Batson, Zachary Levi as Shazam, Mark Strong as Dr. Thaddeus Sivana, Djimon Hounsou as the ancient wizard Shazam, Grace Fulton as Mary Bromfield, Jack Dylan Grazer as Freddy Freeman, Ian Chen as Eugene Choi, Jovan Armand as Pedro Peña, Faithe Herman as Darla Dudley, Cooper Andrews as Victor Vásquez, and Marta Milans as Rosa Vásquez.