With Shazam!'s new trailer, Warner Bros. just shut down any debate over the lead character's proper name. Set to Eminem's "My Name Is..." and containing a major name-oriented joke, the long-awaited trailer feels designed to stamp out any insistence that Billy Batson is the "true" Captain Marvel.
Since his inception, Shazam -- who once went by Captain Marvel -- has had a rather tumultuous existence. After Fawcett Comics debuted him as their flagship character in 1939, Superman, Inc and Detective Comics claimed Captain Marvel was so similar to the Man of Steel that it infringed his copyright. As a result, Fawcett Comics ceased publication of its comic book line after some back-and-forth in the courts, with the last issue of Captain Marvel Adventures bowing in 1953.
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Enter Mar-Vell. With the Captain Marvel trademark abandoned, Marvel Comics seized the opportunity to create their own character with that name in 1967. DC Comics fought back by working out a deal with Fawcett to license its superhero characters for a new line of comic books starring Captain Marvel and his Marvel Family. However, because of copyright, DC couldn't use the name "Captain Marvel" on the cover, forcing the publication to choose a different title: Shazam!
To keep a grip on the Captain Marvel title, Marvel ran several series under it with the Kree hero Mar-Vell as well as Monica Rambeau, Genis-Vell and finally Carol Danvers. This prevented DC from using the name on their Captain Marvel titles as well as on his action figures and other merchandise. So, in 2012, DC used the line-wide New 52 reboot to retool the character's origin so that he was now always known as Shazam -- a change that endures to this day.
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Perhaps coincidentally, Shazam! will hit theaters about a month after Marvel Studios' Captain Marvel, which stars Brie Larson as Carol Danvers. As Captain Marvel's release date rapidly approaches, the Marvel Cinematic Universe film has come under fire from trolls and detractors who have launched review bomb campaigns and attempted to stir up controversy over Larson's recent diversity comments (and otherwise). A handful of feverish Shazam! fans have followed suit by claiming Billy is the "real" Captain Marvel; this is a particularly pervasive tactic used to berate the film on social media, especially Twitter.
NEXT PAGE: Breaking Down the Trailer
Indeed, the "Billy Batson is the real Captain Marvel" mantra has become so ubiquitous that it has caught the attention of Shazam! star Zachary Levi and director David F. Sandberg, both of whom have distanced themselves from the "movement." "Because of old trademark shenanigans Shazam now gets the power to say Shazam and turn into Shazam from a wizard named Shazam," Sandberg wrote on Twitter. Sandberg has also voiced support for Captain Marvel, saying that he can't wait for the film to make "all the money in the world to shut some of these people up."
"Just because Shazam used to be called Captain Marvel way back in the day doesn't mean that somehow Brie or Marvel's Captain Marvel are pitted against us," Levi declared in a video he posted to social media. "Sure, we're both movies and we're both going to be out in theaters at similar times. The irony of that timing is really interesting, for sure, but there is no conspiracy, guys. Anyone out there who is holding on to some bone like they need to pick a side and pick a fight is sorely mistaken."
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As if in response to this controversy, the latest trailer for the DC Extended Universe film leans heavily into the power of Shazam's name. It opens with the wizard who gives Billy the power to transform, putting an emphasis on how his gift works: say the name, become a superhero. "Say my name," the wizard commands as Billy races across a rooftop, only to jump off and cry out, "Shazam!"
Soon after, the trailer kicks off its music montage. The choice of "My Name Is..." by Eminem feels like a deliberate selection, especially then the chorus plays over the logo reveal. It leans into the source of Shazam's power, while also emphasizing that it is, indeed, what Billy's alter-ego is called. Thematically, the trailer also finds Billy trying to make a name for himself, so to speak. Though his attempts don't always work, he uses his powers to save the public -- and to show off, of course.
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Then, of course, comes Freddy's joke. After Billy saves a convenience store from a robbery, the two congratulate themselves for the heroic act and declare Billy a superhero. "His name," Freddy says with a dramatic pause, "is Captain Sparklefingers." At that, Billy protests, "No, it's not! That's not my name!" Again, the trailer leans heavily on the importance of Shazam's name with a tongue-in-cheek joke, while injecting some levity to mirror the movie's lighthearted tone.
Is the Shazam! trailer's emphasis on the power of his name a coincidence? Possibly. After all, Billy has always used the phrase "Shazam!" to transform into his superhero alter-ego, so it has been important to the character for decades now. However, since it follows in the wake of this heated Shazam! vs. Captain Marvel debate, the trailer's thematic choices seem more pointed than ever. Doubtless, the debate will continue to rage on long after both movies hit theaters, but Shazam! has made its stance clear in its second trailer.
Arriving April 5, director David F. Sandberg’s 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 Frederick “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.