‘Shazam’ Set Photo Reveals First Look at Zachary Levi’s Very Accurate Costume
One of the chief complaints about the DC Extended Universe is how dark and gloomy everything looks. Although Wonder Woman took some strides to correct that dour aesthetic (among other things), Justice League was still dark as heck. Enter Shazam. A new photo from the set of the upcoming film starring Zachary Levi as the titular superhero has leaked, giving us our first look at his extremely colorful — and comic book-accurate — costume.
Although it’s impossible to gauge the overall visual aesthetic of Shazam from this set photo, one thing is perfectly clear: That is indeed Shazam, as evidenced by the bright red, white, and gold costume worn by Levi.
Of course, that costume could appear less vibrant in the finished film, depending on how director David F. Sandberg (Lights Out) approaches his cinematography and color grading. You’ll also notice Mark Strong there on the left side of the pic; he plays the film’s villain (of course).
With photos leaking from the set, it probably won’t be long before Warner Bros. unveils a more official first look at Levi as the hero — who is actually a 14-year-old kid named Billy Batson (played by Asher Angel), who’s granted the power to transform into a mighty, full-grown superhero by saying “Shazam!” Yes, it’s kind of silly, but the DCEU could use a bit of levity (and color), and Levi is certainly a solid pick for the job: As the former star of NBC’s Chuck, Levi proved his prowess with both comedy and action, and he’s got the handsome superhero looks to boot.
Here’s the official synopsis from WB:
We all have a superhero inside us, it just takes a bit of magic to bring it out. In Billy Batson’s (Angel) case, by shouting out one word—SHAZAM!—this streetwise 14-year-old foster kid can turn into the adult Super Hero Shazam (Levi), courtesy of an ancient wizard. Still a kid at heart—inside a ripped, godlike body—Shazam revels in this adult version of himself by doing what any teen would do with superpowers: have fun with them! Can he fly? Does he have X-ray vision? Can he shoot lightning out of his hands? Can he skip his social studies test? Shazam sets out to test the limits of his abilities with the joyful recklessness of a child. But he’ll need to master these powers quickly in order to fight the deadly forces of evil controlled by Dr. Thaddeus Sivana (Strong).
Shazam hits theaters on April 5, 2019.