Thankfully, after the success of ‘Wonder Woman,’ it seems Warner Bros is far more willing to let directors other than Zack Snyder have more say in the films they are making for the DCEU, including allowing them to make films that do not follow the dark, ominous, brooding, and depressing tone set by ‘Man of Steel‘ and ‘Batman V Superman: Dawn of Justice.’ Which is why the recently announced director of ‘Shazam,’ David F. Sandberg (‘Annabelle: Creation’) can claim that his film will be very different from other DCEU films in that it will be a lot more fun and lighthearted. Which makes sense when you remember that the title hero is basically just a kid who utters a magic word and turns into an adult superhero with abilities similar to Superman.
According to a recent interview with the Toronto Sun while promoting ‘Annabelle: Creation,’ Sandberg said:
“The big attraction for me with that character is the fact that every kid dreams of being Superman, right? I mean I certainly did, and (Billy Batson) is a kid that gets that chance. He gets to become the superhero. So, it’ll be big with superpowers in a way. In terms of what people can expect, I think this will be one of the more fun or lighthearted movies so far in the DC universe. It certainly will be a departure.”
For those familiar with the comic book history of Shazam (who used to go by the name Captain Marvel, which is confusing for a number of reasons), it is ironic to hear Sandberg talk of the character this way, as originally Shazam was created by a rival comic book company, Fawcett Comics, as a kind of ‘Superman’ rip-off, before the character was eventually acquired by DC comics and incorporated into the world of their heroes. I know for me, it sounds like an interesting concept for a superhero movie, and not something that has been done before, which is very intriguing, especially nowadays. The fact that Sandberg comes from a horror background makes me think there could be some very cool visuals that go into the movie. Of course, a lot depends on the kid they find to play Billy Batson and whether he is able to pull it off because nothing kills a movie faster than a bad child actor, but with this money involved, I’m sure they’ll be able to find someone good.
What are your thoughts on ‘Shazam’ being more lighthearted? Can you think of any reason why it should not have that kind of tone? Share your opinions in the comments below!
