If you’d asked me a year ago whether or not we’d actually get a Shazam movie, I’d probably say no. In the grand scheme of things, compared to all the other DC properties out there, it seemed like the riskiest. Additionally, if you’d’ve asked me if Billy Batson would be in Shazam (if it did get made), I would’ve said no. Given the tone of the DCEU back then, it seemed like a world that would have no room for the antics of a young kid. When there are real stakes on the line, I didn’t think Warner Bros. would indulge in this tale of wish fulfilment. I’d always thought that Shazam could tell the tale of Black Adam and his turn from villainy to anti-heroism. Obviously, that’s no longer the case.

Over the past few months, Shazam has really been fast-tracked over at the studio, and at San Diego Comic-Con, director David F. Sandberg confirmed his involvement in the film. Furthermore, despite his horror background, Sandberg confirmed that the movie would be a lighthearted romp — probably the most lighthearted film in the DCEU yet. Finally, despite it initially seeming like one of the farthest films down the line, it’s now the next film to hit production. But how far along are they?

Moviehole is reporting that casting on the DC flick began last week, and they’ve put out a wide casting call for young boys to take on the role of Billy Batson, the kid who transforms into Shazam after reciting the magic words…Shazam (yes, it was less redundant back when he was called Captain Marvel), and a casting call for Shazam himself. Against Warner Bros.’ usual strategy, it looks like they’re open to the idea of the two leads being unknowns, which is a nice change of pace for DC.

That wasn’t all. The outlet also described the script as having “a beautifully balanced tone of superhero adventure antics and welcome humor, much in the same way both Ant-Man and Spider-Man: Homecoming did.” This is great news. Again, as recently as a year ago, I was convinced that a movie that fit that description (which would be the natural way for a Shazam film to be approached) would never get made in the DCEU.

Another interesting tidbit came in another detail from the outlet. They stated that the upcoming Flashpoint movie will “have an effect on this one,” which we can assume to mean Shazam. This does raise a few questions. We currently don’t have any release dates for anything past Aquaman, and last we heard, they were still working on that Flashpoint script. With Shazam already underway, how does it make sense that Flashpoint will have already affected the film before Flashpoint even occurs? Will they be planting the seed in this one for Flashpoint to come in Shazam? Perhaps.

Of course, these rumors don’t come from a typical trusted source. As such, their accuracy needs to be questioned. The reports of a casting call are in line with the timetable we’ve heard, which have production beginning early next year. The only thing that rings remotely false here is the Flashpoint news, and yet stuff like that never stopped DC from creating weird time-bending scenes in the past (see: Batman v Superman Knightmare sequence).

Do you think it’s a good idea to go unknown for Shazam? Let us know your thoughts down below!

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SOURCE: Moviehole