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For other uses of Shazam, see Shazam (disambiguation).

"Billy Batson, I choose you as champion."
Shazam

Shazam! is a 2019 superhero comedy film, based on the DC Comics superhero of the same name. Co-produced by New Line Cinema, DC Films, and The Safran Company and distributed by Warner Bros. Pictures, it is the seventh installment in the DC Extended Universe. It was released on April 5, 2019.

The film was directed by David F. Sandberg from a screenplay by Henry Gayden and story by Gayden and Darren Lemke and stars Zachary Levi as Shazam, Mark Strong as Dr. Thaddeus Sivana, Asher Angel as Billy Batson, Jack Dylan Grazer as Freddy Freeman, Adam Brody as the Super Hero Freddy Freeman, and Djimon Hounsou as Shazam the Wizard, Faithe Herman as Darla Dudley, Meagan Good as the Super Hero Darla Dudley, Grace Fulton as Mary Bromfield, Michelle Borth as the Super Hero Mary Bromfield, Ian Chen as Eugene Choi, Ross Butler as the Super Hero Eugene Choi, Jovan Armand as Pedro Peña, D.J. Cotrona as the Super Hero Pedro Peña, Marta Milans as Rosa Vasquez, and Cooper Andrews as Victor Vasquez.

A spin-off, Black Adam, was released on October 21, 2022. A sequel, Shazam! Fury of the Gods was released on March 17, 2023.

Synopsis[]

We all have a superhero inside us, it just takes a bit of magic to bring it out. In Billy Batson's case, by shouting out one word—SHAZAM!—this streetwise 14-year-old foster kid can turn into the adult Super Hero Shazam, 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.[1]

Plot[]

Shazam! - Young Sivana in Car

In winter 1974, in upstate New York, a young Thaddeus Sivana is in the car with his older brother and father while playing with his magic 8 ball. As his father and brother mess around with him, Sivana is mysteriously transported to a strange cave. There, he meets a wizard named Shazam, who introduces him to the Seven Deadly Sins: Lust, Sloth, Pride, Wrath, Gluttony, Greed, and Envy. The wizard informs him that he’s in search of someone pure of heart and strong in spirit to be his champion. The boy is tempted by the Sins, attempts to touch a magical ball, and is sent back to the car from which he was transported. The boy causes a commotion and the resulting fuss causes the father to crash, injuring their father on ice. The magic 8 ball reads “find us”, (presumably sent by the Seven Deadly Sins).

Many years later, four-year old Billy Batson is at a carnival with his mother, who is playing darts in vain to win a stuffed tiger. Billy's mother resigns herself to winning a pendant that she gives to Billy. Afterward, Billy loses the pendant ball and chases after it becoming separated from his mother. Lost, he is picked up by police who place Billy in a foster home.

Billy in a police car

In present-day Philadelphia, a now 14-year-old Billy lures some police officers to a pawn shop and locks them in while he uses their police computer to search for information regarding his mother. Traveling to the address of a Rachel Batson, however, a different person answers before the police arrive to take him in. A social service workers introduces him to the Vasquez family, and Billy meets the rest of the family, Eugene, Darla, Pedro, Mary, and Freddy.

Shazam! - Sivana sees Doctor die

Back in an office of Sivana Industries, a woman is talking to a doctor through Skype about the wizard's lair. The doctor gets a video from the woman and presents to Dr. Sivana, who leads her to his office, where he reveals he has been tracking sightings around the world. The latest woman took a video of the incident, which shows her clock flashing magical symbols, same as the ones Thaddeus saw as a child. This allows Sivana to write out an incantation on a door that disintegrates the doctor when she touches it and opens a portal to the lair of the wizard, and he thusly enters. Upon entering, Sivana confronts the wizard, touches the tempting energy ball, releases the Seven Deadly Sins and absorbs all the Sins into his right eye, which now glows blue.

At school, the foster children show Billy around the school, as he adjusts. At lunch, Freddy sits with Billy and after trying to pester him for a few minutes - Freddy assumes that Billy stole his collectible Superman bullet - Billy assures him he didn't. At the end of the school day, Brett Breyer and Burke Breyer drive into Freddy and hit him. As they try to bully and beat him, Freddy's foster siblings try to stand up for him but are unsuccessful. After initially walking away from the family, Billy returns, stands up to the bullies, and hits them with Freddy's crutch. The Breyer brothers give chase and Billy runs away into a subway station and boards a train, narrowly escaping the bullies. While on the train, symbols appear and he enters the Rock of Eternity.

Billy meets Shazam

The wizard reveals that he is the final surviving wizard of 7 and had previously given his powers to another champion, but that champion, however, used his powers for revenge, killing numerous people and releasing the Sins into the world. The wizard vowed to search for someone who possessed a pure heart, leading to him to search for millennia. He chooses Billy, who has to say the word Shazam to obtain the wizard's power. Billy says the word and transforms into an adult superhero, and the wizard disappears. Billy, in his new form, is then returned to the train. Billy returns to the foster home and meets with Freddy to seek advice. They begin testing Billy's new abilities including lightning, super speed, strength, and bullet immunity. Returning to the home, Billy inadvertently says "Shazam" and he is returned to his younger self.

Sivana Tower Massacre

At Sivana industries, Dr. Sivana barges into a corporate meeting hosted by his brother and father, who had lost the use of his legs in the accident from the night in 1974. A confrontation between the siblings results in Sivana throwing his brother out of the window and Sivana shows off his eye and releases the Seven Deadly Sins. Sivana and the Sins slaughter everyone in the room except for his father. Finally, as Sivana is about to leave, his father pleads that he'll give him anything, Sivana asks his father what sin he has committed the most – the response is greed. Thus, Sivana has Greed to eat and kill his father.

Shazam and Freddy testing strength (2)

Freddy has been posting videos of an empowered Billy practicing his powers, which are going viral. Freddy and Billy are in school and skip school when Billy poses as his superhero alter ego to check them out. Leaving, they get around to test fire, flight, and strength. Happy, they walk through a mall where Billy use's his lightning ability to charge people's cell phones, get free sodas, attempt to purchase a lair from a real estate agent, and finally go to a strip club. Billy comes out and states that they need more money. They go to an ATM, zapping it and taking some of the money which is used to purchase merchandise.

Next day at school - the bullies begin to harass Freddy and Billy again until Freddy tells them he knows the new hero “red cyclone” - they don't believe him but he promises and tells them that he'll get him to show up to lunch tomorrow. Freddy and Billy get into a bit of an argument over him just assuming and trying to use Billy for his powers. That night at dinner the father asks the family what they think of the new hero - everyone gives input and Freddy takes a dig at the superhero and then he and Billy get into another argument leaving the rest of the family confused.

At school the next day Billy decides not to attend school because he feels the lack of need, despite Freddy asking for lunch. Billy does various things, taking selfies, and showing off lightning for tips and money. He sees and saves Mary from being hit by a car, and talking to her makes him realize she is upset that, because of college, she will have to leave her family. Billy tries to tell her to do it for herself, but in the process reveals he knows her name and that she's a foster child.

At school, Freddy is surrounded by kids waiting for the superhero, and is humiliated, at the art museum steps Billy is putting on a lighting show saying “lightning with my hands” to the beat of “Eye of the Tiger.” Freddy shows up and tries to talk to him, yet Billy tries to diffuse the situation, shooting lightning that hits a bus across the city, sending it off the side of the bridge. Catching it, Billy puts it on the concrete, only to be promptly told he's not using his powers correctly by Freddy.

Sivana meets Shazam

Hearing the commotion, Dr. Sivana shows up and demands the powers that Billy possesses. Brushing him off, Billy is promptly thrown around and lands in a mall. Sivana hunts him down, but the superhero transforms back into Billy and runs. Freddy travels to the mall in search of Billy and Sivana takes notice, takes him hostage, and demands him to take him to Billy. Back to the foster home, the foster siblings piece together that Billy is the hero. Billy shows up at the foster home and Eugene tells him where to find his birth mother; she is only two subway stops away. Billy rushes out of the house with his foster parents in tow. At the house, Sivana shows up with Freddy and traps the children.

Billy arrives at his mother's apartment complex where his mother informs him that on that day, she purposefully left him with the police because she thought other people would take better care of him that she ever would. Leaving, he receives a call and Sivana tells him to come home. Billy jumps off the apartment building, transforms into the champion, and flies home.

Sivana confronts Shazam!

Billy decides to give up the power to save his family and Sivana opens a magical door to the Rock of Eternity. Picking up the staff, Sivana unleashes the Seven Deadly Sins, who surround Billy and as he's about to give up his powers - Freddy, Darla, Eugene, Mary, and Pedro appear in the lair. Freddie throws his Batarang at Sivana's head and causes a knick that bleeds. Billy grabs the Batarang, sticks it in Sivana's shoulder and flings him across the room, knocking him out. Billy and his family try to escape until Billy remembers how he escaped when he got there - he thinks hard and transports them all back to the city.

Shazam Family

Sivana notices the lighting from Billy's transformation and attacks the Carnival, shooting at a Ferris wheel, almost tipping over. Sivana and Billy fight all around the carnival. Getting a hold of the wizard's staff, Billy and his family yell the wizard's name, and transfers his power to his family, transforming them into the Shazam Family, each an adult superhero. Each of the Shazam Family fights a sin while Billy and Sivana fly through the skyline, fighting. Back at the carnival, the family saves people while fighting off the sins. Darla begins to use her super speed ability to save the people on the Ferris wheel but she can't get everyone before Pedro is knocked away and the Ferris wheel takes another hit by one of the deadly sins.

As it goes to tip over - Freddy flies in and saves the last two people on it - the Breyer bullies. Billy and Sivana end up on a rooftop and Billy goads the one deadly sin who remains - Envy. It rips itself from Sivana's eye and Billy yells "Shazam!", hurting it. Sivana has knocked off the roof. Billy grabs Sivana, who is now powerless and drags him to the carnival, ripping the magical eye out, imprisoning the sins within it. Saving the day, the Shazam family basks in the cheers of the crowd, takes the eye back to the lair, and return the sins for safekeeping. Billy and Freddy decide this is their lair. Back at the foster home, everyone returns to their original home and are watching a newscast of the carnival instance, with Santa Claus describing the event in a bleeped profane tirade. The Shazam Family all talk and laugh and Billy finally feels happy and safe in accepting a family.

Superman Freddy and Shazam

At school, Freddy sits down at lunch and the entire table leaves so all his siblings come and sit next to him. The bullies show up and ask if he's still friends with red cyclone - the champion superhero shows up and tells the school how Freddy showed him everything it means to be a hero and that he also brought another friend – Superman. Freddy is stunned.

Shazam! - Sivana in jail (9)

In the mid-credits scene, Sivana is in a prison cell in Rock Falls Penitentiary doodling the symbols all over the wall until he's interrupted by Mister Mind, who tells him of the pillars of evil that will come together and the seven realms of magic will be under their control. In a post-credits scene, Billy is shown trying to talk to fish like Aquaman.

Cast[]

Appearances[]

Characters[]


Locations[]

Events[]


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Sentient species[]


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Mentioned[]

Production[]

This section requires expansion

Geoff Johns, when questioned about the possibility of a Shazam movie being made, stated in January 2012 that "Oh, no, Shazam's always — there's always a possibility for Shazam. There's always talk about Shazam. And I can't get into the specifics on that, but yeah, there's hope for Shazam." Peter Segal stated in December 2013, that due to the Superman reboot, plans for Shazam! were put on hiatus. On April 28, 2014, SciFiNow reported The Wall Street Journal revealed that a Shazam movie was scheduled for release in July 2016 after Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice and before Justice League. The film was announced to be written by Darren Lemke and produced by Hiram Garcia.[3]

On September 4, 2014 Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson confirmed that he had been cast as the villainous adversary of Shazam, Black Adam.[3] It was reported in January 2017 that a script was being worked on by Henry Gayden. In July 2017, it was confirmed that David F. Sandberg would direct the film. It was also confirmed by Geoff Johns that Dwayne Johnson's Black Adam would not be appearing in Shazam! but would be in his own solo film instead.[4]

On August 25, 2017, David F. Sandberg stated that they would cast an adult and a child to play Shazam and Billy Batson respectively rather than use CGI to "de-age" an adult actor.[5] It was announced on October 27, 2017 that Zachary Levi was cast as Shazam.[6] A press release was released on February 5, 2018, announcing production's commencement and the cast.[1]

Post-production[]

David F. Sandberg's two-time collaborator Michel Aller served as the editor for Shazam!. Mike Wassel (Hellboy II: The Golden Army and The Fast and the Furious franchise) and Kelvin McIlwain (Aquaman) are the overall visual effects supervisor for the film. Technicolor's VFX studios Mr. X (known for The Shape of Water and Tron: Legacy) and Moving Picture Company (MPC) provided visual effects. Rodeo FX, Digital Domain, and Rise FX also worked on the VFX for the film.

Videos[]

Trailers[]

TV spots[]

Clips[]

Interviews[]

Other[]

Music[]

This section requires expansion
Song title Artist Location(s)
"The Real Slim Shady" Eminem Official 30 Second Trailer
"My Name Is" Eminem Official Trailer #2
"Do You Hear What I Hear" Bing Crosby Thaddeus Sivana, Sid Sivana, their father in the car before the accident.
"The Real Thing" Cook Classics & Outasight Billy Batson traps the cops in the store.
"Feels" Calvin Harris (feat. Pharrell Williams, Katy Perry & Big Sean) Billy Batson meets his final foster family.
"Legend" Twenty One Pilots Billy Batson begins his first day at Fawcett Central School.
"Feel Me Flow" Naughty by Nature Billy learns how to use his powers.
"Don't Stop Me Now" Queen Freddy Freeman and Billy test the latter's powers.
"Eye of the Tiger" Survivor Billy performs for a street crowd.
"Cherry Pie" Warrant Billy accidentally transports Mary Bromfield, Freddy Freeman, Pedro Peña, Eugene Choi and Darla Dudley to The Booty Trap.
"Slow Hands" Niall Horan Billy Batson sits down for Christmas dinner with his foster family.
"I Don't Want To Grow Up"
(Tom Waits cover)
Ramones End credits.

References[]

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Films in the DC Extended Universe
Man of SteelBatman v Superman: Dawn of JusticeSuicide SquadWonder WomanJustice LeagueAquamanShazam!Birds of Prey (And the Fantabulous Emancipation of One Harley Quinn)Wonder Woman 1984Zack Snyder's Justice LeagueThe Suicide SquadBlack AdamShazam! Fury of the GodsThe FlashBlue BeetleAquaman and the Lost Kingdom
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