Some of the biggest criticisms of the burgeoning DC Extended Universe includes its self-seriousness, its lack of levity and its overly dark atmosphere. Though Warner Bros. has been sticking to Man of Steel and Batman v Superman director Zack Snyder's visual style, the studio's been slowly turning things around, adding some color and humor to DCEU's 2017 slate.
Last month David F. Sandberg joined the DCEU family to direct Shazam! and though the film doesn't come out till a couple of years from now, the Swedish film director has been promising fans that his superhero movie would be a lighthearted bit that would veer away from the general atmosphere of the DCEU.
"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," the director told The Toronto Sun. "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."
This comes as no surprise – Shazam might be a superhero but he's also a child named Billy Batson who's able to turn into a full-grown superhero by calling out the name of the wizard who gave him his powers. Being a child, Shazam's always had a lighthearted innocence about him and from the looks of it Shazam! might turn out to be the Homecoming of the DCEU.
Shazam! is scheduled to premiere on April 5. 2019.
Read: Shazam! Director On Getting The Character Right For the DCEU
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