Shazam Shazam General Discussion and Speculation - Part 2

[Godkiller]

You are way overestimating how much time it will take.

I want it because I think it is a cool moment that does nothing to take away anything from Shazam but builds up the universe more. Do you not want it because it is Superman?

The Wizard spends all his time in the Rock of Eternity. He doesnt do much training unless Billy visits him. I highly doubt that will happen much.

I don't think so. David Sandberg made an instagram post about how movie making takes way more time and effort than people realize. If they use Superman, they have to consider a lot more like reshoots and things like CGI mustache after that happened. We shouldn't assume to know how much it cost or how much time it will take because that's something they will have to figure out. It's not that simple.

The thing is the movie doesn't HAVE to have Superman. That's just something you want. You might as well include any other character. There's no reason to put in Superman because he's not important to Shazam's origin. It would be something extra that they would have to insert and make work. To be honest if they were going to do a cameo, I rather they put in Cyborg because they're buddies and he would fit the youthful vibe better, but I rather have no big cameo scenes.

The Wizard usually speaks to Billy and gives him guidance. Between the Wizard and Freddy, Billy has all the guidance he needs to start off.

 

[Flash525]

Far too soon for the entire Shazam family; having them in the opening film would be equivalent to having Kara in Man of Steel, or having Robin, Batgirl, Nightwing, Red Hood (etc etc etc) show up in a Batman solo.

I don't mind being introduced to the other kid characters, but to have their adult characters too? Definitely too soon. Shouldn't really get them until the third film. I'm still (secretly) hoping that the second one will be more a Shazam & Superman vs Black Adam ... unless they specifically make a Black Adam film and have Superman and Shazam in that?

 

[Willi Berg]

Maybe the Shazam family will only be in the end. The final scene will probably be the rest of Billy's adopted siblings also getting inside the Rock of Eternity and they get powers from Shazam as well. Leading into the sequel.

I think it will be only at the end too. The thing is, I thought maybe that they would all get their powers to help out Billy at the end at his time of need. To show the family working together, coming together, to really establish their bond as a family. And so it will be set up by the end that they can change too. Or maybe any battle involving them will be saved for a sequel.

 

[Astro13Zombie]

I definitely want the Shazam family.
That’s something that really needs to be saved for a sequel though.

I’d be really happy to see a hint at it at the end of the first one.

 

[Willi Berg]

I definitely want the Shazam family.
That’s something that really needs to be saved for a sequel though.

I’d be really happy to see a hint at it at the end of the first one.

I was quite surprised they cast the adult actors already. They're all set to go!

And good to see D.J. Cotrona and Adam Brody back after 'Justice League: Mortal' fell through.

 

[Polux]

I think it will be only at the end too. The thing is, I thought maybe that they would all get their powers to help out Billy at the end at his time of need. To show the family working together, coming together, to really establish their bond as a family. And so it will be set up by the end that they can change too. Or maybe any battle involving them will be saved for a sequel.

If one of the themes of the movie is "family", then yeah, I could see the Shazam family showing up, depending on how it ties with the movie's narrative.

 

[Greenlite]

I think it will be only at the end too. The thing is, I thought maybe that they would all get their powers to help out Billy at the end at his time of need. To show the family working together, coming together, to really establish their bond as a family. And so it will be set up by the end that they can change too. Or maybe any battle involving them will be saved for a sequel.

Maybe they'll show the whole family dynamic in this one, then Black Adam will be so powerful in the sequel that they needed Superman's help to guide them or something, therefore all the teasing with The Rock over the last few months

 

[Flash525]

Thinking on the family front - assuming they go the route of a trilogy here, if the entire family is introduced in the first film, then in the two(?) sequels they're either going to have to be there (and take the focus away from Shazam) or they're going to have to be absent, and thus a good enough reason is going to have to be given for that.

Then looking further ahead, if Shazam joins the Justice League, why can't the rest of them?

 

[Breogan]

Maybe the Shazam family will only be in the end. The final scene will probably be the rest of Billy's adopted siblings also getting inside the Rock of Eternity and they get powers from Shazam as well. Leading into the sequel.

As per the book, only Billy is chosen , then Billy transfers the power to them directly.
What you learn is he can do something with the power that nobody else has done before, that is share the power with others at the same time.
Revealing what he really wants is a family.

It does wear off though, and he faces the big bad Teth Adam alone.

Far too soon for the entire Shazam family;

You seem to ignore part of the theme of this character and how he's being developed here is family.
If you don't get, or want that likely this film isn't for you.

having them in the opening film would be equivalent to having Kara in Man of Steel, or having Robin, Batgirl, Nightwing, Red Hood (etc etc etc) show up in a Batman solo.

Except part of Billy's story arc is gaining a family.
While he at first outwardly rejects them, for fear of losing another family, that he shares the power reveals what he actually wanted all along.
It's kind of the point.

I'm still (secretly) hoping that the second one will be more a Shazam & Superman vs Black Adam ... unless they specifically make a Black Adam film and have Superman and Shazam in that?

Horrible idea, Billy doesn't and shouldn't ever need Superman to defeat Adam.
Adam is a guy who (in the past) has lost everything, granted power to make things right, he inevitably unable to let go of power.
Billy sees himself in Adam, they have a connection, given the opportunity he could go the same path, (but doesn't) Billy reaching Adam is part of defeating him. Superman has nothing to do with it, or to teach him about defeating Adam.
That is Billly's personal journey.

I just hope that if they have Freddy with powers that they don't go with the New 52 design.

Well for one thing, the guy cast as adult Freddy(Adam Brody) isn't blond, so yeah he'll look more like the classic Freddy.
As to their costumes, like Billy's they will likely follow the New 52 design.

 

[Mandon Knight]

How much does everyone think the film will make at the box office, both domestic (US) and overseas ? How much does it need to make, to be considered a 'success' ?

 

[Micromind]

If next two trailers are also received well, then I expect this to cross 700 mil, if not, still it will earn around 500 mil. The budget of this movie is not as high as other DC movies, we don't know how much it cost but my guess would be around 150 mil. So, two times the budget plus marketing will be 400 mil.


Anything above that, is a success.

 

[Breogan]

Then looking further ahead, if Shazam joins the Justice League, why can't the rest of them?

They pretty much are their own Justice League. aka SHAZAMILY, so they wouldn't need to.
And he's only sharing the power with them, it does wear off. (at first anyway, how they will play fully powered Mary and Freddy later on remains to be seen), but at first it wears off.

While they are all powered up to their idealized selves, they are mostly enhanced by one attribute, when shared:
Billy - Power
Mary - Courage
Freddy - Stamina
Eugene - Wisdom (manifests as being able to control tech?)
Pedro - Strength
Darla - Speed

Only Billy has all the powers / attributes combined.

And you seem to have a weird bias.
When you see the sprawling Bat-Family do you ask then why don't they all join the JL?
No it's obvious Batman is the main one.

Far too soon for the entire Shazam family; having them in the opening film would be equivalent to having Kara in Man of Steel, or having Robin, Batgirl, Nightwing, Red Hood (etc etc etc) show up in a Batman solo.

I don't mind being introduced to the other kid characters, but to have their adult characters too? Definitely too soon. Shouldn't really get them until the third film. I'm still (secretly) hoping that the second one will be more a Shazam & Superman vs Black Adam ... unless they specifically make a Black Adam film and have Superman and Shazam in that?

And you seem to be more concerned about inserting Superman against Teth Adam, rather then Billy allying with his own family.
Billy's main nemesis Adam who he has a personal connection and stake with ,
Superman has has nothing to do with it, or anything to offer as far as knowledge on beating Adam.
Adam is a guy who can never let go of power or "share" power. Billy defeats him by being the opposite, he can let go of power (be a kid again) and share it.
That's between him and Adam
Superman has nothing to offer there.

I mean when you look at Superman's nemesis Lex, or Braniac do you instantly think, SHAZAM! needs to show up to help?
No, because you know it doesn't warrant it.
Then why do that with SHAZAM. ?

A shared universe is great, but not at the expense of a character.
Since DC acquired SHAZAM, they have fomented this horrible idea that Shazam can only defeat Adam with Superman's help which undermines and makes him second to Superman, and the fans themselves perpetuate it.

Shazam allying with JL is great!
Yet there is more to Captain Marvel/Shazam then being allowed to join the JL, There is a whole Fawcett world of characters, where he is the champion, where he forms his own League/Squadron, that DC and the fans neglect.

 

[Willi Berg]

They pretty much are their own Justice League. aka SHAZIMILY, so they wouldn't need to.
And he's only sharing the power with them, it does where off. (at first anyway, how they will play fully powered Marry and Freddy later on remains to be seen), but at first it wears off.

They only each get one atribute, when shared:
Billy - Power
Mary - Courage
Freddy - Stamina
Eugene - Wisdom (manifests as being able to control tech?)
Pedro - Strength
Darla - Speed

Only Billy has all the powers / attributes combined.

Interested to see how they depict that - sharing the powers.

 

[Breogan]

Interested to see how they depict that - sharing the powers.

It'll probably be depicted something like this ^ (although swap Adam for however they are powering up Sivana)

It's vague, they all seem to get some level of strength and flight, and like Billy become their idealized more adult self.
But the specific attributes seems to be distributed among, and enhanced in each, as listed :

Billy - Power
Mary - Courage
Freddy - Stamina
Eugene - Wisdom (manifests as being able to control tech?)
Pedro - Strength
Darla - Speed

 

[Nathan]

So, uh, they basically all have the 'Power' trait?

 

[Micromind]

So, uh, they basically all have the 'Power' trait?

Yes.


#shazamfamily.

 

[Willi Berg]

Guess in the movie they don't have to make those "individual" traits so overt (or even mention them) and just show the other kids helping Billy... they could even each do different things to help.

 

[Micromind]

The other family members don't regularly transform into superheroes in Shazam ! comics, only when Billy needs them.

 

[Breogan]

Guess in the movie they don't have to make those "individual" traits so overt (or even mention them) and just show the other kids helping Billy... they could even each do different things to help.

Exactly, they likely show it visually; Pedro will just lift something incredibly heavy, Darla will run or fly to save someone really fast, Eugene will use his mind (not sure how they will play it) to control some technical device, Mary wil do something incredibly courageous, and I guess Freddy has to outlast them, show stamina.
These can all be conveyed visually, especially if there is a situation where many people are in danger and need to be saved at once, as in the page above.

The final battle however will be with Billy and presumably powered up Sivana (in the absence of Teth Adam), however they are portraying Sivana to be a magic user?
If he is controlling some level of magic, maybe he's assembled the seven deadly sins, or is channeling their power. Or they use him as a vessel. ...

Although there has been no casting (as far as I know) for these characters, so unlikely.

 

[Spider-Aziz]

How much does everyone think the film will make at the box office, both domestic (US) and overseas ? How much does it need to make, to be considered a 'success' ?

I think it has the chance to earn a bit more than Man of Steel did.

 

[Godkiller]

we reached peak CGI complaints lol

 

[Astro13Zombie]

we reached peak CGI complaints lol

Oh my god

 

[dhandler01]

I gotta believe they are joking...or drunk. I just cant believe otherwise right now...

 

[Scarecrow_King]

The dude on the right's face does look weird, but that's just the texture of the mask and the way it squishes against his face.

 

[Guts]

we reached peak CGI complaints lol