Shazam!!!

[Sebastos]

First off, I want to say that I can't WAIT for this flick. Been a long time fan of the character, and I'm keeping my hopes up! Second, what news have we gotten? Anything recent??

 

[Nightwing 52]

Still in active development by New Line Cinema...And there hasn't been any news on the film since Peter Segal was announced to be directing it. With William Goldman and Bryan Goluboff writing the screenplay.

Peter Segal to Direct Shazam!
Source: The Hollywood Reporter April 12, 2006

Peter Segal ("The Longest Yard," "50 First Dates") has come aboard to direct Shazam! -- an adaptation of a DC Comics' comic book series featuring Captain Marvel -- for New Line Cinema. The Hollywood Reporter says Segal also will produce along with Michael Ewing via their Callahan Filmworks.

The comic series focused on young Billy Batson, who becomes the superhero known as Captain Marvel when he utters the magic word "Shazam!" The name is an acronym for six gods and heroes of the ancient world as well as their attributes: the wisdom of Solomon, the strength of Hercules, the stamina of Atlas, the power of Zeus, the courage of Achilles and the speed of Mercury.

Writers on the long-gestating project include William Goldman and Bryan Goluboff.

http://superherohype.com/news.php?id=4082

 

[Noir]

....Are we sure Segal is the right man for this movie?
If done right and I mean there is a slim chance it will then the movie will be great, if done the way I think it will, then it will just plain suck.

 

[sepharih]

....Are we sure Segal is the right man for this movie?

Nope, and I honestly think they could do much better. Really, I think it goes without saying that this film will have a certain camp factor no matter what direction they go, and I don’t think anyone would honestly want it any other way, but I fear that under his direction this film may easily degenerate into nothing less than a complete farce of the material.

In fact, to be brutally honest, I’m already bracing myself for the announcement of Will Ferrel as Captain Marvel.

 

[BillyBatson]

I'm not happy with the choice personally. I really don't want to see this made out to be a comedic/campy farce of a movie. I would much rather see it as an epic fantasy superhero family movie. Something along the lines of a cross between Harry Potter and Superman with a wee little bit of comedy/campiness being ok. I would cast John Cena as Cap, Dwayne(The Rock) Johnson as Black Adam, and Christopher Lee as Shazam.

 

[Dude_Love]

Keep John Cena away from any comic book film ever! The guy can barely wrestle let alone act

 

[Nightwing 52]

Edit.

 

[Nightwing 52]

I'm not happy with the choice personally. I really don't want to see this made out to be a comedic/campy farce of a movie. I would much rather see it as an epic fantasy superhero family movie. Something along the lines of a cross between Harry Potter and Superman with a wee little bit of comedy/campiness being ok. I would cast John Cena as Cap, Dwayne(The Rock) Johnson as Black Adam, and Christopher Lee as Shazam.

...That would be a joke.

 

[sepharih]

Actually, The Rock is Captain Marvel as far as I'm concerned.

In fact, I checked IMDB the other day and the Rock is already in Segal's latest movie, I wouldn't be surprised if that's what winds up happening. Maybe Segal will actually pull it off.

 

[Matt.S99]

mm hmm i agree!yeah john cena cant act or wrestle

 

[Brainiac 2009]

I think there will be a great divide in reactions if Capt Marvel/Billy Batson is suddenly a Samoan.

I think The Rock would make a better Black Adam.

They need to cast Marvel mid to late 20s and give him the JLU characterization from "The Clash". That will reasonate well with kids.

My choice is:

Michael McLafferty

 

[Noir]

Hopefully they get an unknown who is really good.

 

[Billy Batson]

I think there will be a great divide in reactions if Capt Marvel/Billy Batson is suddenly a Samoan.

I think The Rock would make a better Black Adam.

They need to cast Marvel mid to late 20s and give him the JLU characterization from "The Clash". That will reasonate well with kids.

My choice is:

Michael McLafferty

I've seen this before

John Cena will do just fine, although my vote is for the ROC as CAP!

Ryan Kelley

as Billy Batson

SHAZAM! JOHN CENA

as Captain Marvel /
Captain America batbat 29640

 

[Billy Batson]

CAPTAIN & MARY MARVEL

Black Adam & The Mighty Isis

 

[Dude_Love]

CENA CAN NOT ACT!!!! He can't even wrestle, his promos suck, the marine was bollocks. Give me one good reason why he should be Shazam?

 

[bulok]

The Rock is fun as hell to watch. **** all y'all that say he can't act. It's going to be an action flick. It's not going to be some Oscar winning drama. I enjoyed The Rundown immensely. I think he'd make a good Billy Batson.

Hell if y'all are having problems with Captain Marvel being Samoan, hows about making him Asian seeing as he's all squinty eyed and all?

 

[Brainiac 2009]

Supes was squinty eyed too but that hardly means he should be an asian.

But regardless, I have a feeling theyll go with a lesser known actor for this role, realistically.

And John Cena is horrible.

 

[GL1]

Haha. White people don't like it when their white characters are portrayed by non-whites... it takes away part of what helps them identify with the character. Even as a non-white myself, I'm not THAT pressed, but The Rock can't really pass for white, and Captain Marvel is supposed to be a little white boy that grows into a big white man. That kinda small town bumpkinness is thrown off when you add in non-whiteness.

That said, the Rock would OWN as Black Adam, and I think he'd enjoy the role quite a bit.

Now, with Captain Marvel not being a thoroughly deep character, I think John Cena can actually pull it off. I've seen the Marine, and let me tell you, his acting skill isn't that deep, but Captain Marvel doesn't require much acting skill, it requires a big build, a big smile and a square jaw, and some stunt work... Cena can do that, honestly. I'd enjoy seeing him as the big red cheese...

"Captain Marvel" isn't about Cap... it's about Billy. It's important to get a skilled child actor for Billy (not to be confused with a teenage actor), but Cap is a big cheesy superhero, and honestly, based on the Marine and his wrestling performances, John Cena can do that in his sleep.

 

[StorminNorman]

Patrick Warburton IS Captain Marvel

 

[Brainiac 2009]

20 years ago.

 

[ShadowBoxing]

Haha. White people don't like it when their white characters are portrayed by non-whites... it takes away part of what helps them identify with the character. Even as a non-white myself, I'm not THAT pressed, but The Rock can't really pass for white, and Captain Marvel is supposed to be a little white boy that grows into a big white man. That kinda small town bumpkinness is thrown off when you add in non-whiteness.

Welcome to the 2000s, nobody cares...

Kingpin was black, and his character was BASED on a white guy from The Maltese Falcon.

Betty Brant was made black in the Spider-Man animated series.

Now Captain "Shazam" Marvel is suppose to be the embodiment of several greek era Gods, therefore it actually stands to reason he would be "tanner" than a typical White American. And last time I checked most Superheroes are tan and have darker complexitions as it is generally considered more attractive than patsy and white.

That said, the Rock would OWN as Black Adam, and I think he'd enjoy the role quite a bit.

Yes, this I actually agree with which is why I have trouble casting him as Captain Marvel because he would also own as Black Adam...may be the perfect fit for him. However I also would say his acting career points much more towards the light hearted and uplifting Captain Marvel than Black Adam...who is a veritable bastard.

Now, with Captain Marvel not being a thoroughly deep character, I think John Cena can actually pull it off. I've seen the Marine, and let me tell you, his acting skill isn't that deep, but Captain Marvel doesn't require much acting skill, it requires a big build, a big smile and a square jaw, and some stunt work... Cena can do that, honestly. I'd enjoy seeing him as the big red cheese...

"Captain Marvel" isn't about Cap... it's about Billy. It's important to get a skilled child actor for Billy (not to be confused with a teenage actor), but Cap is a big cheesy superhero, and honestly, based on the Marine and his wrestling performances, John Cena can do that in his sleep.

Yeah...ummm...lets keep Cena as far away from Hollywood as possible. He might have the build to play a range of characters from Captain America to Aquaman and all places in between...but the man is a joke to watch. And just because Captain Marvel doesn't strike you as deep, doesn't mean he doesn't require acting skill. It seems to me it would be pretty hard to act the part of a boy trapped in a man's body...in fact with movies like Big already considered classics, I'd say you could expect a lot from a film like this. Captain Marvel could be very well served played off much like Hank's character, and that would take an immense amount of acting ability. Having to deal with damsels in distress, villains, death, love, and all those "adult concepts" while being a boy at heart actually makes for a far more complex character than say someone like Green Lantern, Flash or the multitude of other adult heroes.

 

[DrayvensCrow]

Honestly IMO GL1, I think you'd find people of alot of ethnicites that might have a problem with Johnson as Cap as opposed to BA, just for the simple fact that Dwayne plays a much better villian than a hero, race not being an issue with them. But there are those people, as you said, who want Cap to be "Captain Whitebread" and not the Samoan equivelent. That being said, on to Cena....if it doesn't take much to play Cap, then why stick Dwayne in that role????? Why not throw David Batista in Cap's boots? He's big, physically intimidating and doesn't have much in the way of acting skills?! Cap is as just as an important piece of the puzzle as who's cast to play Billy so you just can't throw anyone who looks good in the golden boots. Personally, Rock is just as good for Cap or BA as Vosloo is for BA and race has never been a factor for me: I just want the actor who is the embodiment of Cap, just as Lynda Carter was for my generation's WW, Michael Keeton's Batman, George Reeves' and Christopher Reeves' Superman and Tom Tyler's Cap. You can look at Reb Brown's Captain America perfomances to see what happens when you just throw anyone into a role!

 

[bulok]

Supes was squinty eyed too but that hardly means he should be an asian.

But regardless, I have a feeling theyll go with a lesser known actor for this role, realistically.

And John Cena is horrible.

Dean Cain is half Japanese but he made a decent Supes.

I remember a TV movie a few years ago, a Cinderella adaptation with Brandy. Prince Charming was Asian and his mom was Woopi Goldberg. The race had nothing to do at all with good storytelling. I'm hoping someday movies will be like that with "so and so is supposed to be white" blah.

Get over it! The race doesn't matter. The storyline does.

 

[Spider - Man]

Haha. White people don't like it when their white characters are portrayed by non-whites... it takes away part of what helps them identify with the character. Even as a non-white myself, I'm not THAT pressed, but The Rock can't really pass for white, and Captain Marvel is supposed to be a little white boy that grows into a big white man. That kinda small town bumpkinness is thrown off when you add in non-whiteness.

That said, the Rock would OWN as Black Adam, and I think he'd enjoy the role quite a bit.

Now, with Captain Marvel not being a thoroughly deep character, I think John Cena can actually pull it off. I've seen the Marine, and let me tell you, his acting skill isn't that deep, but Captain Marvel doesn't require much acting skill, it requires a big build, a big smile and a square jaw, and some stunt work... Cena can do that, honestly. I'd enjoy seeing him as the big red cheese...

"Captain Marvel" isn't about Cap... it's about Billy. It's important to get a skilled child actor for Billy (not to be confused with a teenage actor), but Cap is a big cheesy superhero, and honestly, based on the Marine and his wrestling performances, John Cena can do that in his sleep.

I don't think white people are nearly as put out over white characters being portrayed by people of other ethnicities or races as black people would be if a major black character was played by someone of another race (can anyone imagine Shaft played by Steven Segal?). Fortunately for the black fans, I don't think that's been an issue so far. I could easily make an argument for Vin Diesel as Luke Cage that would be every bit as viable as the reasons MCD was a good choice for Kingpin.

In the case of the Rock as Cap, I don't think anyone is saying he shouldn't play the part because of his race. I thinkit has more to do with the fact that he is not a very versatile actor, and is simply not the actor for the part. I remember when someone wanted Randy Savage as Wolverine! Yeah he could do the 'berzerker rage' bit and everything but I don't think his acting would have been much more than 1-dimensional.

Hey, I'd think if you were a Cap fan, you'd hope for a bit more quality than just someone who would look good in the costume but whatever. I've seen my favorite superhero done justice on the big screen for the most part. I wish the same for all comic fans in relation to their individual favorites as well.

 

[TEDDY]