The new Shazam trailer has cameos by Batman, Superman, Wonder Woman and you didn’t even notice
Even though the future of the DCEU might be in flux, the latest Shazam trailer wasn’t afraid of embracing its connection to the larger universe, with nods directed at Batman and Superman.
A new trailer for the superhero film Shazam was released on Monday, and fans of the DC Extended Universe have spotted references to other DC characters in the two-and-a-half minute trailer.
Shazam is the latest installment in the ever-evolving film franchise, which began in 2013 with Man of Steel. A shot in the new trailer, in which Shazam balances a bus in his arms prompted fans to draw parallels to a similar shot in the Superman movie, as well as Wonder Woman and Aquaman.
Another shot in the trailer shows Shazam in a shop, surrounded by action figures of Justice League members such as Superman, Batman, Cyborg, The Flash and Wonder Woman. The shot shows Shazam picking up a large Batman statue and flinging it into the air. While the statue does not bear any resemblance to Ben Affleck’s version of the Dark Knight, his Batman can be seen in the background - although the face is largely out of frame.
This could be deliberate because Affleck recently announced that he would not be reprising his role as Batman in future DC movies. The actor has played the iconic character in three films - Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, Suicide Squad and Justice League. Each film received mixed to poor reviews.
Here are some reactions from fans:
After many ups and downs critically and at the box office, the DCEU recently delivered its biggest commercial hit - Aquaman, which made over $1 billion worldwide. Shazam is the only entry slated for release in 2019, with Wonder Woman 1984 being pushed to 2020. Birds of Prey, a Suicide Squad spin-off led by Margot Robbie’s Harley Quinn is currently filming, and director Todd Phillips’ gritty take on the Joker, starring Joaquin Phoenix, will be released in October (although it is independent of the larger series).
Also read: I’m not Batman: Ben Affleck confirms he is no longer the Dark Knight
Warner Bros CEO Kevin Tsujihara admitted to the Los Angeles Times recently that the series has evolved over the years. “The universe isn’t as connected as we thought it was going to be five years ago. You’re seeing much more focus on individual experiences around individual characters. That’s not to say we won’t at some point come back to that notion of a more connected universe. But it feels like that’s the right strategy for us right now.” he said.
Shazam is directed by David F Sandberg and stars Zachary Levi in the lead role. The film will arrive in theatres in April.
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