Shazam 2: Cast, Trailer, & Everything We Know

With plenty of shake-ups in the DCU, there are a lot of questions about what is happening with Shazam! Fury of the Gods. Warner Bros. and DC Films released Shazam! in theaters in 2019, and the movie became a rousing success, so fans immediately wondered when they’d next see Billy Batson back in action. Rumors about a Shazam 2 started circulating quickly, especially since Shazam! ended with Billy’s foster siblings all getting powers of their own. The sequel will continue to follow this modern family of superheroes while also expanding the universe of the gods within the DCU. There is a lot that fans can expect from Shazam! Fury of the Gods.

The first Shazam! film was directed by David F. Sandberg and starred Asher Angel as Billy Batson, a foster kid who gains magical abilities and who can transform into a superhero. When he says the word “Shazam,” he’s changed into the best version of his future adult self, a tall, muscular hero played by Zachary Levi. The film received strong early critical reviews and ended up being a hit with fans too, grossing a worldwide total of $366 million. The Shazam! movies are based on the DC Comics character of the same name, although Shazam used to be named Captain Marvel. With the release of Shazam! Fury of the Gods just around the corner and some big DCU news coming, fans can catch up with all the developments of Shazam 2.

Shazam 2: Latest News

With the release of Shazam 2 on 17 March 2023, there aren’t likely to be many more huge reveals prior to release. However, the recent DCU announcements do offer some insight into how it fits into the cinematic universe while assuring fans that the movie is proceeding ahead. James Gunn and Peter Safran announced their first projects for the new DCU which includes a Superman reboot with Superman: Legacy and a Batman reboot with The Brave and the Bold. However, the door was left open to whether characters like Aquaman, Wonder Woman, and Shazam would remain in the DCU as they are. It was also confirmed that Shazam! Fury of the Gods will continue to take place in the universe of the first movie with The Flash resetting the DCU timeline.

Shazam 2: Release Date

Shazam 2 has a confirmed release date of March 17, 2023. There’s been a lot of confusion around when the Shazam! sequel would come out, as the date has been changed multiple times. Shazam 2 had previously been slated for April 1, 2022, leading to many jokes about it being an April Fools’ prank. Unfortunately, that release date had to be scrapped thanks to the pandemic, then rescheduled to November 2022, and then June 2023. A DC announcement and trailer at San Diego Comic-Con then brought the release forward to the prime Holiday season slot on December 21st, 2022. However, come August 2022, the movie was again delayed to its current release date.

Shazam 2: Cast

Shazam 2 stars Zachary Levi returning to the titular role of Shazam/Billy Batson, he reunites with most of the main cast of the original. Asher Angel, Jack Dylan Grazer, Adam Brody, Djimon Hounsou, Meagan Good, Grace Fulton, Ross Butler, and D. J. Cotrona are all returning as Shazam’s allies and family. The villains in Shazam 2 have some exciting casting choices with Helen Mirren and Lucy Liu playing Hespera and Kalypso respectively, known as The Daughters of Atlas.

While it was confirmed that Dwayne Johnson’s Black Adam won’t be making an appearance in the film, Fury of the Gods has added Rachel Zegler as Anthea, another Daughter of Atlas. It’s also been confirmed that Mark Strong is not returning as the villain Dr. Thaddeus Sivana. Ezra Miller, Jason Momoa, and Ben Affleck were all shown in the trailer in their respective DCU roles, but there’s nothing to indicate the Flash, Aquaman, or Batman are in Shazam 2. Along with the assembled cast, director David F. Sandberg will return to helm the sequel after directing the first movie.

Black Adam Is Not In Shazam 2

When Black Adam was announced, there was immediate speculation around an inevitable meeting between Dwayne Johnson’s villain-turned-antihero and Levi’s Billy Batson. Fans hoping to see the long-awaited fight between Shazam and Black Adam will be left disappointed as Dwayne Johnson’s anti-hero will not be featured in the sequel. In fact, following the disappointment and drama surrounding Black Adam, it seems as though Johnson will not be returning to the DCU in any capacity. Though there were plenty of teases for what might come next for the Black Adam franchise, the character is not included in the new version of the DCU.

Despite Black Adam being the most famous Shazam villain in the comics, it was reported that Johnson was not a fan of Shazam as a character and pushed to ignore that connection in his movie. Instead, Johnson pushed for the return of Henry Cavill as Superman who appeared in the end credits scene of Black Adam. Despite the strong reaction this cameo got from fans, it was announced shortly after that Cavill was done as Superman in the DCU, followed by Johnson confirming that Black Adam was not a part of the new DCU.

Shazam 2: Story Details

While few official plot details for Shazam! Fury of the Gods have been released, it’s clear from the Shazam 2 trailer screened at SDCC 2022 that Hespera and Kalypso will serve as the sequel’s primary villains. With Dr. Sivana no longer a factor in the sequel, it’s unclear whether Mister Mind, the villainous caterpillar, will be back after an appearance in Shazam‘s post-credits scene or if Shazam 2 will ditch the classic villain. Interestingly, Hespera and Kalypso don’t appear in DC Comics, so it’s unclear what role they will play in the film, but they are described as having ill intentions. It’s possible that Zegler’s character Anthea, the youngest of Atlas’ daughters, will be going up against her sisters. Either way, their involvement in the plot explains the title of the sequel, Fury of the Gods.

Outside the Shazam 2 villains, footage in the trailer from a counseling session shows that Billy isn’t in a good place emotionally (as revealed by Zachary Levi as the adult Shazam in the confused pediatrician’s office). He’s unsure of himself, and suffering a severe case of imposter syndrome despite he and the rest of the Shazam family living the dream of being real-life superheroes. The movie is canonically set a few years after 2019’s Shazam!, and so Billy and his siblings have had some time to adjust to their newfound abilities. There may be fractions in the family though, with Shazam remarking in the trailer “Now everyone’s trying to do their own thing, and I’m the only one trying to keep it together!”

Billy’s emotional struggles and Shazam family team drama seem to be happening just as Kalypso and Hespera arrive. Mirren explains in some of the footage that she and her sister take children having the power of the Gods very personally (her exact words). As revealed by Djimon Hounsou’s Wizard, though, it’s not just the Shazam family who have to worry about the Daughters of Atlas, as the fate of the entire world hangs in the balance — as would only be fitting for a hero with Superman-tier powers like Shazam. Footage has already shown plenty of big-budget superhero action, but like the first Shazam!, the movie will probably come with a core message about Billy and his family learning to work together, value each other, and leverage their bond to overcome the villain at the 11th hour. In terms of the movie’s core theme, as indicated by Levi’s phenomenal reference to the Fast and the Furious meme in the trailer, “it’s all about Family.“

Shazam 2: Trailer

The first official trailer for Shazam! Fury of the Gods premiered at the 2022 San Diego Comic Con followed by the second trailer which debuted in January 2023. The footage gave fans a look at Shazam and the family back in superhero action, as well as glimpses of the new characters. It also showed that the movie maintained the comedic and light-hearted tone of the original which has been in contrast to some other DCU movies while also looking to be a much bigger budget adventure than the first movie.