Actor Zachary Levi has had a long and successful career, starring in high-profile projects on the stage and screen. That includes his tenure in Shazam in the DCEU (streaming with a Max subscription) as well as Fandral in the MCU (steaming with a Disney+ subscription). But recently his career has slowed a bit, seemingly as a result of him sharing his conservative views online. And now the 44 year-old actor has reflected on that decision, and how it's influenced how many projects he lands.

After working on high profile projects like Tangled and Marvelous Mrs. Maisel, Levi began sharing anti-vaccination views, and later confirmed that he supported the re-election of Donald Trump. In an interview with Variety, he spoke about how this has impacted how much work he's gotten, offering:

While there are obviously exceptions, Hollywood is know as largely progressive politically. So Levi's statements about his views stand in stark juxtaposition to most of his peers. And while he doesn't know exactly who, the actor has been informed there are folks in the business who don't want to work with him.

As of now he's not currently expected to appear in any upcoming DC movies as Shazam, as a brand new cinematic universe is coming together before us. For his part, DC boss James Gunn didn't write off Levi at the height of the controversy. But it's unclear if/how the newly formed DCU will use the character, especially during its first phase of projects titled Gods and Monsters.

Despite this, Zachary Levi has a number of projects coming down the line, in either in the post or production phases. And in addition to taking on future acting roles, the Chuck actor is also aiming to make a big swing in the industry. He's got a goal of opening a film studio in Austin, and is reportedly in the midst of raising the $40 million it would take to make that into a reality.

Aside from the screen, another option that Zachary Levi might have moving forward is a return to the stage. He's an experienced Broadway actor, who notably appeared in musicals like First Date and the revival of She Loves Me. He starred in the latter alongside late Broadway actor Gavin Creel, although he got into some hot water in the community regarding his response online.

Levi currently has two upcoming projects on the 2025 movie release list, titled Not Without Hope and Sarah's Oil. We'll just have to wait and see if/when that studio comes together.

Disney’s remakes of its animated classics have been a remarkably successful franchise for the studio. There are two of them on the 2025 movie schedule with both Snow White and Lilo & Stitch on the list of upcoming Disney movies, and there are several more currently in development. One of the most highly anticipated has to be the reported remake of Tangled.

While the Disney Studio has never confirmed that a Tangled remake is actually in development, reports of both writers and directors have surfaced indicating the project is in development. There have been, many rumors regarding who might play the two lead roles of Rapunzel and Flynn Rider, and the original voice of Rider, Zachary Levi, is being asked about “rumors” regarding the film, including rumors he started.

Zachary Levi Is Getting Asked About The Timothée Chalamet Tangled “Rumors.”

With the popularity of Disney’s live-action remakes it’s become a common practice to ask the voice cast of the original film about rumors regarding who could play their roles in live action. Such was the case when US Weekly recently asked Zachary Levi about the rumors that Timothèe Chalamet is being considered as the live-action Flynn rider. Levi endorsed the idea, saying…

But then, of course Zachary Levi would “sign off” on Chalamet as Flynn Rider, because it was him who started the “rumor” of Chalamet in the role in the first place.

Zachary Levi Was The One Who Suggested Timothèe Chalamet For The Live Action Tangled

If one attempts to trace back where the rumor started that Disney was considering Timothèe Chalamet to play Flynn Rider, one only needs to look back at last summer. That's when Levi himself was asked who he thought would make for a good live-action Flynn Rider, and he suggested Chalamet, saying…

It’s pretty entertaining that Levi is now being asked about rumors that he ultimately is responsible for. To be fair, Chalamet isn’t a terrible choice. He’s a great actor and one can imagine that Disney would love to get a star of his level in their film. Flynn Rider as a character is both funny and charming, and Chalamet can certainly pull that off.

Considering the popularity of fan casting a Tangled movie, there's clearly an audience for it. Fans have suggested Sabrina Carpenter for the role of Rapunzel. It's also been suggested that Original Rapunzel Mandy Moore and Levi should cameo as Rapunzel's parents. It seems there will be no end to the discussion of casting this movie until casting is actually announced.

Disney’s live-action remakes of its animated classics have become a franchise all their own. There have been good and bad movies among all the Disney live-action remakes, but there’s no slowing down the train. Among the upcoming Disney movies in the next few months, we’ll be getting both Mufasa: The Lion King, a prequel to the “live-action” Lion King movie, and the long-awaited Snow White movie starring Rachel Zegler. We also know there’s a live-action Moana on the way and Hercules is in development. Several other remakes are reportedly also in development, but none are as anticipated as Tangled.

The rumor that a Tangled remake is one of those on the drawing board at Disney has been around for years. While Disney has never confirmed the film is in development and did not do so during the recent D23 Entertainment Showcase, that hasn’t stopped fans from casting the alleged film. While too much time has passed to make original Tangled cast leads Zachary Levi and Mandy More reprise their roles in live-action, the way The Rock is doing in Moana, there’s a solution for that that is making the rounds online: make them parents.

This is actually a pretty great idea. We’re used to seeing cameos from original stars in remakes. It’s a nice way to tip the hat and include them in the new version. In most Disney remakes, that’s not an option because we’re talking about movies that are decades old. But Tangled, like Moana, is a fairly recent film, and so that option exists. It would be a shame to let it go by without taking advantage of it.

Levi and Moore are sort of the “parents” of Tangled. They could be cast as the king and queen, Rapunzel’s parents. It would essentially be a cameo, since in the original animated film, the characters only appear at the beginning and end of the movie and don’t even have any dialogue. A live-action remake would almost certainly expand those parts, but they still wouldn't be major characters.

There is one other “parent” in the movie that could also work: has anybody suggested casting Mandy Moore as Mother Gothel? It would give her a bigger role, let her sing at least one song, and would completely turn the casting upside down, but it could be a lot of fun. It would leave us with a need to find a role for Zachary Levi, but I'm sure we can come up with something. He can run the Snuggly Duckling.

Many different names have been suggested as allegedly in consideration to play the leads in a Tangled remake. Even Zachary Levi has his thoughts on who should play Flynn. It does seem like only a matter of time before such a movie becomes a reality and Disney will have to cast somebody in these parts.

Disney has always been known for its acclaimed animated blockbusters, often adapted from fairy tales. One of these successful titles is Tangled, (which can be streamed with a Disney+ subscription). In recent years the House of Mouse has produced a number of live-action adaptations of these projects including Beauty and The Beast, The Lion King, and the upcoming Moana live-action flick. Actor Zachary Levi recently revealed who he thinks could play Flynn Rider live-action remake, and and I could see it.

While there's been debate about if Frozen or Tangled is a better movie, it seems like doing a live-action version of the latter movie is bound to happen sooner or later. Zachary Levi helped lead the Tangled voice cast as Flynn Rider, and spoke to ET Online about who might portray that role in the flesh. He offered a big name, saying:

There you have it. While joking about Chalamet's wildly busy schedule, Levi thinks he has the talent and looks to pull of Flynn Rider's signature smolder. After all, he and co-star Mandy Moore are a bit too long in the tooth to reprise their roles for a live-action take on Tangled. And between Timothée's massive star power and his experience singing in projects like Wonka, he'd be a great choice to bring Flynn to life. 

While Zachary Levi is a talented stage and screen actor who has even portrayed a superhero with the Shazam franchise, but that doesn't mean that he's the right choice to play Flynn in the flesh. After all, the character is supposed to be around 26, while Levi is 43 IRL. That being said, he offered a truly iconic voice performance for the 2010 movie, one that inspired short films as well as a new Tangled ride for Disney parks. Timothée Chalamet is a very different actor than Levi, but he's got the long flowing locks and acting chops to put his own spin on Flynn. 

Of course, there's no indication that a live-action Tangled movie is actually happening anytime soon. Instead Disney will first focus on the live-action Moana movie, which will bring Dwayne Johnson back to his role as Maui. This will come after the animated sequel Moana 2 hits theaters this November. 

If a new Tangled movie is produced, whoever gets cast will have some big shoes to fill. In addition to Levi, Mandy Moore absolutely crushed her role voicing Rapunzel, including lending her signature singing voice to the musical numbers. Moore has always had a stunning voice, which is why she was the perfect choice to play a Disney Princess. 

While it remains to be seen if a live-action Frozen movie is actually green lit by Disney, the animated blockbuster is available to stream on Disney+. For now check out the 2025 movie release dates to plan your trips to the theater next year. 

If you’re looking for a great family movie on Netflix or want to check out a modern stop-motion animation film, Chicken Run: Dawn of the Nugget, the long-awaited sequel to the 2001 film starring Mel Gibson as a rooster who helps a group of hens escape a terrible yet delicious fate, is going to do just the trick. While Gibson isn’t back this time around (he’s been replaced by a great choice), several of the other voice actors from the original are back for another round of action.

Stick around as we break down the Chicken Run: Dawn of the Nugget cast, including those returning stars and new additions to the ensemble. There’s much to go over, so let’s get this show on the road… 

Thandiwe Newton (Ginger)

Kicking things off is Thandiwe Newton, who takes on the role of Ginger, a.k.a., “The Wing Leader,” in Chicken Run: Dawn of the Nugget, taking over for Julia Sawalha from the original animated film. An actress we’d like to see return to the Mission: Impossible franchise, Newtown has been in a little bit of everything over the years including great sci-fi series like Westworld and a list of movies that includes For Colored Girls, The Pursuit of Happyness, and Solo: A Star Wars Story.

Zachary Levi (Rocky)

Taking over for Mel Gibson in the Chicken Run sequel is Zachary Levi, who provides the voice of Rocky, the rooster who helped Ginger and company escape last time. No stranger to the world of animation, Levi has voiced characters in Tangled, Night at the Museum: Kahmunrah Rises Again, and several episodes of Robot Chicken. All of that is on top of starring roles in Shazam!, American Underdog, and two of the Thor movies.

Bella Ramsey (Molly)

Bella Ramsey, who received a Golden Globe nomination for their role in The Last of Us, also appears in Chicken Run: Dawn of the Nugget, in which they portray Rocky and Ginger’s young daughter, Molly. In addition to playing Ellie on the smash HBO video game adaptation and Lady Mormont, a Game of Thrones character who wasn't present that much, Ramsey has voiced characters in movies like Hilda and the Mountain King, Turtle Journey, and Princess Enemy.

Romesh Ranganathan (Nick)

Romesh Ranganathan joins in on the fun of Chicken Run: Dawn of the Nugget as Nick, one of the rats who helps the chicks' plan. A prolific stand-up comedian, Ranganathan recorded a handful of specials over the years in addition to making dozens of appearances on various talk and late-night shows. He previously voiced Romesh the Mouse in the 2021 Amazon original movie, Cinderella.

Daniel Mays (Fetcher)

Daniel Mays shows up in the Chicken Run sequel as Fetcher, another rodent friend of the core group of chickens who helps with their big plan. Over the years, Mays has appeared in movies like Atonement, The Adventures of Tintin, Rogue One: A Star Wars Story, and 1917 to name a few.

Peter Serafinowicz (Reginald Smith)

Peter Serafinowicz portrays one of the humans in Chicken Run: Dawn of the Nugget, a businessman named Reginald Smith. One of the actors who appeared in Star Wars and Marvel movies (The Phanom Menace and Guardians of the Galaxy), Serafinowicz has been quite the busy actor over the years, also appearing in films like Hot Fuzz, John Wick: Chapter 2, and Sing.

Miranda Richardson (Mrs. Tweedy)

Miranda Richardson is back again as the villainous Mrs. Tweedy, the big bad from the original Chicken Run who wants nothing more than revenge. A two-time Academy Award nominee (Damage and Tom & Viv), Richardson has given one tremendous performance after another over the years, including in movies like Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire, Stronger, and The Hours.

Nick Mohammed (Dr. Fry)

Nich Mohammed, who is best known for his portrayal of Nate Shelley on Ted Lasso, voices Dr. Fry, Mrs. Tweedy’s new husband, in Chicken Run: Dawn of the Nugget. When he’s not playing the lovable-then-detestable-and-then-lovable-again character on the popular Apple TV+ original series, Mohammed has popped up in movies like Christopher Robin (he voiced Piglet) and The Martian, as well as a long list of TV shows.

Imelda Staunton (Bunty)

Imelda Staunton, who previously appeared in Chicken Run, is back for the sequel, once again providing the voice of Bunty. The release of the 2023 Netflix film comes just one day after Staunton’s final set of episodes on The Crown debuted on the platform, making December a big month for the Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix actress.

Jane Horrocks (Babs)

Jane Horrocks is back again as Babs, the hen with a love for knitting, in Chicken Run: Dawn of the Nugget. Between movies like The Witches, Corpse Bride, and Swimming with Men, the Absolutely Fabulous actress has been quite busy throughout her decades-long career.

David Bradley (Fowler)

David Bradley portrays Fowler the rooster in Chicken Run: Dawn of the Nugget, a role that was originally played by the late Benjamin Whitrow in the 2000 animated film. Though some may have forgotten he was in the MCU, no one can forget Bradley’s portrayal of the diabolical Walder Frey on Game of Thrones or Argus Filch in the Harry Potter movies.

Josie Sedgwick-Davies (Frizzle)

Josie Sedgwick-Davies is another new addition to the Chicken Run family with her portrayal of Frizzle. Unlike most of the actors in the cast, this is Sedgwick-Davies’ first movie.

Lynn Ferguson (Mac)

Lynn Ferguson shows up in Chicken Run: Dawn of the Nugget as Mac, Ginger’s trusty assistant from the first movie. Over the years, Ferguson has appeared on shows like No Angels, Blessed, and The Bill, to name a few, but she is more known for her stand-up comedy and writing duties on The Late Show with Craig Ferguson.

Well, hopefully, this helps you make sense of the Chicken Run: Dawn of the Nugget cast and why they all sound so familiar. The movie, along with the original Chicken Run, is currently available to anyone with a Netflix subscription, which will also give you access to some incredible original 2024 movies and TV shows in the very near future.

Stream Chicken Run: Dawn of the Nugget on Netflix.

For everything we know about the new DCU under James Gunn, there’s a lot that’s still a mystery. We know we will be getting a new Superman and a new Batman, but the fate of other characters like Wonder Woman and Aquaman are a bit more nebulous. The same goes for the likes of Black Adam and Shazam, though Zachary Levi says that he’s more than willing to return to play the latter character. And he even has ideas about who in the new DCU he could team up with.

The second Shazam! Movie, Fury of the Gods was one of the movies that was released after the announcement that James Gunn and Peter Safran were rebooting the DC Films universe. Zachary Levi himself has said he doesn’t know what his future may be, but he tells Comicbook.com that he wants to continue with the character, and would even like to see Shazam team up with Green Lantern. Levi said…

We know that Fillion will appear in Gunn’s Superman: Legacy as Green Lantern Guy Gardner, one of several DC characters who will appear in the first DCU big screen project. It’s certainly an enticing team-up. Fillion’s characters usually have a solid sense of humor at their core, which could make a Green Lantern/Shazam team work quite nicely if we ever see it.

While we know that many roles in upcoming DC movies are being rebooted and recast, that’s not the case with all. It’s been confirmed that Xolo Maridueña’s Blue Beetle will be part of the DCU, and so without a firm confirmation that Shazam is getting rebooted, the possibility he could stay is very real.

And Levi himself has a good relationship with the new architects of the new DCU. Peter Safran produced the Shazam! movies and Levi also knows Gunn well. The actor auditioned to play Star-Lord in Guardians of the Galaxy and reportedly got close to the role before Chris Pratt was cast. Levi has said that the failed Guardians audition ultimately helped him land Shazam!

Dwayne Johnson, who played Shazam’s comic book arch-enemy, Black Adam, has also spoken about the fact that there is no future for him in the DCU, at least right now, as there are simply no plans for the character. When and if that changes, we could potentially see him back as well.

Until we hear that characters are being rebooted and roles are being recast, it’s at least possible that the current actors playing DC characters could do so in the new universe. There are some great performances that it would be a shame to lose. Fans will just have to play the waiting game and see what happens. 

The first of the DC movies to be delivered on the 2023 release schedule was Shazam! Fury of the Gods, which saw Billy Batson and the other members of the Shazamily clashing with Hespera, Kalypso and Anthea, the daughters of Atlas. Unlike its well-received predecessor, Shazam! 2 was met with mixed critical reception, and among the criticisms directed at the sequel was that Billy, played by as a teen by Asher Angel and in superhero form by Zachary Levi, behaved immaturely. Now Levi has responded to this complain by explaining why he played the character in this specific way.

While talking about his new movie Chicken Run: Dawn of the Nugget, which arrives to Netflix subscribers on December 15, Levi discussed with ScreenRant his reasoning behind Billy’s personality shift in Fury of the Gods, noting that there was a specific reason why the character wasn’t as serious as he was depicted in 2019’s Shazam!. In the actor’s words:

There is an argument to be made that when achieves coolness when they’re not making an effort to be cool, so in that sense, I get what Zachary Levi is saying about Billy’s immaturity in Fury of the Gods stemming from trying too hard. However, let’s also not forget that in Shazam!, Billy was on his own before being adopted by the Vásquez family, and he was searching for his biological mother. So one couldn’t fault him for being in a serious state of mind during that period of his life, whereas just a few years later in Fury of the Gods, Billy now has different priorities and problems to grapple with both in his civilian and superhero life.

Whether or not that personality change worked is subject to opinion, but at least Zachary Levi put some thought into Billy Batson’s immaturity while working on Shazam! Fury of the Gods. Again though, Billy’s differing personality was just one aspect of the movie that drew polarizing responses from critics, as evidenced by its 49% Rotten Tomatoes score, though the Audience Score is a much kinder 86%. CinemaBlend’s Fury of the Gods review stamped it with 3.5 out of 5 stars, with our own Eric Eisenberg saying that it “primarily functions on its own individual wave length and succeeds because of its light energy and terrific ensemble of wonderful characters.”

Unfortunately, in addition to the mixed critical response, Shazam! Fury of the Gods failed to impress at the box office, making only $133.8 million worldwide. Between that and the DCEU continuity being swept aside to make way for the DC Universe Chapter One slate, it seems doubtful that Shazam! 3 will ever happen. Still, at least Levi was among the actors who got to play their DC characters more than once, and that lines up next to his time as Fandral in the MCU quite nicely.

Both Shazam! movies can be streamed with a Max subscription, and if another opportunity does pop up for Zachary Levi to reprise The World’s Mightiest Mortal, we’ll let you know. Until then, CinemaBlend will continue sharing the latest and greatest coverage on upcoming DC movies and upcoming DC TV shows.

Over the years, we’ve seen a great number of actors who have appeared in Marvel and DC movies, with stars like Ben Affleck and Ryan Reynolds quickly coming to mind. Another name in that category is Zachary Levi, who took on the role of Fandral in the second and third Thor movies years before leading the Shazam! franchise. 

While other actors who’ve appeared in both cinematic universes have stories about how they got involved that are fairly simple, by comparison, Levi’s is anything bu thatt. In fact, Levi was originally supposed to portray Thor’s friend and member of the Warriors Three way back in the early days of the Marvel Cinematic Universe, only to depart the project prior to shooting and then return later on.

So what stopped the future DCEU star from showing up in the 2011 superhero movie, and why did he return to the role a couple of years later? Here’s a hint, it’s pretty much the opposite of what happened with Chris Pratt’s time on Parks and Recreation Season 6.

Zachary Levi Was Cast As Fandral In Thor, But Dropped Out Because Of Scheduling Conflicts With Chuck  

Zachary Levi’s Marvel journey started way back in 2009, when he was cast to portray Fandral in Thor, a film that would also introduce of Chris Hemsworth’s God of Thunder. But just a couple of months before the Kenneth Branagh-directed comic book movie was set to enter production, the actor had to depart because of scheduling conflicts with the NBC spy-comedy series Chuck, he told USA Today (via Digital Spy). The conflict came after the network ordered an additional six episodes of the show’s current season, meaning no Asgard for Levi... at least, not at that point.

Years later, when speaking about the whole situation at DragonCon 2021 (via The Direct), the Shazam! Fury of the Gods star said that working on Thor was a dream come true since he grew up “devouring Marvel Comics.” but at that time, NBC wouldn’t let him go off and make the movie at the last minute. 

Stuart Townsend Was Initially Cast As Levi’s Replacement, But The Role Ultimately Went To Josh Dallas  

Not long after Zachary Levi was forced to depart the project, Stuart Townsend, who had previously played Lestat de Lioncourt in Queen of the Damned and Dorian Gray in The League of Extraordinary Gentlemen, was hired to portray Fandral in Thor. However, just days before cameras were supposed to start rolling, The Hollywood Reporter published a story stating that due to unspecified creative differences, Townsend was off the cast list and was being replaced by Josh Dallas, the future star of Once Upon a Time and Manifest.

Oddly enough, this wasn’t the first time Townsend departed the first installment in what would become a high-profile film franchise, as he was originally slated to portray Aragorn in Peter Jackson’s The Lord of the Rings trilogy, but was replaced by Viggo Mortensen just prior to the start of principal photography. Mortensen would later tell The Irish Times that he felt awkward about the whole situation. 

Levi Ended Up Playing Fandral In Thor: The Dark World After Dallas Dropped Out For Scheduling Conflicts Of His Own  

Though Zachary Levi would have to miss out on the first Thor movie, everything came full circle for the actor, and he ended up being able to portray Fandral in 2013’s The Dark World. But what about Josh Dallas? Well, just like the man he replaced several years earlier, he would have to step away from Alan Taylor’s sequel for a similar reason, as he told Entertainment Weekly in June 2012:

Around the same time, word began to spread that Levi was being eyed to play Fandral after having to miss out on the first movie, with The Hollywood Reporter reporting in June 2012 that talks were in the early stages. The actor would confirm the casting a month later during an appearance on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno (via MTV News). 

Zachary Levi Has Since Said It Was A ‘Bit Of A Bummer’ That His Character Wasn’t Really Developed Before Being Killed in Thor: Ragnarok  

The Warriors Three – Fandral (Zachary Levi), Volstagg (Ray Stevenson), and Hogun (Tadanobu Asano) – didn’t get nearly as much to do in Thor: The Dark World than they did in the first film. They had even less development before being killed off a few years later in Thor: Ragnarok, with Levi's character not saying a single word prior to being killed off by Hela (Cate Blanchett).

When speaking about the lack of development during a 2019 ScreenRant interview, the actor described the whole situation as a “bummer” Fandral so much fun and pretty much the live-action version of his Tangled character:

Levi admitted that it may have been for the best, as he could have still been under Marvel contract and not able to make Shazam!, which he described as “the coolest thing ever.”

Fandral Wasn’t The Only Marvel Character Zachary Levi Auditioned To Play  

Zachary Levi’s Marvel journey doesn’t start or stop with his portrayal of Fandral, as the actor was also in contention to play two other Marvel superheroes: Captain America and Star-Lord, roles that ultimately went to Chris Evans and Chris Pratt, respectively. However, as Levi revealed during a 2023 appearance on the Happy Sad Confused podcast, he wouldn’t get a chance to join the list of actors who played multiple characters in the MCU:

Later in the interview, Levi would admit that missing out on the chance to play Peter Quill was especially hard because he really thought “this is it.”

Though we most likely won’t see Fandral or the rest of the Warriors Three show up in any of the upcoming Marvel projects unless a resurrection is in store, we will be seeing a lot more of Zachary Levi in some of the big titles still set for release during the final months of the 2023 movie schedule.

Ever since the announcement of Disney’s plan for a live-action Tangled film, fan castings and rumors about the upcoming movie have been swirling. There’s a lot of speculation, and many have championed for Zachary Levi and Florence Pugh to lead the cast as Flynn Rider and Rapunzel. The Shazam! actor recently responded to these rumors, giving his own thoughts to this fan casting. 

At a recent Fan Expo in Chicago, Levi commented on an internet rumor surrounding Florence Pugh being Disney’s top choice for Rapunzel in their Tangled remake. While the actor didn’t give way to any insider information he may have about Disney’s Tangled plans, he did seem to be excited at the prospect of the actress joining the project. He said in a TikTok posted by a fan:

While the potential for two Pugh to lead Tangled is very funny, no official castings for the film have been released by Disney. Levi definitely seems interested in reprising his role in the live action version, considering he is notably the voice of the iconic Disney prince. However, the company could also have their sights set on another actor. Rapunzel is supposed to be 18 years old in the film, so both Levi and Pugh might be a bit too old to play the parts. In addition, Levi has expressed doubts that Disney would want him to play the character. Nevertheless, this would be a reimagining of the story, so anything is possible.

Tangled isn’t the only live action project Disney wants to pursue. The remake of Lilo and Stitch has entered production, and Moana and Hercules reimaginings are also in development at the company. Previous live action adaptations have been successful for Disney, as Beauty and the Beast, The Little Mermaid, and The Lion King alll did well at the box office. We will have to see if this trend continues when Rachel Zegler’s take on Snow White will have the same reception when it hits theaters in March 2024.

Levi isn’t allowed to promote upcoming projects he’s involved in, so even if he has been cast in the Tangled remake, the SAG-AFTRA strike prevents him from revealing any details. Both Levi and Pugh have a relationship with Disney, as Pugh has done multiple projects within the MCU, and Levi has been a part of various-Tangled related enterprises. If this casting happens, I think fans would be more than excited to see both of these talented actors at the center. Now the real question is who will play Mother Gothel, because I have some thoughts. 

Fans can revisit Disney’s iconic animated film, Tangled, which is available now with a Disney+ subscription. There are so many great actors who would be incredible in the live-action remake, and we will keep an eye on any cast news that comes out about this much-anticipated project. For more information on other reimaginings planned for the near future, consult our feature on upcoming live-action Disney remake movies.

In the age of remakes and sequels, celebrities and audiences have been claiming for years that Hollywood is fresh out of unique and original ideas. It seems like something always comes along to counteract that claim, but a lot of creatives are currently complaining that Hollywood studios are only investing in “garbage” right now, and the notion seems to be catching on. Shazam! actor Zachary Levi and acclaimed writer Charlie Kaufman have been two of the most vocal in this regard.

Levi has been receiving attention for recent comments made at a FanExpo in Chicago, which he attended due to his involvement in many projects centered around fandom. The actor expressed his frustration with the unsuccessful performance of his latest film, Shazam! Fury of the Gods. In making statements of support around the 2023 WGA strike and SAG-AFTRA strike, he talked about his disheartenment around Hollywood as a whole. He said (via EW):

Levi’s statements, while inflammatory, are understandable not only due to the reception of his latest movie, but also other DCEU flicks, like Black Adam and The Flash. Not only was Shazam! 2 met with mixed critical reception, it came on the heels of the new DC Universe franchise being announced, which may have played a role in its underwhelming commercial performance. However, while superhero movies may not be reaching the same heights they once did, there have been several critically lauded blockbuster studio films that have been released this year. Mission: Impossible 7 continues the legacy of one of our greatest action franchises, and summer phenominons Barbie and Oppeheimer have demonstrated what great things can be done under the thumbs of great auteurs. 

However brash, Levi isn’t the only one who feels this way. Oscar winning screenwriter Charlie Kaufman, known for his many iconic movies, including Being John Malkovitch and Eternal Sunshine of the Spotless Mind, made similar remarks recently to Deadline. He bluntly expressed that great films rarely make money, and only “garbage” big budget studio films do well at the box office. Kaufman explained his perspective by saying:

In terms of Hollywood making cash-grabby films, Kaufman has a point. Sure-thing money makers like MCU tentpole films and sequels with built-in audiences seem to usually get precedent over smaller, more thoughtful dramas because they don’t always benefit the bottom line. Some films have been able to rise above this notion, as the new horror flick Talk To Me is doing great at the box office, and has been praised by many well-respected directors. Everything Everywhere All At Once also had a major moment last year, doing great financially and critically, while going on to win Best Picture. 

The money-making nature of Hollywood, especially as cinema is more often churning out "event"-type movies, is understandably frustrating for creatives. People like Zachary Levi and Charlie Kaufman likely feel beat down by their passion projects being overshadowed by flashy films that don't hold the same quality. However, the tide seems to be turning and audiences seem to be looking towards more unique and original ideas. Hopefully less “garbage” is made in the process.

There is still a lot of hope for great movies this year, so check out our 2023 movie release schedule to see what's coming down the pike. For information on movies already released, make sure to consult our feature on new and recent movies streaming now.

Hollywood is in a state of chaos right now with, unions for both actors and writers on strike. Many movies like Deadpool 3 have ceased production, while projects that weren't ready for cameras yet and seeing their scripts ignored. Members of the unions are under some pretty strict rules regarding what they can and cannot do, and that recently caused an issue for Zachary Levi. He made a public appearance and had to try and entertain a crowd, while being largely unable to speak about any of the things fans likely appeared to hear him discuss.

A video recently went viral on TikTok that shows DC’s Shazam! On stage at a convention, finding himself, due to strike rules, not being able to talk about the various projects that he’s been a part of in his career. He ends up trying to keep fans entertained by talking around his experiences in movies like Shazam! and Tangled, and the TV series Chuck without actually mentioning any of them by name.

SAG’s rules pertaining to the current strike prevent actors from not only working on future projects but also promoting work from struck companies. This means he can’t talk about the TV and movies which are likely the very reasons that he was asked to make this appearance in the first place. The appearance itself (which he had likely agreed to do before the strike) is ok, but his hands are tied when it comes to what he can say while he’s there.

We’ve seen how strongly the trike has impacted conventions just in the last few weeks. San Diego Comic-Con, which was finally starting to return to normal following the pandemic, was hit hard by the fact that no actors or writers were in attendance. It simply wasn’t the show we were used to seeing because what was being promoted, and who was promoting it, was severely limited. 

Levi calls the situation “dumb,” though he doesn't appear to be talking about the strike specifically, just the situation he has found himself in. Stephen Amell recently got some heat for comments that seemed to be against the strike, but that doesn’t seem to be what’s happening here. It’s not hard to see from his Twitter account that Levi does support the strike itself, though he has previously made comments on Twitter that he feels actors should be free to monetize previous work when it doesn’t benefit the studios, as in the case of convention appearances. 

Both the SAG-AFTRA and WGA strike are still going quite strong, and there doesn’t appear to be much likelihood they will be ending anytime soon. There’s little word regarding any actual talks between any of the parties involved. Hopefully, all these strikes can be resolved in ways that make the striking parties happy and things will return to normal before too long. There are a lot of fans who are probably looking forward to attending various conventions and asking their favorite star about their work. 

The DC Universe is known for its wild twists, both on camera and behind the scenes. That has definitely been the case after James Gunn and Peter Safran were named co-CEOs, and started making sweeping changes to the universe. But a number of projects were completed prior to this change in leadership, including Black Adam and Shazam! Fury of the Gods. Unfortunately the latter project failed to deliver in the same way its predecessor did. And lead actor Zachary Levi got honest about his DC future after Shazam 2. 

The first Shazam movie was a breath of fresh air for the DC Universe, offering a lighter and more comedic project than we’d become accustomed to. But Fury of the Gods was a box office disappointment, and failed to resonate with fans. While Zachary Levi is committed to his role, there hasn’t been any news about whether or not he’s sticking around for the new DC Universe. Levi recently appeared on TheFilm Up Podcast, where he got candid about what’s happening with his teenager turned superhero. In his words:

Well, that was frank. Just like the fans, Zachary Levi seemingly has no idea if Shazam will return for another upcoming DC movie. He’s waiting to hear from Gunn and Safran, although it sounds like his DC sequel didn’t inspire confidence. 

Levi’s comments on The FilmUp Podcast help to peel back the curtain on what it’s like working in a behemoth franchise like the DCU. Despite being the star of two major blockbusters, he’s fairly clueless about what comes next. DC seems to be keeping its cards close to the chest for the time being. And that makes sense as we still have the release of Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom coming up this December.

Information about the new DC Universe is fairly limited, but the goal is seemingly to connect movies, TV, and video games like never before. The first movie will be Superman: Legacy, written and directed by Jame Gunn himself. Just don’t expect Henry Cavill to return as the title character; Gunn is seeking out a new actor for this story.

While Wonder Woman had a cameo in Shazam 2, Zachary Levi’s character has yet to have any major crossovers, or factor into the larger DC Universe. If his time as a superhero is done, then I guess he’ll never get to have that moment. Only time will tell, but fans are definitely eager for information from the studio.

The next DC movie hitting theaters is Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom on December 20th. Both Shazam movies are currently available with a Max subscription. Be sure to check out the 2023 movie release dates to plan your next movie experience. 

Following the first Shazam! movie ending with Billy Batson, Freddy Freeman and the rest of the Shazamily meeting Superman, Shazam! Fury of the Gods delivered its own DCEU crossover with an appearance from Wonder Woman. Unlike the Man of Steel though, we didn’t see Diana of Themyscira just from the neck down, as Gal Gadot reprised the role, albeit separately from the other cast members. Following this cameo, Zachary Levi, who plays Billy’s mighty Shazam form, has shared his wild idea for a DC hero who could appear in Shazam! 3.

Two months after its premiere in theaters, Shazam! Fury of the Gods is now available for Max subscribers to stream as they go through the DC movies in order. So after seeing Gal Gadot’s Wonder Woman appearance (which was unfortunately spoiled ahead of time), viewers might start thinking about who The World’s Mightiest Mortal and his foster siblings could cross paths with next. In an interview with EW, Levi suggested that they join forces with Green Lantern next, saying:

Zachary Levi didn’t name which specific Green Lantern he’d like the Shazam heroes to meet, but there’s no shortage of Emerald Knights from Earth who could be used, including Hal Jordan, John Stewart, Guy Gardner, Kyle Rayner, Jessica Cruz and Simon Baz. It is interesting that the actor mentioned a specific scenario he had in mind for this team-up, as that description fits the bill for Blackest Night, a comics storyline that The Flash TV series nearly adapted. The idea of the Shazamily and Green Lantern taking on an army of Black Lanterns does indeed sound enticing, although a threat of that scale would warrant other DC heroes lending assistance. 

At this stage though, we shouldn’t be asking what the chances are that Shazam and Green Lantern will team up in Shazam! 3, but rather if that third movie will actually happen. Although a new DC Universe is being put together by James Gunn and Peter Safran, Fury of the Gods director David F. Safran said in February that he’d been told “there’s nothing in the Shazam films that contradict the future plans for DC.” As such, he urged people interested in Shazam! 3 to check out the film series’ second movie in theaters.

Unfortunately, along with Shazam! Fury of the Gods earning mixed reception from critics, it also underperformed at the box office, making just $133 million worldwide off a budget somewhere between $110-125 million. While it’s possible the sequel could end up doing well on Max and home media, the chances of Shazam! 3 moving forward aren’t looking good at the moment. It’s a shame, because Fury of the Gods’ end-credits scenes planted some intriguing narrative seeds for this corner of DC lore.

Nevertheless, if Shazam! 3 is officially announced, and certainly if it’s revealed that the story will deliver a Green Lantern crossover, CinemaBlend will let you know. In the meantime, there are plenty of other upcoming DC movies we’ll continue to cover as updates trickle in.

Although Shazam and Black Adam are adversaries in the comics, these two have never crossed paths on the big screen. There was time when the latter was set to be the main antagonist in the former’s first movie, but it was later decided that Dwayne Johnson’s Black Adam debut was worthy of its own movie. As things stand now, it’s not looking likely that Johnson’s Black Adam and Zachary Levi’s Shazam will ever collide, but if the fight were to happen, Levi is confident that his character would emerge victorious.

Zachary Levi discussed this hypothetical battle while appearing in a panel at FAN EXPO Cleveland with Shazam! Fury of the Gods costar Jack Dylan Grazer, who plays Freddy Freeman. CinemaBlend’s own Laura Hurley was in the audience, and among the things she heard was Levi explaining to Grazer his rationale for why Shazam would beat Black Adam if they fought onscreen:

“Zachary Levi: I think it would be epic!
Jack Dylan Grazer: In the comics, Shazam beats him!
ZL: Ultimately, yes, because we’re fucking good! We’re good.
JDG: And we got a whole family behind us. He’s just him, and maybe some foot soldiers that die immediately.
ZL: But also, if you’re looking at the stats of the characters – we’re doppelgängers, he’s our evil twin. So it would be an incredible fight. There’s a whole anime cartoon – I’m sure a lot of you guys have seen it – where it’s basically Superman, Shazam, and Black Adam all having this awesome fight. That kind of stuff. I think that would be really cool. But I think ultimately, good wins. That’s what I believe, anyway. That’s what I want to believe, that good always wins over evil. That’s how I would see it going.”

While Dwayne Johnson’s Black Adam is shown in an antiheroic light, just like how the character has chiefly been depicted in the comics for the last few decades, Zachary Levi mainly believes his version of Shazam would be the winner because he’s all-the-way good. But, as Jack Dylan Grazer more practically pointed out, Shazam also has the benefit of being aided by the other members of the Shazamily, a.k.a. his superpowered foster siblings Freddy, Mary, Pedro, Eugene and Darla. That’s nothing to sniff that, though I’d be remiss if I didn’t point out that not only is Black Adam arguably more adept with these powers, he’s unquestionably more ruthless, which gives him an edge in battle since he’s willing to take certain actions that the Shazamily won’t.

Needless to say there’s no shortage of printed and onscreen stories featuring Shazam and Black Adam exchanging fisticuffs that you can look at yourself and see who was the winner in each scenario. But as far as the DCEU is concerned, as previously mentioned, we may never get to see if Zachary Levi is correct. Even ignoring the fact that both Black Adam and Shazam! Fury of the Gods critically and commercially underperformed, and there are no plans for Dwayne Johnson to reprise Black Adam anytime soon (if at all), but there’s also been no connectivity established between these two characters outside of Dijmon Hounsou’s Wizard being involved in both of their origins. 

It’s no secret that Dwayne Johnson wanted his Black Adam to someday battle Henry Cavill’s Superman, as evidenced by the Man of Steel showing up in the Black Adam movie’s end-credits scene. More importantly though, it was reported last week that Johnson not only put the kibosh on a Shazam cameo in Black Adam, but also prevented director Shazam! Fury of the Gods director David F. Sandberg from including any Justice Society members in his movie’s own end-credits scene. As things currently stand, there’s no guarantee we’ll see Johnson’s Black Adam and Zachary Levi’s Shazam again, especially since the forthcoming DC Universe projects will reboot certain aspects continuity around. So unless there’s drastic behind-the-scenes development, fans will just have to imagine how a clash between these versions of Shazam and Black Adam would go down.

Shazam! Fury of the Gods is still playing in theaters, and you can stream Black Adam with the other DC movies in order with your HBO Max subscription. Those with their eyes planted firmly towards the future would be wise to scan through the lineup of upcoming DC movies.

The DC Universe has had a wild life in theaters, full of peaks and valleys. The franchise has been making headlines thanks to its new leadership, which has been making sweeping changes in order to craft an interconnected cinematic universe. There's a ton of questions about the future of the property, and the fate of various heroes including Zachary Levi's Shazam. And the 42 year-old actor recently clarified his post about The Rock, and reacted to Fury of the Gods’ performance at the box office. 

Shazam! Fury of the Gods arrived in theaters last weekend, and has had a disappointing run at the box office. There's been a ton of discourse about the blockbuster, including rumors of a Black Adam tie-in that was reportedly shut down by Dwayne Johnson. After posting on his Instagram story and seemingly confirming the report in the process, Levi has once again taken to Instagram Live to clarify his thoughts about the DC sequel. In a long video posted on his main grid, the Marvelous Mrs. Maisel star said:

Well, there you have it. While Zachary Levi isn't denying posting his IG story, he wants to make it clear that he's not blaming the performance of Shazam! Fury of the Gods' at the box office on The Rock. After all, the wrestler turned actor wasn't actually involved in the DC blockbuster.

For this unfamiliar, the rumor about Shazam 2 claimed that the post-credits scene would have had Zachary Levi's title character being recruited by the Justice Society of America, seemingly setting up the eventual Black Adam/Shazam crossover. The rumor claims that The Rock shut this down, and seemingly wasn't a fan of Levi's burgeoning franchise. 

Later in his IG Live, Levi encouraged DC fans not to believe any fake stories circulating around online. He further spoke about the "blame" of Shazam 2's box office performance, sharing:

Zachary Levi did confirm that the original plan for Shazam 2's mid-credits scene was to feature Aldis Hodge's Hawkman and Quintessa Swindell's Cyclone from Black Adam. But just like Henry Cavill's planned cameo in the first movie, things didn't exactly play out as expected. And it seems like that was because Dwayne Johnson didn't want to share characters from his movie with the folks over at Shazam. 

A number of times throughout his post, Zachary Levi encouraged people to get out there and see Shazam! Fury of the Gods, while also advocating for the quality of the movie. While reviews have been mixed, Levi is hoping that the audience score on Rotten Tomatoes will raise, and encourage more people to see the blockbuster. In his words,

You can see Zachary Levi's full Instagram post below. The full clip also features him thanking fans for their kind words, and hammering down what a fun, family-friendly movie Shazam! Fury of the Gods ultimately is. Check it out:

Given the poor box office performance of Shazam 2, DC fans are left wondering if Zachary Levi and the rest of the Shazamily will be included in the new vision for the shared universe. The inclusion of Gal Gadot's Wonder Woman inspired even more questions, especially since Patty Jenkins' threequel was scrapped.

Shazam! Fury of the Gods is in theaters now. Be sure to check out the 2023 movie release dates to plan your next movie experience. 

As fans witnessed the simultaneous development of Shazam! Fury Of The Gods and Black Adam, the assumption on the table was that the movies would set the two characters up to eventually collide on the big screen (an assumption made because the latter is the archnemesis of the former in the comics). This didn't happen – and according to a recent report, it's because of Black Adam star Dwayne Johnson.

The Wrap published a story today saying that the actor made specific efforts in the making of his DC debut to disassociate Black Adam and Shazam in the DC Extended Universe canon, going as far as to veto cameos in Black Adam and Shazam! Fury Of The Gods. Johnson, an active social media user, has not yet released any kind of statement about the report, but the same can't be said of Zachary Levi.

Levi has responded to the story about Shazam and Black Adam on his personal Instagram account via Stories, and you can see a screenshot of his post below:

Zachary Levi took a screenshot of another Instagram user's rundown of the information in the trade report, and in adding a comment to the image, he denies nothing about it. Instead, he merely writes "The truth shall set you free" along with an upside-down smiley face and the "raising hands" emoji.

The trade report says that, among other things, Dwayne Johnson declined the idea of Zachary Levi's Shazam making an appearance in the end credits of Black Adam – instead pushing for the idea of including Henry Cavill's Superman. Additionally, Johnson said no to the idea of the Justice Society characters (who made their debut in Black Adam) cameoing in the end credits of of Shazam! Fury Of The Gods. 

Did any of these decisions have any kind of real devastating impact that led to Shazam! Fury Of The Gods' disappointing opening weekend in theaters? Probably not. As I wrote in the CinemaBlend box office column this past Sunday, the substandard numbers are more likely the result of mediocre buzz mixed with the announced reboot plans for the franchise – with the DC Extended Universe morphing into the DC Universe.

It will certainly be news when Dwayne Johnson responds to this morning's reports, so stay tuned on that front. Shazam! Fury Of The Gods is now playing in theaters, and Black Adam is available to watch with a HBO Max subscription. You can learn about everything that is on the way from the franchise on the big screen with our Upcoming DC Movies feature, as well as what's next for Johnson with our rundown of The Rock upcoming movies.

“Shazam! Fury of the Gods” stars Zachary Levi (Shazam), Rachel Zegler (Anthea), Lucy Liu (Kalypso), Asher Angel (Billy Batson) and Jack Dylan Grazer (Freddy Freeman) discuss their new DC film in this interview with CinemaBlend’s Sean O’Connell. Find out some fun behind-the-scenes stories, their thoughts on Henry Cavill’s Superman no-show in “Shazam!” (2019) and more. Plus, Rachel Zegler talks about the most remarkable part, so far, of being a Snow White.

Video Chapters

00:00 - Intro
00:15 - Rachel Zegler Offers Support After Sean Was Outfit-Shamed
00:42 - Lucy Liu Is Amazed By The State Of Visual Effects Now Compared To Charlie’s Angels
01:24 - Rachel Zegler Initially Skeptical Of Anthea’s Powers, Wanted Of A WandaVision Flair
02:52 - Zachary Levi Loved Getting His Ass Kicked By Helen Mirren
03:49 - The Improvised Line Jack Dylan Grazer Loved So Much Because It Made Djimon Hounsou Laugh
04:55 Lucy Liu Explains Her Grounded Approach To Acting In Comic Book Movies
05:35 - Zachary Levi Reflects On Shazam Fans' Reaction To His Casting
06:41 - Jack Dylan Grazer Compares DC Fans To Stephen King Fans, And The Author’s Supporters Might Not Love This
07:50 - The Blowback of 'Shazam’ (2019)'s Superman Cameo Scene, And Why Some of The Stars Think It Was Actually A Good Thing Henry Cavill Didn’t Appear
08:48 - Asher Angel Reveals His Favorite 'Shazam' Scene
09:35 - Why Rachel Zegler Can’t Handle Disney Parks Since Being Cast As Snow White
10:07 - That Time Rachel Zegler Got Stalked By Paparazzi Lurking In The Woods In Hopes Of Photographing Her New Snow White Dress

In recent months, the DC Universe (formerly known as the DC Extended Universe) has been paused, broken and reformed again, with current DC Film honchos James Gunn and Peter Safran laying out their vision of what the new universe will look like. While Batman will make a double return, there has been no word on ongoing franchises like Aquaman and Shazam!. All this uncertainty is only complicated by the upcoming release of Shazam! Fury of the Gods. While the boyish superhero’s future is questionable, franchise star Zachary Levi shared his hopes for the DCU’s future.

The Shazam! star was level-headed and optimistic about the situation while promoting the upcoming sequel with Yahoo. His view shouldn’t be too surprising, as Levi vouched for Gunn and Safran during the initial DC shakeups. Despite his reassurances, fans have still voiced concern over Billy Batson’s future as rumors of his departure have run rampant. All the commotion didn’t deter Levi from continuing his praise as he voiced his confidence in the duo’s upcoming plans.   

Levi has been in Hollywood long enough to know change and upheaval are just part of the entertainment industry. As a major figure in the universe, he might know information fans aren’t learned yet. However, compared to past DCEU films, Shazam! was a critical and commercial hit for DC and Warner Bros. So the upcoming franchise might not be on the chopping block, as Gunn pointed out the sequel and other upcoming DC movies fit well with his vision.   

Zachary Levi’s confidence in DC Films hasn’t wavered. However, that doesn’t mean the stakes aren’t high for Shazam! 2 to do well. Levi signaled it’s up to moviegoers to let Warner Bros. and DC know they want more movies featuring the teen-turned-superhero, saying to the publication:

Right now, the franchise’s future is left in the hands of fans over whether they will get more adventures from Billy Batson and co. The Shazam! sequel’s box office reception will determine its place in the DCU. Fury of the Gods director David F. Sandberg echoed the same sentiment in his honest answer about the Shazam! film series continuing past the upcoming sequel.

For now, Shazam is safe, as Shazam! Fury of the Gods gears up to hit theaters on March 17. Following the DC blockbuster, Zachary Levi will appear in other 2023 new movie releases, including the feature adaptation of the classic children’s book Harold and the Purple Crayon. To get more updates about the Shazam! sequel, check back with CinemaBlend for the latest news.

This week fans of DC Comics and movies got the news they'd be waiting for when James Gunn and Peter Safran, the new heads of DC Studios unveiled the first set of movies and series that will make up the new DC Universe. However, there are still some questions regarding what is happening with some of the legacy DC film characters, and one of them, Shazam!’s Zachary Levi, is currently making news for the wrong reasons 

This past weekend Zachary Levi posted a tweet in response to a comment about pharmaceutical company Pfizer that some are seeing as anti-vaccine. Many have been quite critical of Levi’s comments, and CinemaBlend was in attendance at the DCU media event when Gunn was asked his thoughts on the DC star’s tweet. Gunn replied… 

While James Gunn is clear that there are things that an actor could say or do that would lead to him cutting ties with them, merely speaking an opinion that Gunn doesn’t agree with isn’t one of those things. As he says, it would simply make doing the work too challenging. Without saying so Gunn seems to make it clear that he does disagree with Levi, but that’s where it begins and ends. Voicing the opinion isn’t worth the fight.

Having said that, it’s unclear just what sort of future, if any, Zachary Levi has with DC under the new regime. In the video released on social media, Gunn mentioned Shazam: Fury of the Gods, the upcoming sequel, and said that the character existed “in his own part of the DCU” but did say that he “connects” to the universe. Still, since the Shazam! sequel comes prior to The Flash, which we know will reboot the universe, we don’t really know if the character will move forward, or if Levi will play the character if he does.

It’s even been suggested by some that Levi’s attention-grabbing tweet may have been an intentional move designed to harm the film, perhaps because the actor knew he wasn’t moving forward with the franchise. Having said that, there’s no direct evidence that is the case. 

Social media has become a place where anybody and everybody can put themselves out into the world. Unfortunately, sometimes what people put out there isn’t always what they’re looking for, and some serious blowback can result. Over the weekend Zachary Levi received a lot of negative responses to a tweet about pharmaceutical company Pfizer that may be indicating he has an anti-vax stance, but the wildest thing may be that some are suggesting he’s brought this flack onto himself on purpose.

It’s not that surprising that an apparent anti-vaccine stance would result in those on the opposite side being critical of Zachary Levi, but it’s perhaps so unsurprising that some on Twitter are wondering if the tweet wasn’t a very calculated decision by Levi. The idea here is that, with the massive shake-up at DC that we know is coming, Levi may be aware, or strongly suggest, that the Shazam! franchise will be over for him once the new movie is out, so he’s trying to crash the movie on purpose.

Possibly because Levi thinks, or knows, he’s out as Shazam!, or possibly because the belief is that the movie itself is just bad, the theory here is that Levi is attempting to either cause the movie to do poorly or create a justifiable reason that the movie will do poorly. Needless to say, this is quite the theory, but it seems there are multiple people that believe it.

At this point, we don’t really know what the fate of Zachary Levi is going forward with DC, but most of the names that have been part of DC’s previous projects seem to be out or on indefinite hold. We know Henry Cavill won’t be Superman again. Gal Gadot’s future as Wonder Woman seems unlikely, and Dwayne Johnson’s Black Adam we know we won’t be seeing again soon, if ever.

That last point might actually be the most telling. While Dwayne Johnson had been building up a potential future between Black Adam and Superman, the character has always been an antagonist for Shazam in the comics, and we’ve expected the two to do battle at some point. But knowing that Black Adam won’t be in the first phase of upcoming DC movies, it’s possible that means that Zachary Levi’s Shazam is in the same boat. 

James Gunn has said we would get DC news in January, and the month is very nearly over. It’s possible that we’ll know what’s going on with Levi and Shazam very soon before the sequel hits theaters. Even if Levi is done, that doesn’t mean he’s trying to kill the movie on purpose. 

The DC Extended Universe is known for keeping fans on their toes, and that’s been especially true over the last few months. Peter Safran and James Gunn were recently named co-CEOs, and are making sweeping changes to give the shared universe a more cohesive vision and story. And after Henry Cavill was scrapped as Superman, there have been countless rumors about other established heroes. Shazam’s Zachary Levi recently got frank about the DC shakeups, and rumors about his future as his signature character. Here’s how it all went down.

Zachary Levi stars in the next upcoming DC movie hitting theaters, Shazam: Fury of the Gods. Despite this, there’s been a ton of chatter about whether or not he might be dropped as the direction of the franchise is changed. The stage and screen actor recently addressed this discourse head on via Instagram, saying:

He’s not wrong. There are countless rumors and “reports” surrounding the DC Universe, the majority of which are likely completely false. And Zachary Levi seems to take umbrage with folks out there who are fabricating stories, and making an already complicated time all the more difficult.

Zachary Levi’s Instagram video was originally a live, and was shared with his 1.6 million followers on the social media outlet. He speaks pretty freely about what it’s been like hearing all the DC chatter as one of the franchise’s leading actors. And that includes rumors that he already knows are false.

While speaking directly to the fans, Zachary Levi addressed the changing of leadership at DC. While he seemingly has a good relationship with Walter Hamada, he seems psyched about the pair of filmmakers who are not at the helm of the shared universe. In his words,

That being said, Zachary Levi also addressed some of the negativity that’s come his way during this uncertain time in the DCEU. That includes reports that his time as the superhero version of Billy Batson might be coming to an end. He addressed that directly, while also reminding everyone that Shazam! Fury of the Gods is just a few months away from its release. As he put it,

Some serious points were made. With Shazam’s sequel being the next DC movie hitting theaters, it doesn’t make any sense for DC to part ways with Zachary Levi. While he admits that potentially anything could happen in the future, he seems committed to his role and eager to bring us the next chapter in Billy Batson’s story. We’ll just have to wait and see how it all shakes out as James Gunn and Peter Safran continue their jobs. As a reminder, you can check out the trailer for Fury of the Gods below,

If Zachary Levi’s Shazam sticks around the DCEU, then we could potentially see him finally crossover with other heroes. Following the disappointing performance of Justice League’s theatrical cut, the shared universe largely stepped away from serialized storytelling. But it sounds like that’s exactly what the new leadership is focusing on now.

Shazam! Fury of the Gods will hit theaters on March 17th. In the meantime, check out the 2023 movie release dates to plan your trips to the theater in the New Year. And smart money says that we’ll be getting more wild updates from the studio as we get closer to the release of Zachary Levi’s sequel. 

It's a wild time to be a DC fan. The cinematic universe is currently in a state of flux, with new CEOs Peter Safran and James Gunn making sweeping changes in order to create their vision for the franchise's more cohesive future. This includes dropping Henry Cavill as Superman, and excluding Black Adam from (at least) the next slate of movies. After these shake-ups, Shazam! star Zachary Levi has responded to rumors about his possible departure from the character.

While James Gunn and Peter Safran's plans for the DCEU are being kept close to the chest, it's definitely becoming clear which characters/concepts they're not interested in. Some moviegoers have been concerned about Zachary Levi's fate as Shazam, leading him to take to Twitter in response. As he put it,

Well, there you have it. While there are currently countless questions about the future of the DCEU, it seems like Zachary Levi feels secure in his future the superheroic Shazam. At least that's one hero that moviegoers don't have to worry about, especially considering David F. Sandberg's delayed sequel is just a few months away from its release.

Zachary Levi's clarified his fate in the DCEU over on his personal Twitter account, and is likely going to go viral before long. Right now moviegoers' heads are collectively spinning, thanks to the daily updates and drama coming from the studio. And while we've seen some shocking news regarding characters like Wonder Woman and Superman, it seems that Shazam might be in a good place. Although with Black Adam also getting put on the bench, it's unclear when we might finally see him face off against his nemesis. 

As previously mentioned, the DC franchise recently got new leadership in the form of of Peter Safran and James Gunn. The latter filmmaker definitely made a splash in the shared universe with The Suicide Squad and its TV spinoff Peacemaker. And it sounds like the two of them are doing everything in their power to finally make the DCEU into a cohesive universe with serialized storytelling. And they're making bold swings in order to make it happen. 

The Shazam! sequel is the first upcoming DC movie hitting theaters in the New Year, followed by The Flash and Blue Beetle. It should be fascinating to see where the DCEU goes from there, with projects coming from the new leadership. Will Zachary Levi's hero finally get the chance to crossover with other heroes? It's unclear, but the various DC movie franchises have definitely been largely operating on their own in the years since Justice League hit theaters. 

Shazam! Fury of the Gods is currently expected to arrive in theaters on March 17th. In the meantime, check out the 2023 movie release dates to plan your trips to the theater in the New Year. And smart money says it's going to be a year full of more behind the scenes DC twists.

Dwayne Johnson was cast to play Black Adam for DC so long ago that, at the time, his casting was the first indication we got that we might see the superhero Shazam on the big screen as well, as the two are traditionally arch enemies. In the end, we ended up getting a Shazam! movie first, but now that both he and Black Adam are in the DC extended universe many are expecting a crossover to eventually happen. But perhaps not, because one source claims Johnson isn’t a fan of Shazam!.

As of the beginning of November James Gunn and Peter Safran are officially in charge of DC’s movies. Both already have experience with the films, as Gunn directed The Suicide Squad and Safran has been behind producing several DC projects including Aquaman and Shazam!. While both have some credibility in the space, an anonymous source told The Wrap that Safran may have his work cut out for him, because Dwayne Johnson doesn’t love Shazam! According to the source…

Needless to say, if Dwayne Johnson isn’t a Shazam fan, there may be some difficulty in getting him on board for any possible crossover between the two characters. And it has to be said the tone of the two franchises is very different, so even putting Zachary Levi’s Shazam and Dwayne Johnson’s Black Adam in the same room has the potential to cause a bit of a tone conflict.

At the same time, this apparent “disdain” that Johnson reportedly has for the Shazam! franchise is a bit surprising. This is because alongside Peter Safran, another of the producers of both Shazam! and the upcoming Shazam! Fury of the Gods is a guy named…*checks notes*... Dwayne Johnson.

Johnson’s Seven Bucks Productions is one of the companies behind both Shazam! movies and Black Adam, likely something that was part of the deal in getting The Rock on board with DC in the first place. Certainly this wouldn’t give Johnson unilateral control over the direction of the franchise, but it would give one of the most powerful men in Hollywood a seat at the table. 

Considering that a crossover between Black Adam and Shazam had to be part of the plans here, making a version of Shazam! that made Johnson happy would make sense for all involved. The Rock has certainly talked smack about Shazam, but that's exactly what you would expect a guy who knows a thing or two about promoting powerhouse match ups would do. 

Even if The Rock’s feelings on Shazam! are accurate, even this anonymous source thinks that Peter Safran will ultimately be successful in bringing the two DC characters together. When that will happen, however, is anybody’s guess right now.  Shazam! director David F. Sandberg says there haven't been any conversation about the crossover. And Dwayne Johnson clearly has Black Adam's sites set on Superman.

Shazam! Was a solid superhero hit for DC and so there was little doubt a sequel would be on the way. The sequel is bringing some pretty solid star power with the likes of Helen Mirren. Lucy Liu, and Rachel Zegler all joining the cast. During the new Shazam! sequel’s appearance at the recent San Diego Comic-Con, Mirren was quite thrilled with the superpowered women who will take on Shazam, and said the new movie has “pussy power” and while star Zachary Levi might have trouble using that phrase, he doesn’t disagree with the sentiment.

Helen Mirren wasn’t able to attend the recent SDCC in person, but speaking the assembled crowd on screen along side Shazam: Fury of the Gods co-star Rachel Zegler, Mirren made the comment that she, Zegler, and Lucy Liu had become friends during production, and remarked about the film’s “pussy power.” Speaking with Yahoo following the panel, Zachery Levi was agreed that the daughters of Atlas bring exactly that to the new movie, saying… 

Zachary Levi says he wouldn’t necessarily use the same language that Helen Mirren did, because he would want to be respectful. I’m not sure anybody would have a problem with that. If Zachary Levi had said the movie had “pussy power” people would likely have a problem with that. Helen Mirren, on the other hand, is free to say that. Helen Mirren is free to say whatever she likes, she’s Helen Mirren and the world is lucky to have her.

While hearing Helen Mirren talk like that may have been somewhat surprising for the audience at Comic-Con, it apparently should not have been for the crew and cast of Shazam: Fury of the Gods. Apparently Mirren was like that from the minute she walked on set. Director David F. Sandberg says that Mirren even used the exact same phrase when she began filming. Sandberg explained…

While Dame Helen Mirren has played the Queen and a number of other very formal and serious roles, she clearly loves being part of the blockbuster action movie scene as well. She became part of the Fast & Furious franchise specifically after saying how much she wanted to be in those films. Now Mirren’s been able to play the big bad in a superhero movie as well.  

There are high-profile celebrity divorces, and then there’s the split between Amber Heard and Johnny Depp. The two actors have been battling in court for years, and continue to make headlines in the wake of the recent defamation trial. Plenty of people have weighed in on this public feud, and now Shazam! star Zachary Levi has shared his feelings about Depp and Heard’s defamation trial.

Fans of Zachary Levi were thrilled when the first trailer for Shazam! Fury of the Gods was released at Comic-Con last weekend. While all eyes are on his next appearance as a DC superhero, the 41 year-old actor recently appeared on The Joe Rogan Experience. The conversation eventually turned to the Johnny Depp and Amber Heard trial, where Levi weighed in on the viral nature of the case. As he put it,

There you have it. Because cameras were in the courtroom for Johnny Depp and Amber Heard’s defamation trial in Virginia, the private dispute became a very public matter. Fans and folks online were able to dissect every frame of footage, resulting in countless memes hitting social media outlets like TikTok. 

Zachary Levi’s thoughts on the Amber Heard and Johnny Depp trial offers an emotional perspective, and is in stark juxtaposition to some of the vitriol that has made its way online. Some fans definitely took sides in the situation, as both actors accused the other of physical and emotional abuse. In the end Depp was the victor in court, with his ex-wife ordered to pay a whopping $10 million as a result of being found guilty on three counts of defamation. 

Later in that same conversation about Johnny Depp and Amber Heard’s defamation trial, Zachary Levi explained his issue with the spectacle of it all. Specifically, the Marvelous Mrs. Maisel actor is seemingly worried about the precedent set with finding entertainment in this way. As he put it,

Points were made. Because everyone could watch Amber Heard and Johnny Depp’s defamation trial on TV, countless recaps, YouTube videos, TikToks, and memes were made using that footage. And Zachary Levi seems to take umbrage with so many people finding entertainment in such a serious martial and legal battle.

Zachary Levi can be seen in Shazam! Fury of the Gods on December 21st. In the meantime, check out the 2022 movie release dates to plan your next movie experience. 

Robert Rodriguez has been in the filmmaking for over three decades, and after delivering adult-geared like Desperado and From Dusk till Dawn, the filmmaker delved into family-friendly territory for the first time with Spy Kids. The 2001 movie spawned three sequels released in 2002, 2003 and 2011 respectively, and now Rodriguez is returning to reboot/relaunch the franchise. The fifth Spy Kids movie is heading to Netflix, and the first adult stars have come aboard, one of whom you’ll recognize from his heroics in the DC Extended Universe.

Zachary Levi and Gina Rodriguez have been tapped for the next Spy Kids movie, as have young actors Everly Carganilla and Connor Esterson. While no details were provided on any of these four actors’ characters, it’s probably a safe bet that Levi and Rodriguez are playing the parents of Carganilla and Esterson’s characters. Deadline also mentioned in its report that the Spy Kids reboot will see the children of the world’s greatest secret agents unwittingly help a video game developer unleash a computer virus that lets him take control of all technology. The kids will need to become spies themselves so they can save their parents and the world.

While Zachary Levi rose to stardom for leading NBC’s Chuck from 2007-2012, in recent years, he’s left his mark as the superhero genre as Shazam, i.e. the adult superhero form of Asher Angel’s Billy Batson. The first Shazam! movie hit theaters in April 2019, and Levi is reprising the World’s Mightiest Mortal later this year in Shazam! Fury of the Gods. Turning to Gina Rodriguez, she’s arguably best known for playing Jane Villanueva in The CW series Jane the Virgin, and more recently she starred as the adult Elena Cañero-Reed in the short-lived Disney+ series Diary of a Future President. Everly Carganilla is recognizable from TV shows like The Chair and The Afterparty, and Connor Esterson is a newcomer to the professional acting scene.

Robert Rodriguez revealed back in January 2021 that he was striking up a deal with Skydance to make a new Spy Kids movie that would focus on a “multicultural family.” A little over a year later, the project was confirmed to be moving forward, though unlike the previous four Spy Kids movies, you’ll need a Netflix subscription to check it out. This will be Rodriguez’s second family-centric movie for Netflix following 2020’s We Can Be Heroes, the follow-up to 2005’s The Adventures of Sharkboy and Lavagirl. We Can Be Heroes has its own sequel on the way, but there hasn’t been any major updates on its progress.

It is worth noting that Netflix has already dabbled in exclusive Spy Kids content with the animated series Spy Kids: Mission Critical, but it’s safe to say that Robert Rodriguez’s upcoming movie will grab more attention. We’ll pass along more casting news and other updates on how the Spy Kids reboot is coming along, but you can keep yourself entertained in the meantime seeing what Netflix movies available to watch now catch your eye.

It makes perfect sense to me that Zachary Levi was cast as the lead in the sports biopic American Underdog (in theaters December 25, 2021), and not just because he is nearly a dead ringer for former NFL quarterback Kurt Warner. 

Most of the 41-year-old Louisiana native’s most notable roles could easily be described as underdogs, from the title role of the hit NBC action-comedy series Chuck, to the super-sized version of young Billy Batson in one of most delightfully funny and best superhero movies as of late, Shazam! In fact, let’s start with those titles as we explore our picks for the best Zachary Levi movies and TV shows available to watch now on streaming or as a digital rental.

Chuck (Amazon Prime)

An average, unassuming tech consultant in his mid-20s (Zachary Levi) discovers that the beautiful woman who surprisingly showed interest in him (The Handmaid's Tale star Yvonne Strahovski) is really a secret agent assigned to protect him when the United States government’s most costly secrets are downloaded into his brain by accident.

Why it’s worth checking out if you like Zachary Levi: The titular super geek turned super spy on Chuck - the Emmy-winning cult hit from co-creators Chris Fedak and Josh Schwartz which ran from 2005 to 2012 - was the first-ever lead role for Zachary Levi and the one that made him a star, leading to even more roles that perfectly balanced his talent for both comedy and action.

Stream Chuck on Amazon Prime.
Buy Chuck on Amazon.

Shazam! (HBO Max)

A good-natured teen who was abandoned at a younger age (Asher Angel) becomes an adult-sized superhero (Zachary Levi) with a wondrous variety of abilities after he becomes specially chosen by a wizard (Djimon Honsou) to defeat a power-hungry scientist who has become endowed with the power of the Seven Deadly Sins.

Why it’s worth checking out if you like Zachary Levi: One of the best roles to encompass Zachary Levi’s talent for both comedy and action is the title character of 2019’s Shazam! - the refreshingly light and hilarious comic book movie debut of horror movie director David F. Sandberg, whose sequel (Shazam! Fury of the Gods) is one of the most highly anticipated upcoming DC movies at the moment.

Stream Shazam! on HBO Max.
Rent/Buy Shazam! on Amazon.

Thor: The Dark World And Thor: Ragnarok (Disney+)

Years after saving his estranged human lover (Academy Award winner Natalie Portman) and the universe from an evil race of Dark Elves, the God of Thunder (Chris Hemsworth) returns to Asgard and reunites with his corrupt, adoptive brother (Tom Hiddleston), whom he must team-up with (among others they meet on a barbaric planet) to save their kingdom again from their recently awakened sister (Cate Blanchett).

Why it’s worth checking out if you like Zachary Levi: While Shazam! may have been his first lead role in a comic book movie, a nearly unrecognizable Zachary Levi actually made his comic book movie debut in 2013’s Thor: The Dark World as fellow Asgardian (and blonde) warrior Fandral, whom he would also briefly reprise in Thor: Ragnarok four years later.

Stream Thor: The Dark World on Disney+.
Rent/Buy Thor: The Dark World on Amazon.

Stream Thor: Ragnarok on Disney+.
Rent/Buy Thor: Ragnarok on Amazon.

Tangled (Disney+)

A woman with extremely long, enchanted blonde hair (musician and Emmy-nominated This is Us cast member Mandy Moore) who has spent her entire life locked away at the top of a tower accepts an offer from a thief on the run (Zachary Levi) to be her guide through the outside world.

Why it’s worth checking out if you like Zachary Levi: The Marvel movies were not Zachary Levi’s first experience working with Disney, which was the studio behind the 2010 hit Tangled - a fun, adventurous reimagining of the classic Grimm Brothers story of Rapunzel, that would later inspire a few short spin-offs and a Disney Channel original series on which Levi reprised his role as the chivalrous Flynn Ryder (or so he likes to call himself).

Stream Tangled on Disney+.
Rent/Buy Tangled on Amazon.

Alvin And The Chipmunks: The Squeakquel (Peacock)

Alvin (Justin Long), Simon (Matthew Gray Gubler), and Theodore (Jesse McCartney) take a break from their careers as pop stars and decide to focus on their education, where they strike up a romantic rivalry of sorts with a fellow, female trio of chipmunks whom they square off against at the school’s annual musical talent competition.

Why it’s worth checking out if you like Zachary Levi: A year before lending his voice to Tangled, Zachary Levi starred in one of his earliest contributions to family-friendly entertainment, Alvin and the Chipmunks: The Squeakquel - the second installment in the franchise of live-action/animated hybrid musicals, in which Levi plays Toby (the cousin of Jason Lee’s character, Dave), who looks after the titular trio as Dave recovers from a painful accident.

Stream Alvin And The Chipmunks: The Squeakquel on Peacock.
Rent/Buy Alvin And The Chipmunks: The Squeakquel on Amazon.

The Star (Amazon Rental)

A courageous, little donkey (former The Walking Dead cast member Steven Yeun) calls upon the help of his fellow animal friends in order to help guide a pregnant woman and her husband to safety before she gives birth to a child of great importance.

Why it’s worth checking out if you like Zachary Levi: In 2017, Zachary Levi returned to play another animated character when he joined the “star-studded” cast of The Star - a retelling of the birth of Jesus Christ (or, in other words, the very first Christmas) told mainly from the point of view of the animals involved, in which Levi voiced the infant messiah’s Earthly foster father, Joseph.
Rent/Buy The Star on Amazon.

Alias Grace (Netflix)

An alienist (Kingsman: The Secret Service star Edward Holcroft) questions whether or not a young woman (former Letterkenny cast member Sarah Gadon) who has no recollection of committing a murder she was convicted of is truly guilty of the crime, or just insane, in 19th century Canada. 

Why it’s worth checking out if you like Zachary Levi: Inspired by the historical fiction novel of the same name by The Handmaid’s Tale scribe Margaret Atwood, Alias Grace is a captivating and thought-provoking miniseries that premiered exclusively on Netflix in 2017 and also starred Zachary Levi as one of its purely fictional characters - a peddler named Jeremiah Pontelli, who becomes great friends with Grace Marks while she works as a servant for the couple she was later convicted of murdering.

Stream Alias Grace on Netflix.

Psych: The Movie (Peacock)

Three years after relocating their office to San Francisco, a faux police psychic (James Roday Rodriguez) and his best friend and business partner (Dulé Hill) investigate the near fatal shooting of his detective fiancée’s (Maggie Lawson) new partner, while also trying to locate the ring he proposed to her with three years earlier.

Why it’s worth checking out if you like Zachary Levi: It is actually quite difficult to imagine Zachary Levi playing an antagonistic character, but he does a pretty good job at it in 2017’s Psych: The Movie - the first feature-length continuation of the hit USA dramedy series - as William McGoldrick, whom Shawn Spencer and Burton “Gus” Guser decide to nickname “The Thin White Duke” due to his striking resemblance to David Bowie.

Stream Psych: The Movie on Peacock.

Office Uprising (Crackle)

A young slacker (Titans star Brenton Thwaites), his best friend (Deadpool movies actor Karan Soni), and his crush (Zoey’s Extraordinary Playlist cast lead Jane Levy) must work together to defend themselves when a bad batch of an experimental energy drink turns almost everyone else from their weapons manufacturing company into zombie-like killers.

Why it’s worth checking out if you like Zachary Levi: Less than a year after Psych: The Movie first premiered on USA Network in December 2017, Zachary Levi broke bad once again (and still to impressive effect) as a top corporate executive who becomes a murderous psychopath in 2018’s Office Uprising, which might make you curious to check out Blood Fest - another crazy horror-comedy movie released in 2018, in which Levi makes an appearance as himself.

Stream Office Uprising on Crackle.

Also try streaming Blood Fest On Amazon Prime.

The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel (Amazon Prime)

A Jewish-American woman (Rachel Brosnahan) who has earned everything that she has ever asked for (a husband, kids, and a lovely home) suffers a life upended when her husband leaves her for his secretary, until an impromptu performance at a cafe inspires her to redefine herself as a stand-up comedian in the late 1950s.

Why it’s worth checking out if you like Zachary Levi: In the second season of creator Amy Sherman-Palladino’s Emmy-winning, Amazon Prime original period dramedy, Zachary Levi joined The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel cast as Benjamin Ettenberg - a successful New York City surgeon who becomes absolutely smitten with our title character, “Midge,” after her mother (Marin Hinkle) and father (Tony Shalhoub) encourage her to meet him.

Stream The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel on Amazon Prime Season 2.

Outside of the aforementioned American Underdog and Shazam 2, there are plenty of other upcoming Zachary Levi movies to look forward to - including The Unbreakable Boy, and Richard Linklater’s Netflix original animated coming-of-age comedy Apollo 10-1/2, which both come out in 2022. Sony’s live-action adaptation of Harold and the Purple Crayon is set to come out in 2023, and the comedy, Undercover (also starring Cole Sprouse), is now in pre-production.

People are often looking for a good heartwarming and inspirational films during the holiday season, and there’s nothing quite like a sports movie to hit that button. In the case of Jon and Andrew Erwin's American Underdog, the title alone sounds like it was developed under laboratory conditions to appeal to the widest possible domestic audience. Unfortunately, as is often the case when you try to make a movie for everybody, it succeeds in impressing nobody. 

Kurt Warner (Shazam’s Zachary Levi) has always dreamed of playing quarterback in the NFL. Unfortunately, he spent most of his college career on the bench, and even when he does get a chance to shine, he’s playing in a small college in Iowa – the kind of school to which pro scouts don’t often pay much attention. Kurt finds his own inspiration in Brenda (Anna Paquin), a young woman with two kids from a previous marriage, one of whom is legally blind. While Brenda expects this will scare Kurt away, it does the opposite, and they become an unlikely family unit while Kurt tries to find a way to realize his dream. 

Unfortunately, when Kurt goes undrafted, the traditional route to the NFL is closed to him, which means he’ll have to find another way to get noticed, and find other ways to provide for his family in the meantime.

 American Underdog is a faith based movie that seems to have little faith in itself.

It should be pointed out that American Underdog is a product of the Kingdom Story Company and is directed by Andrew and Jon Erwin, all of whom specialize in the genre of film known as “faith-based.” Having said that, I’m not sure the audience for whom that description is a plus will be that impressed with the movie they get. 

While religion and faith are mentioned, they’re given little more than lip service. In one scene early in Kurt and Brenda’s relationship, she makes it clear that her faith is important to her. Kurt’s reaction implies that faith may not have been that important to him previously. This seems to signal a path for Kurt, one where his new relationship leads to spiritual growth. We never see that. Later Kurt simply speaks of God as a man who has faith, with no indication of how he became that man.

It feels like the faith-based elements were intentionally toned down in order to make the sports movie more palatable for a general audience that might not be so interested in such things. At the same time, the story is sure not to do anything that an audience looking for faith-fueled entertainment might not appreciate. Late in the movie when a tragic event befalls the family, Brenda Warner seems to have a crisis of faith, angry with God for what has happened, but it lasts all of one scene and is never dealt with again. Nobody wants the audience to worry too much that the characters might not be the pinnacle of piousness.

And while it’s likely true that the religious undertones would have turned off a portion of the potential audience, at least it would have given American Underdog something unique to set it apart from other sports movies. The rest of the movie is pretty much by the numbers. 

Zachary Levi and Anna Paquin Carry American Underdog on charisma alone. 

The chemistry and charisma of Zachary Levi and Anna Paquin is vital to American Underdog because without it there just isn’t much here, and that part works well enough. A handful of incidental characters come in and out of the story at various points, but none of them leave much of an impression or are particularly important. Those looking for a traditional sports movie will need to wait a while because the  first half of the story focuses almost exclusively on the relationship dynamics and has surprisingly little actual football in a movie about how a guy became a player in the NFL.

It’s rare that we see Zachary Levi in a completely straight dramatic performance, and if American Underdog tells us anything, it’s that Levi is up to the task. The role isn’t a particularly challenging one; it never asks him to be too emotional, but he handles what he has to work with well. Though it’s hard to overlook the fact that Levi is 41-years-old and, while he absolutely looks younger than that, he plays Kurt Warner from the ages of approximately 22 to 28, and he doesn’t look that young for his age. Anna Paquin, who is slightly younger than Levi, but is playing a woman slightly older than Warner, fairs a little bit better, but just a little. 

American Underdog may tell a true story, but that doesn't mean it makes a good movie. 

Having said that, the fact that Zachary Levi looks basically the same when he’s supposed to be playing a college kid and when he’s supposed to be playing an NFL quarterback starting in the Super Bowl, is symptomatic of the big problem with American Underdog. We never see change or growth in the character of Kurt Warner any more than we see it in the actor playing him. He’s a great player at the beginning of the movie, and he shows how great he can be at the end. There’s never any moment where Kurt needs to overcome some great obstacle or his own ego in order to be better. 

If we’re supposed to believe that Kurt’s growing faith is what makes him ready to pursue his dream, we never see that faith grow and change him as a person. One scene, where Kurt has an early shot at the NFL, implies that Kurt fails because he was unable or unwilling to do the studying necessary before his tryout – but we never saw this earlier, and it is never addressed again so there's no lesson to be learned. The movie seems to want to tell us that it’s Kurt’s decision to commit to his family that allows him to actually achieve his dreams. And yes, the one thing does follow the other in the plot, but they’re never actually connected by the story. 

Throughout American Underdog, various characters assure Kurt Warner that he really is that good, and that eventually the world see that... and in the end that’s the movie. We just sit around and wait for the right person to notice how great he is, and once that happens, success follows. It might be the true story, but it doesn't make for a very dramatic movie. 

In 2019, the DC Comics superhero formerly known as Captain Marvel finally scored his own feature-length film eight decades after he first appeared in the pages of Whiz Comics #2. Shazam! was met with with a lot of critical praise and went on to make $366 million at the worldwide box office, so New Line Cinema swiftly greenlit a sequel. By DC FanDome 2020, the project once known as Shazam! 2 was officially titled Shazam! Fury of the Gods, and it’s assembled an impressive cast.

Although the Shazam! mid-credits scene teased an alliance between Mark Strong’s Doctor Sivana and the super-intelligent caterpillar known as Mister Mind, it’s since been revealed they will not appear in Shazam! Fury of the Gods (unless the duo is secretly cameoing). Instead, the Shazam family will face new threats in the sequel, but before we discuss them, let’s go over the familiar faces who are returning for the sequel.

Asher Angel/Zachary Levi

Hey, it wouldn’t be a Shazam! movie without our central protagonist, Billy Batson, played in regular form by Asher Angel and in superhero form by Chuck’s Zachary Levi. The character was selected by the wizard also called Shazam to be his new champion millennia after his previous champion, Black Adam, became corrupted (we’ll meet that Dwayne Johnson-portrayed anti-hero in summer 2022). But along with becoming a superhero, Billy also embraced his new family during Shazam!, and during the battle with Sivana and the Seven Deadly Sins, he shared his amazing abilities with his foster siblings. Now they’re superheroes just like him, so he won’t have to deal with the villains who surface in Shazam! Fury of the Gods alone.

Jack Dylan Grazer/Adam Brody

After being transformed into a superpowered adult, Billy sought the help of his new foster brother, Jack Dylan Grazer’s Freddy Freeman, expert on all things superhero-related, on getting the hang of these powers. Thanks to Freddy’s videos, Billy in his mighty adult form became a celebrity in Philadelphia, although the two boy’s friendship briefly became strained when Billy started irresponsibly using his powers, both to earn money and not prioritizing the well-being of innocents near him. Luckily, not only did these two end up reconciling, but like the other siblings, Freddy became Shazam-ified, with The O.C.’s Adam Brody playing his adult self. It was especially nice to see Freddy, who requires a crutch to walk in his normal form, was the first of the newly-minted members of the Shazam Family to start flying. It was also great to see Brody in superhero garb after he missed out on playing The Flash in the scrapped movie Justice League: Mortal.

Grace Fulton

The eldest member of the Shazam Family, Grace Fulton’s Mary Bromfield was applying to CalTech when we first met her in Shazam! and later on she was accepted. However, this academic institution was on the other side of the country, and Mary was saddened at the prospect of being so far away from her family. Since Mary’s back for Shazam! Fury of the Gods, it’s a good bet that if she is attending college, it’s somewhere close to home since she’s still battling the forces of evil with her siblings. Although Hawaii 5-0’s Michelle Borth played Mary’s Shazam-ified form in the first Shazam! movie, Fulton is pulling double duty as both civilian and superhero Mary in Fury of the Gods.

Faithe Herman/Meagan Good

Faithe Herman’s Darla Dudley was the second person to learn that Billy Batson could turn into Shazam, and while she has a penchant for spoiling secrets, she managed to keep mum on this until Mary figured it out herself. Think Like A Man’s Meagan Good was cast to play the superhero version of Darla, and did a great job emulating the girl’s enthusiasm and love for her family. Darla also got the hang of super speed… well, quickly, upon being bestowed with the Shazam magic.

Ian Chen/Ross Butler

Like his comic book counterpart, Ian Chen’s Eugene Choi knows his way around computers, to the point that he was able to find the address of Billy Batson’s biological mother and learn that Billy’s father was in prison. Upon becoming a superhero, the adult Eugene was played 13 Reasons Why’s Ross Butler, and was the first of Billy’s siblings who learned how to conjure lightning.

Jovan Armand/D.J. Cotrona

The shyest of Billy Batson’s foster siblings, Jovan Armand Pedro Peña was the one who spotted Billy’s discarded notebook chronicling his search for his mother. Pedro was also working out to get “swole,” making it especially fitting that after going through the Shazam transformation, he was the one who relied chiefly on super strength. G.I. Joe: Retaliation’s D.J. Cotrona played the adult Pedro, marking his return to the DC Comics space after he nearly played Superman in Justice League: Mortal.

Djimon Hounsou

Guardians of the Galaxy’s Djimon Hounsou starred in Shazam! as the wizard Shazam, who was once part of the Council of Wizards at the Rock of Eternity. However, after the other members were killed by the Seven Deadly Sins freed by Black Adam, Shazam imprisoned his former champion and spent centuries searching for someone pure of heart to inherit his powers. Thaddeus Sivana was one of the candidates, but when the boy became tempted by the Eye of Sin, the wizard sent him back. Decades later, and after the adult Sivana stole the eye, Shazam chose Billy as his new champion and swiftly crumbled to dust soon after. Hounsou is reprising the role in Shazam! Fury of the Gods, and judging from the trailer, rather tha  the wizard Shazam’s spirit mentoring the heroes from the afterlife or appearing through flashbacks, it looks as though he's straight up been brought back to life.

Helen Mirren

Helen Mirren has scored action cred thanks to her work in the RED movies and the Fast & Furious franchise, and now she’s jumping into the superhero movie genre with Shazam! Fury of the Gods. Mirren will play Hespera, one of the daughters of Atlas, from whom Billy and his siblings gain their enhanced stamina. The behind-the-scenes featurette for the sequel that screened at 2021’s DC FanDome showed Hespera and Kalypso (more on her soon) in a museum on Earth and causing mayhem on a street, so it seems as if they’re searching for an artifact on our world and don’t mind unleashing some destruction in the process. What is this artifact? What do they intend to do with it? It’ll be a while before those questions are answered. 

Lucy Liu

Lucy Liu also knows her way around the action world from the original Charlie’s Angels movies and Kill Bill: Volume 1, while in more recent years, she starred as Joan Watson in the CBS series Elementary. Liu’s Kalypso will be causing trouble alongside Helen Mirren’s Hespera in Shazam! Fury of the Gods, but we won’t just see them on Earth. In addition to revisiting the Rock of Eternity, we’ll also visit places like the Library of Eternity and the Realm of the Gods in the sequel, and monsters like  minotaurs, harpies and dragons will be on display. It stands to reason we’ll learn at least a little bit about Hespera and Kalypso’s upbringing in Fury of the Gods, namely how they ended up on the antagonistic path.

Rachel Zegler

The third of Atlas' daughters is named Anthea, and she’ll be played by Rachel Zegler, who made her film debut in Steven Spielberg’s West Side Story remake. Between Shazam! Fury of the Gods and leading Disney’s live-action remake of Snow White and the Seven Dwarves, Zegler has a bright future ahead of her in Hollywood. It is worth noting that we don’t know yet if Zegler’s character in Fury of the Gods will be a villain like Hespera and Kalypso, or if she’s walking down a different path.

Cooper Andrews

In the first act of Shazam!, Billy Batson was placed in a group home run by Victor and Rosa Vásquez, who each had their own experience with the foster care system. Nevertheless, Billy kept looking for his biological mother, and after a sad reunion with her where he learned she deliberately gave him up, Billy realized his new family is where he truly belonged. The Walking Dead’s Cooper Andrews played Victor, and he’ll be back for Shazam! Fury of the Gods.

Marta Milans

It’d be pretty weird for Victor to appear in Shazam! Fury of the Gods without Rosa, but luckily, we don’t have to worry about that. No Tomorrow’s Marta Milans will reprise Rosa in the sequel. Since the parents didn’t learn in Shazam! that their foster children became superheroes, hopefully they learn that in this new movie. There’s only so much sneaking around these kids can do before they finally reveal the truth.

Shazam! Fury of the Gods will work its magic in theaters on December 16, 2022. Keep checking back with CinemaBlend for more news about this and other upcoming DC Comics movies.

Before moviegoers got to know Zachary Levi as Shazam, one of his most memorable roles was being the voice of Tangled’s Flynn Rider. He provided the wisecracking thief’s suave but goofy persona. According to Levi, he almost didn’t get the chance to play the beloved Disney character. The Shazam! Fury of the Gods star opened up about the funny lie he told to get the role.

Becoming Flynn Rider was a bit of a challenge for Zachary Levi. He revealed how his Disney audition came together while appearing on The Late Late Show with James Corden. The House of the Mouse was looking for a specific characteristic when it came to casting the lovable rogue. According to Levi, his talent for doing accents led to him and his agent producing a white lie to get him in the room.

Thankfully, Levi’s agent had the foresight to use his voiceover skills to become Flynn Rider. Being a Disney fairy tale film, Tangled’s aesthetic leaned into the Medieval era, which a British actor would’ve been great for. So the House of Mouse wanted someone to match the time. Fortunately, the producers gave Zachary Levi the chance despite his small lie.

While British might’ve been Disney’s original concept, that isn’t the direction they ended up going in for the character. Everything worked out for Levi as he revealed producers wanted Flynn Rider to sound American, not British. It was easy for Zachary Levi to make that shift much to the company’s delight.

Zachary Levi’s voice acting made Tangled one of Disney’s better post-Renaissance offerings. Along with Levi, the cast bolstered the likes of Mandy Moore, Ron Perlman and Jeffrey Tambor. As the multimedia conglomerate’s 50th animated film, the fairytale reimagining won over critics and audiences, grossing over $592 million worldwide. Levi got to show off his singing talent by duetting with Moore on the Oscar-nominated song “I See the Light.”

But his voice work didn’t end as he is part of Richard Linklater’s Apollo 10 1/2. While the film is in the works, viewers will get to see Zachary Levi in the sports biopic American Underdog, which arrives in theaters on Dec. 25. Hopefully, audiences will get to hear Levi in more animated films in the future.

Tangled is currently available to stream Disney+.

When Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson finally decided in 2014 that he wanted to play Black Adam, that left the role of the Kahndaqian anti-hero’s adversary Shazam (once known as Captain Marvel) up for grabs. Three years later, Chuck star Zachary Levi was cast as the World’s Mightiest Mortal, i.e. the superhero self of Asher Angel’s Billy Batson. One of the actors Levi beat out for the role was John Cena, but Levi was convinced that Cena would be selected to play Shazam instead.

Zachary Levi revealed this during his recent appearance on The Late Late Show with James Corden, saying how he figured choosing John Cena for Shazam! would be the logical choice since he would serve as a good foil to fellow WWE star Dwayne Johnson’s portal of Black Adam. After noting how he was not the first choice to play Shazam, Levi said the following:

John Cena certainly has the physicality to play a mighty superhero, and I imagine he would have done a good job delivering the childlike enthusiasm necessary to properly play Shazam. But in the end, director David F. Sandberg and the Shazam! team felt that Zachary Levi was a better fit for the character. That said, while the actor did put on some muscle for the role, a little padding was required to pull off the physique we expect from Shazam.

Still, at this stage in the game, Zachary Levi can almost certainly rest easy knowing he won’t be replaced as Shazam following the release of Shazam! Fury of the Gods… or at the very least, John Cena won’t be tapped as his successor. That’s because Cena has since been brought into the DC Extended Universe to play Christopher Smith, a.k.a. Peacemaker, a gun-toting vigilante who believes in achieving peace at any cost, no matter how many people he has to kill along the way. Peacemaker debuted earlier this year in The Suicide Squad, and now he’s leading his own HBO Max series that premieres in January.

Zachary Levi’s first outing as Shazam was a critical and commercial success, and we’ll see him and the rest of the Shazam Family back in action for Shazam! Fury of the Gods in about a year and a half. Although Shazam! teased an alliance between Doctor Sivana and Mister Mind, outside of a secret cameo, neither are set to appear in the sequel. Instead, Fury of the Gods recruited Helen Mirren and Lucy Liu to respectively play the main antagonists, Hespera and Kalypso. These two are daughters of Atlas, one of the mythological figures from whom the Shazam heroes draw their powers. They also have a sister being played by West Side Story’s Rachel Zegler, though not only has her character not been named yet, it’s unclear if she’ll be a villain too.

Shazam! Fury of the Gods wrapped principal photography at the end of August and is set to be released on June 2, 2023. Keep your eyes peeled on CinemaBlend for more updates about the sequel and other upcoming DC Comics movies.

Sometimes when Hollywood closes a door, it opens a window. Just ask Zachary Levi, who lost out on what would have been a career-making role in Guardians of the Galaxy only to eventually land the titular role in DC’s Shazam! Though it all went down years ago, he’s now opening up about how his failed audition for James Gunn still led him to the opportunity of a lifetime. 

In 2012, industry sources were reporting that the role of Guardians of the Galaxy’s Star Lord was down to two actors: Zachary Levi and Jim Sturgess. Obviously, it didn’t go to either of them -- though the rumors about Levi were true. He told The Playlist how he ended up being on the shortlist to play Peter Quill, and how it ended up going to someone else: 

Chris Pratt’s hesitation to sign on for the cosmic Marvel movie is understandable in retrospect. Though since then, he's become one of the most famous actors working today. And his decision to take the role ended up leading to a domino effect not only in his life, but in Zachary Levi’s too: 

James Gunn’s decision to recommend Zachary Levi for the DC flick turned out to be wise. The film went on to be a big success, and its sequel is well on its way to being completed. If anything, this situation is a reminder that hard work and good networking can lead to amazing results, even if they don’t come when you expect them. Fans can see more of Levi as the Big Red Cheese when Shazam! Fury of the Gods hits theaters in June 2023. 

If you haven't already, you can check out the original 2019 movie on HBO Max now. You can also see Chris Pratt's performance in the role of Star-Lord by streaming the Guardians of the Galaxy films on Disney+.

This past weekend as part of DC FanDome, we finally got our first real look at Dwayne Johnson as Black Adam. As we all probably expected, he looks ready to kick some serious ass. He’s absolutely ruthless in the few seconds that we saw in the teaser. And it sounds like, if Black Adam and Shazam ever cross paths, Dwayne Johnson isn’t going to be any kinder to him.

Black Adam is traditionally a nemesis of the DC hero Shazam and so, while nothing specific has ever been announced, fans are assuming that with Zachary Levi's hero and Dwayne Johnson's upcoming villain will at some point collide. Considering that Shazam isn’t exactly a ruthless killing machine in his movie, one fan wondered just how the two would be able to stand toe-to toe. Dwayne Johnson responded with a rather blunt, and NSFW, statement, that Shazam doesn’t stand a chance.  

Dwayne Johnson says that this F-bomb is the response that Black Adam, would have, but it seems more like exactly what Dwayne Johnson really thinks. And honestly, it feels like a lot of people would actually agree with him. 

Dwayne Johnson has been hyping Black Adam for years, promising that when the character finally arrives in the DC universe, that the balance of power would shift. It’s easy to see where he’s coming from. Even based on the brief clip we saw it’s clear that Black Adam is powerful.

And while the film version of Shazam is certainly also powerful, he’s also comical. The Shazam! film was quite lighthearted, since Shazam is actually just a kid. That’s not really a reflection of Shazam’s actual abilities, but it gives you the impression that if Shazam tried to clown around, Black Adam would make him regret it.  If these two ever do come together, it’s not hard to see Black Adam just destroying the poor kid. 

It seems so out of sorts that it honestly makes one wonder if we really will see Shazam and Black Adam fight at some point. The tone of each of the films seems so different that putting the characters together would seem like they just wouldn’t fit. They may technically exist in the same universe, but that doesn't mean it makes sense for them to cross over.

If Shazam and Black Adam do eventually cross paths, then it seems like the only reason Shazam may come out on top is that he’ll have back up. There is an entire Shazam Family, and Black Adam, as powerful as he is, is just one man. Maybe that’s how he’ll be beaten. Assuming of course that he doesn’t just kill them all. 

Black Adam will hit theaters in July of next year while Shazam: Fury of the Gods will follow in 2023. 

There are sports stories that seem like they were tailor-made for the big screen. Over the years, we’ve seen the likes of Rudy, Remember the Titans, and The Blind Side that have all come along and taken true stories and turned them into inspirational movies that have filled theaters with moviegoers and our hearts with joy.

That time-honored tradition will continue on a little bit longer with the upcoming release of American Underdog, the story of how Hall of Fame quarterback Kurt Warner went from a player no one wanted to touch to the leader of “The Greatest Show On Turf.” With one of the greatest sports stories in recent memory, and a cast led by Zachary Levi, there are plenty of reasons to be excited…

American Underdog Will Be Released Theatrically December 25, 2021

This year marks the 20th anniversary of Kurt Warner being named the NFL Most Valuable Player for a second time, and so it’s only fitting that American Underdog will be released in theaters December 25, 2021. The rags-to-riches story of Warner’s unconventional rise to stardom, a Super Bowl victory, two MVPs, and enshrinement in the Pro Football Hall of Fame was previously scheduled to be released on December 18, 2020, before the start of production was delayed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Talk about a perfect way to spend Christmas afternoon with the family.

The American Underdog Cast Includes Zachary Levi, Anna Paquin And Dennis Quaid

Stepping in to take on the role of Kurt Warner in the American Underdog cast is star of Shazam! Fury of the Gods, Zachary Levi, who will play the quarterback from his college days and into the height of his NFL career (though I suspect they won’t recreate the brutal hit on Warner by the New Orleans Saints in the final game of his career). Academy Award-winning actress Anna Paquin will be playing Kurt’s longtime wife and biggest ally, Brenda Warner. Dennis Quaid, who previously appeared in the real-life sports movie The Rookie, will step in to take on the role of former St. Louis Rams coach Dick Vermeil, who helped lead the team to their only Super Bowl victory.

Other members of the American Underdog cast include Cindy Hogan, Ser’Darius Blain, Adam Baldwin, Bruce McGill, and Chance Kelly, who will all be playing key figures from Kurt Warner’s remarkable life on and off the field.

American Underdog Tells The Inspirational Story Of Kurt Warner As He Goes From A Grocery Store Worker To Football Hall Of Famer

When American Underdog opens in theaters, it will tell perhaps one of the most unforgettable sports stories of the past quarter-century, one that sounds more like something dreamt up for a movie than reality. This inspirational story will follow Kurt Warner from a stocker at a Cedar Rapids, Iowa, grocery store (after being cut from the Green Bay Packers training camp) to arguably one of the greatest quarterbacks of his time.

Expect to see all the ups and downs experienced by the one-day Super Bowl champion as he tries to prove to the world that he has what it takes to make it at the highest level of football. The film will also dive into Kurt Warner’s faith, which gave him the strength and determination to not give up on himself when so many people did.

American Underdog Is Based On Interviews With Kurt Warner And His 2009 Memoir

The American Underdog screenplay was written by Jon Erwin (who also directs alongside his brother Andrew Erwin), David Aaron Cohen (Friday Night Lights), and Jon Gunn, and is based on a series of interviews with Kurt Warner, as well as the two-time NFL MVP’s memoir, All Things Possible: My Story of Faith, Football and the First Miracle Season. Released in 2009, All Things Possible, which was co-written by Michael Silver, tells the unbelievable story of Warner’s perseverance and determination to make his dreams come true at every step of his career, as well as his work off the gridiron.

Zachary Levi Has Called American Underdog ‘Incredibly Relatable’

There are a myriad of reasons why Kurt Warner’s incredible story has continued to inspire people around the world all these years later, but one of the biggest is the way so many people relate to the quarterback’s struggles, and how he never lost faith in himself. This is something that star Zachary Levi touched on in Lionsgate’s behind-the-scenes video, American Underdog: From the Dream to the Big Screen:

Kurt Warner, who also serves as one of American Underdog’s executive producers, also stated in the brief video that he’s had so many people tell him that his story is meant for the big screen.

Zachary Levi And Kurt Warner Debuted The American Underdog Trailer On Jimmy Kimmel

During the September 20, 2021 episode of Jimmy Kimmel Live!, Zachary Levi and Kurt Warner surprised everyone when they showed up and talked about American Underdog before providing an exclusive first look at the trailer for the upcoming film:

During the brief lead-up to the big reveal of the new trailer, host Jimmy Kimmel asked Kurt Warner a series of questions regarding the movie and his career only for Zachary Levi to interrupt each time before the Super Bowl champ could get a word in. Who knows, maybe these two could go on the late night talk show circuit and continue this oddly hilarious bit.

Expect to hear more about American Underdog as we work our way closer to its Christmas Day release date. In the meantime, don’t forget to check out CinemaBlend’s updated list of 2021 movie premiere dates for everything else coming to theaters and streaming services in the final months of the year.

Encounters between Hollywood stars and fans are just another sign of fame and success. While most of these are cordial and fun, others can veer into awkward, if not dangerous, territory. Unfortunately, Shazam! star Zachary Levi faced the latter. Unlike ones that happen in public places, Levi’s incident came to his front door. Facing such a scary encounter led the actor to post a video about pleading with fans to stop showing up at his home.

The Shazam! star took to his Instagram to send out the crucial message to his followers. Zachary Levi created the video after two fans came to his front door unexpectedly while he was at home. After facing similar encounters, Levi seemed to have enough of these moments. He said about fans stopping by unexpectedly:

Zachary Levi calling out the fans was likely the right move for him and his safety. The Shazam! star seemed tired and wary of fans coming to his home unexpectedly. As the actor pointed out, showing up at a famous person’s home won’t receive the love and adulation they’re expecting. Levi isn’t the only celebrity to deal with unexpected guests showing up at their homes or other places. He echoed similar sentiments to those expressed by other Hollywood stars.

The encounter seemed to leave the actor very disturbed and shaken after coming face to face with the trespassers. Even with his nice tone, Zachary Levi couldn’t hide his fear of the situation.

Zachary Levi’s account of the encounter may have ended innocently, but not all of them end that way. As Levi pointed out, the incident didn’t just happen unexpectedly. The two fans had to search for his address and find his exact location to arrive on his doorstep. While the two women just wanted to meet the actor, he could’ve been in real danger if their plot was more nefarious. It’s not only scary for the celebrity, but also potentially for the fans. If the Shazam! star had a different demeanor, it could’ve ended terribly for them if things turned violent. Thankfully, all parties involved were able to walk away from the situation unharmed.

Despite the frightening fan incident, Zachary Levi had some cause to celebrate as Shazam! Fury of the Gods wrapped earlier this month. Hopefully, the incident didn’t dampen his spirits. Moviegoers will have to wait until June 2, 2023 to see Shazam and the Marvel family protect the Earth from outside forces.

When it comes to blockbuster superhero movies, spoilers are the enemy, and most of the time you see these big movies doing everything that can possibly be done to prevent leaks from working their way out. Films sometimes go to extreme lengths, even preventing cast members from seeing entire scripts just so they can't accidently reveal things that happen. And then sometimes the director of Shazam: Fury of the Gods just tweets out cast photos of Zachary Levi and his costars in their brand new superhero costumes.

While the decision to reveal the new costumes for the Shazam family was, of course, part of the marketing plan, it was still something of a surprise when director David F. Sandberg dropped the photo on Twitter a few days ago. However, no good deed goes unpunished, and while the response to the new costumes has been overwhelmingly positive, there have been some who are critical of the new looks. Specifically, some feel that the costumes on the female heroes are more revealing than their male counterparts, and that the new suits are less colorful than the ones seen in the original Shazam!.

Zachary Levi took to Twitter following the costume reveal and he addressed the criticism directly. He thanked those who praised the new looks, and he promised those that had concerns that they need not be so concerned. Levi tweeted...

Zachary Levi promises that the new costumes are a big upgrade compared to the previous film, and as the guy who spent the most time in the Shazam costume, he'd certainly know. He also promises that the new suits are full of color, indicating that this first image perhaps doesn't show the color of the suits as well as it could. While it has to be said that these suits don't look to be as bright as the costumes from the first films, it's certainly possible that has more to do with the lighting in this image than it does the costumes themselves.

The other item people took issue with was the difference between the male and female costumes, or specifically the costume worn by Grace Fulton, which includes a skirt, rather than the full pants worn by everybody else. It also looks to be a bit smaller than the version that we saw on the character in the first film. Megan Good's costume is still sleeveless, as it was in the first film. Check out the costumes below if you hadn't had a chance to see them yet.

While there were a few critical comments, the vast majority of responses to the original reveal were positive and even those with points to make didn't seem particularly upset by the costumes. For the most part, everybody is likely just excited to see Shazam: Fury of the Gods when it comes out in 2023.

Shazam! Fury of the Gods (or Shazam 2) has kicked off production under the watchful eye of director David F. Sandberg. So far, specific plot details are mostly being kept under wraps, but the filmmaker has shared a few teases with fans. Recently, he shared a cool video that teased the new costume Zachary Levi will be sporting in the DC sequel. And now, Sandberg has gone ahead and unveiled not only Levi’s new costume but those of the entire Marvel family as well!

David F. Sandberg is well aware that things can leak ahead of official announcements or reveals. Believe it or not, images of Zachary Levi’s new costume actually made their way to the internet a few weeks ago. The idea of leaks is apparently what led Sandberg to take the initiative and drop the official looks for the entire Marvel family in Shazam! Fury of the Gods. Check out the awesome new outfits and the returning cast in the Twitter post down below:

The Marvel family’s outfits from the original Shazam! movie were cool enough, but these seem a bit more refined and sleeker. Despite this, the colors continue to pop, and the suits are still more than comic book-accurate. All in all, David F. Sandberg and his team found a great way to update the costumes for Fury of the Gods. Even if Zachary Levi can’t help but make jokes about the fact that the new suit still doesn’t allow him to use the bathroom that easily.

One thing fans might notice is that Mary Marvel is no longer played by Michelle Borth. Instead, Grace Fulton, who played Mary in her non-powered form, has now been upgraded to the superhero role. However, David F. Sandberg noted that there’s still one key way he’s distinguished her superhero form from her civilian counterpart:

I mean… you really can’t argue with the Wonder Woman logic, there. Not many people seem to realize that she and Diana Prince are one in the same. So this should indeed work when it comes to Mary Marvel.

When fans see the Marvel Family in action again, they won’t be facing off with Mark Strong’s Doctor Sivana. Instead, it would appear they’re going to be going toe to toe with Helen Mirren’s Hespera and Lucy Liu’s Kalypso, both daughters of the Greek god Atlas. So it pretty much goes without saying that our heroes are going to need those new duds as they do battle.

These photos are more than enough to get fans hyped up for what’s to come in the next chapter of the Shazam! saga. It’s going to be fun to see the entire family back together and fighting the good fight on the big screen.

Shazam! Fury of the Gods hits theaters on June 2, 2023.

While the future of the DC expanded universe is still a little a little cloudy, there's one particular corner of it that seems to be moving forward quite well. Following the success of Shazam! that film is getting a direct sequel as well as an apparent prequel in Dwayne Johnson's Black Adam. While we expect some of these characters to likely clash on screen at some point in the future, the two films are already doing battle on the driving range. And The Rock wants to be sure that team Black Adam represents.

Aldis Hodge, who will play the role of Hawkman in the upcoming Black Adam movie, recently shared on Instagram that he and Shazam! actor Zachary Levi met up at a Top Golf location somewhere to hang out and hit some golf balls. It looks like the pair had a lot of fun. Based on a comment on Levi's Instagram it sounds like Hodge had the better night of the two. While the game was probably quite friendly, one person who is apparently taking it all very seriously is Dwayne Johnson.

In a comment on Aldis Hodge's Instagram post, The Rock makes it clear that when Hodge is out there he is representing team Black Adam then The Rock expects him to win at all times. Dwayne Johnson's comment reads...

I do not pretend to be an expert on all things Hawkman, but now I'm interested in seeing the Hawk Cruiser come to life. Dwayne Johnson is clearly just having some fun too. I'm not sure he actually expects Aldis Hodge to be the better haiku poet. Of course, now I sort of want to see Zachary Levi and Aldis Hodge write haiku poetry just to see what they come up with.

Black Adam is finally in production after being a project in development for about as long as the modern DC universe has been a thing. We have yet to see even a single image of Aldis Hodge in full Hawkman garb, though we have seen that he has been putting in the workout required to play a superhero on the big screen.

Black Adam was briefly referenced, though not by name, as a man who had been given the power of Shazam prior to Billy Batson in the Shazam! movie. The impression is that the power was ultimately used for ill rather than good. However, the impression that we're getting from Dwayne Johnson is that Black Adam will see his character as anti-hero, or perhaps one who uses extreme measures to try and do good, rather than a full-on villain. We'll find out when the movie arrives next summer.

Will we see a cooking or haiku battle between these two before then? We can only hope.

Shazam! Fury of the Gods is still two years out from hitting theaters, but the hype surrounding the film is still very real. As Zachary Levi and the cast have recently gone into production for director David F. Sandberg’s follow-up to the smash DC Comics hit, there’s been a bit of celebration surrounding Levi’s new suit for the next chapter. Part of that excitement prompted a fan to ask him whether or not it’s easier to go into the bathroom in these fresh duds; and the response was a good natured, and humorous, “No.”

Apparently if you want to be a part of the Shazam! family, you need to wear a pretty restrictive suit. Thanks to the fan inquiry that Zachary Levi fielded on Twitter, we now know that during Shazam’s production schedule, that whole thing had to come off if he had any hopes of using the restroom. Which led Levi to confirm that Shazam! Fury of the Gods will have that same procedure still in play:

This unfortunate news comes not too long after the brand new suit for Shazam! Fury of the Gods was teased in an equally funny video. Featuring Zachary Levi himself standing in the shadows wearing his new suit, our hero cracks wise about how someone should have turned on a light when encouraging him to flex his new style. Though this isn’t the only production that’s using this tactic of teasing, as Borderlands has been dropping cryptic, shadowy looks of its own throughout the week.

On the plus side, this new Shazam! suit doesn’t look anything like the “costume change” that David F. Sandberg joked would take place in Shazam! Fury of the Gods. Though, if we’re being completely honest, what Zachary Levi would have lost in style points probably would have led to a better, more bathroom break-friendly suit. Oh, what could have been.

With cameras rolling on Shazam! Fury of the Gods, there certainly hasn’t been a shortage of actual looks at the new costume in action. Unofficial set photos have been cropping up left and right online, and there’s one positive difference between the new look and its predecessor. Thanks to his new super suit, a better emphasis has been placed on Zachary Levi’s sequel six-pack, which gives fans an abs-olutely prime look at another DC thirst trap in the making.

But of course, no matter what costume he wears or what ups and downs come with the threads of the day, Zachary Levi’s good-natured hero will always be able to light up a screen with his heart. So those long bathroom breaks should totally be worth it, as Shazam! Fury of the Gods is currently in production in order to make its June 2023 release date. Levi fans shouldn’t fret though, as he’ll next be seen in the dramatic biopic American Underdog: The Kurt Warner Story, which should hit theaters on December 10.

The journey to getting Shazam! 2, a.k.a. Shazam! Fury of the Gods, is lasting longer than expected, but last week, the DC Comics sequel finally began filming last week. Just like in the original Shazam!, Zachary Levi will play the superpowered form of Asher Angel’s Billy Batson, but he won’t look quite the same as last time. That’s because the actor is wearing a new costume, as director David F. Sandberg teased in a new video.

Taking to Twitter, David F. Sandberg showed off Zachary Levi’s new Shazam costume in all its glory. Or rather, that would be the case if someone had set up proper lighting. Watch below to see what I mean:

Clearly David F. Sandberg and the rest of the Shazam! Fury of the Gods team aren’t ready just yet to give the public an official look at Zachary Levi’s new Shazam costume. That said, it’s amusing this video arrives just hours after Jamie Lee Curtis shared silhouetted photos she took of her Borderlands costars, and I can’t help but wonder if Sandberg’s video is directly poking fun at that. Or maybe this is making fun of when Robert Pattinson was first shown in the Batman costume, as that video was bathed in shadows and moody red lighting.

Regardless, Billy Batson will be wearing new superhero duds upon saying the magic word in Shazam! Fury of the Gods. But let’s not forget that he’s not alone in the fight against evil, as in the first Shazam! movie, Billy shared his incredible powers with his foster siblings Freddy, Mary, Eugene, Darla and Pedro. It’s unclear if their costumes have also been redesigned for Fury of the Gods, though I suspect they have been if the filmmakers are wanting the Shazam Family members to continue matching.

Originally Shazam 2! was supposed to begin filming in mid-2020 so it’d be ready for an April 2022 release, but like so many film and TV productions, those plans got thrown out the proverbial window by COVID-19. So instead, the sequel’s title was announced at last year’s DC FanDome, and on May 26, principal photography kicked off in Atlanta, Georgia. Along with David F. Sandberg directing again, Henry Gayden return to write Shazam! Fury of the Gods’ script.

No specific plot details have been revealed for the next Shazam! movie yet, but the story will involve the heroes crossing paths with the sinister daughters of Atlas, one of the legendary figures from whom they derive their abilities. Helen Mirren and Lucy Liu have been cast as Hespera and Kalypso, respectively, while the identity of their sister, played by West Side Story’s Rachel Zegler, hasn’t been revealed yet. And despite the Shazam! mid-credits scene teasing an alliance between Mark Strong’s Thaddeus Sivana and Mister Mind, Strong recently confirmed to CinemaBlend that Sivana will not appear in Fury of the Gods. So I suppose that means we’ll have to wait until Shazam! 3 to see these two cause trouble, if at all. Then there’s the matter of when Zachary Levi’s Shazam and Dwayne Johnson’s Black Adam will finally clash.

For now, assuming there aren’t more setbacks, we can count on Shazam! Fury of the Gods storming into theaters on June 2, 2023. Keep checking back with CinemaBlend for more news about the sequel and other upcoming DC Comics movies.

In 2019, nearly 80 years after he debuted in Whiz Comics #2, Shazam (or as he was once known, Captain Marvel) finally made his theatrical debut, with Shazam! scoring a lot of positive critical reception and collecting approximately $366 million worldwide. It was announced just days after Shazam! hit theaters that New Line Cinema greenlit a sequel, although like so many projects, the COVID-19 pandemic necessitated that Shazam! 2, a.k.a. Shazam! Fury of the Gods, be pushed back. But now the sequel has finally begun filming, so naturally star Zachary Levi celebrated the occasion.

Just like the first time around, Zachary Levi is back to play the adult superpowered from of Asher Angel’s Billy Batson in Shazam! Fury of the Gods. To commemorate the sequel kicking off principal photography, Levi went on Instagram to share just how much playing Shazam means to him, as well as show off some Shazam-themed sneakers:

Those red, yellow and white kicks customized by Geeky Blinders are indeed pretty awesome, but more importantly, Zachary Levi makes it clear how grateful he is not just to play Shazam, but where his career has taken him over the years. From leading the NBC series Chuck to voicing Flynn Rider in Tangled, Levi has been around the movie and TV blocks. I imagine his 16-year-old self would indeed be shocked by what the future holds in store for him… not to mention would rock those Shazam shoes.

Originally Shazam! Fury of the Gods was scheduled to come out on April 1, 2022, approximately two full years after its predecessor’s arrival. However, it was later pushed back to November 4, 2022, and now the plan is for it to hit theaters in summer 2023. It will be the fourteenth DCEU movie and follow a little under a year after the Dwayne Johnson-led Black Adam spinoff finally makes its way to the public.

The first Shazam! movie saw the eponymous protagonist battling Dr. Thaddeus Sivana, who became empowered by the Seven Deadly Sins. In that movie’s mid-credits scene, the incarcerated Sivana was visited by Mister Mind, who proposed they joined forces. While that seemed to indicate Sivana and Mind would be Shazam! 2’s main villains, Mark Strong recently revealed that he will not appear in the sequel. Instead, the Shazam Family will tangle with the daughters of Atlas, one of the entities from whom Billy Batson and his foster siblings gain their powers. Helen Mirren and Lucy Liu will appear as Hespera and Kalypso, respectively, and West Side Story’s Rachel Zegler has also reportedly been cast as one of Atlas’ daughters, although her character’s identity hasn’t been revealed yet.

Directed by David F. Sandberg and written by Henry Gayden, Shazam! Fury of the Gods casts its magic in theaters on June 2, 2023. And as always, stay locked on CinemaBlend for all the latest and greatest updates concerning upcoming DC Comics movies.

For many Shazam! fans, Zachary Levi was the perfect vessel to bring the DC superhero to the big screen. After Shazam! Fury of the Gods was postponed last year, fans have been waiting for news on the film, especially from Levi. The actor seems just as ready as fans for the sequel to start filming. Apparently, Levi is back in the gym for the Shazam! sequel, and there’s a video to prove it.

Getting back into training mode is a good sign that Fury of the Gods is edging closer to starting production. Zachary Levi has remained silent on his training. A Shazam! fan account posted a video on Twitter showing the actor working out in the gym with his trainer. The video showed Levi’s preparation for the sequel. Check out the Twitter video below:

As evident by his trainer’s video, Zachary Levi was focusing on his chest that day as he trains for Shazam! Fury of the Gods. Levi is on top of his gym game as he prepares to get back in that red suit. The actor has always been committed to making sure he was ready for the role. His commitment to Shazam! will hopefully bode well for the sequel as fans eagerly anticipate its release. Looking at that video made me think about the days watching Levi play a tech nerd on NBC’s Chuck. Now, the same guy is hitting all the marks as one of DC’s most beloved superheroes.

Seeing Zachary Levi back in the gym is a positive sign, but also answers some questions about Levi’s physique in the original film. Even before Shazam! dropped, both critics and fans questioned whether the actor had gained that much muscle for the superhero film. While Levi initially brushed off the accusations, he later admitted that his suit had some “padding” built in. Looking back now, it was obvious Levi’s Shazam! suit look was a mix of training and a well-designed outfit. While that debate has subsided, the Shazam! star and Fury of the Gods director David F. Sandberg have kept fans in the loop about the delayed film.

With the film being pushed back for the third time in Oct. 2020, Zachary Levi has plenty of time to bulk up before Fury of the Gods starts filming. Like most actors, Levi is going through intense training to be in shape for that signature tight red suit. From the looks of the video, the actor has been putting in the work.

Zachary Levi’s results are remarkable given his previous worries over losing the role to Black Adam’s Dwayne Johnson. Hopefully, people won’t question his physique or the suit, unlike last time. Fans will have to wait to see the results as Shazam! Fury of the Gods won’t be released until June 2, 2023.

Shazam has a pretty by-the-numbers superhero costume. It’s got the lightning bolt emblem on the front, the cape, the gold belt, and the red uniform that’s hard to miss. Typically, whenever a superhero gets a sequel, filmmakers and studios try to tweak the old costume. So, it sounds like Shazam! director David F. Sandberg has just the idea for a costume change. And, well, it’s something.

Most superhero costume changes in sequels, of course, are subtle. Sometimes there’s no real explanation of why it’s different; it just is what it is. Well, recently David F. Sandberg took to social media to joke about a potential costume change for Shazam! to “improve” upon the old one, and it’s not subtle at all. Take a look:

Yikes. That’s not what I was expecting at all. Perhaps this one should be filed under “never”? I’m going to go out on a limb and say Zachary Levi wouldn’t be too keen to dawn this “new and improved” superhero costume. But that’s just a wild guess.

Believe it or not, the original Shazam! costume design wasn’t what he finally ended up getting. According to David F. Sandberg, the costume went through a number of versions, much of which was due to trial and error-- like Zachary Levi not being able to move his hands due to the gauntlets. But the image Sandberg just gave us on social media likely won’t be another step of this evolution.

It’s important to get the suits right, of course. After all, they aren’t cheap and can cost a ton of money to make. Shazam!’s costume designer said last year that their costumes cost upwards of a million dollars each and they had 10 suits. So making such a drastic change would be especially shocking.

Superhero costumes have also been notorious for not being the most comfortable to wear. But Zachary Levi especially noted that when he wore the Shazam! suit for the first film, the inconvenience of not being able to go to the bathroom was the worst part of the whole process. Chances are, this new iteration would outrank that pretty quick.

Obviously, all of this is in jest and in great anticipation of Shazam!’s upcoming sequel, Shazam! Fury of the Gods. Recent global events have put a wrench in their plans to start filming, but from what Zachary Levi recently said, the plan is to start filming the sequel later next year. Anticipation for the sequel is at an all-time high.

What we know about Shazam! Fury of the Gods is pretty slim, but it’s assumed it’ll follow the tease at the end of the movie and have the new Shazam family team up and fight Mister Mind and Dr. Sivana. Stay tuned to CinemaBlend for the latest.

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The DC Extended Universe is a franchise that seems to have a bright future. Because after a few missteps, the last slew of movies have all been critical successes. This includes David F. Sandberg's Shazam!, which had a strong box office outing when it hit theaters in 2019. Actor Zachary Levi plays the title character once Billy transforms into a superhero, but it turns out the actor thought that Dwayne Johnson's Black Adam would prevent him from landing the role.

Zachary Levi has had a long career in TV and film, and embodied the youthful naivety of Shazam perfectly in his DC debut. Its hard to imagine anyone else playing that character, but Levi didn't actually think he'd get it. Namely, because in the comics his superhero is basically identical to the villain Black Adam. And considering that he doesn't resemble The Rock, there was a potential roadblock to his casting. As Levi recently explained,

Well, he's got a point. Zachary Levi clearly knows his comic books, and therefore typed himself out of playing Shazam before his audition for Warner Bros. even happened. After all, he doesn't look exactly like Dwayne Johnson in regards to stature or physical features. Then again, who looks quite like The Rock besides The Rock?

Zachary Levi's comments come from his recent appearance on Dan Fogler's 4D experience alongside Shazam! co-star and Walking Dead actor Cooper Andrews. While the 39 year-old actor already had comic book experience from playing Fandral in the Thor franchise, his tenure in the MCU likely informed his preconceived notions about what DC was looking for in the character Shazam.

Shazam! is currently streaming on HBO Max. You can use this link to sign up for the streaming service.

In the end, Zachary Levi got the title character of Shazam!, with his performance in the blockbuster praised by critics and audiences alike. As for Dwayne Johnson, he still hasn't made his DCEU debut as Black Adam, especially since filming for his solo flick was delayed amid global health issues. Meanwhile Levi, he's going to continue his run as a hero in Shazam! Fury of the Gods which is set to hit theaters in 2022.

Fans are eager to see Shazam and Black Adam finally meet and due battle sometime in the future of the DC Extended Universe. But it's unclear exactly when that might be, as it doesn't look like either of the upcoming solo flicks will feature a crossover. But the characters are inherently connected, so hopefully Warner Bros. leans back in on serialized storytelling for these two particular characters.

Shazam! Fury of the Gods is currently set to arrive in theaters November 4th, 2022 while Black Adam has a release date of December 22nd 2021 although either date might change due to filming delays. In the meantime, check out our 2021 release list to plan your trips to the movies next year.

Nearly 80 years after he made his first comic book appearance, the superhero formerly known as Captain Marvel finally made his theatrical debut with last year’s Shazam!, where he was played by Chuck star Zachary Levin. The movie was a critical hit and performed well enough that just days after it premiered to the public, Warner Bros announced that Shazam! 2, now officially known as Shazam! Fury of the Gods, was in the works.

It’s now been almost a year and a half since the Shazam! sequel got the green light, so when will it finally start filming? According to Zachary Levin, the goal is to start rolling cameras early next year. In his words:

Zachary Levi dropped this Shazam! Fury of the Gods update while he appeared on Dan Fogler’s 4D Xperience alongside Shazam! costar Cooper Andrews, who played Victor Vasquez, the foster father of Billy Batson and his siblings. Had things gone according to the original plan, per what Levi said in summer 2019, Shazam! 2 would have begun filming either this past spring or summer.

However, the current health crisis has complicated numerous productions that were already in the swing of things, so needless to say that movies that hadn’t begun filming yet were pushed back as part of the domino effect. So now Zachary Levi expects Shazam! Fury of the Gods to start principal photography within the first months of 2021, but again, with how unpredictable the world is, who knows if that target time period will be met.

After all, no one expected The Batman having to halt filming just several days after resuming due to Robert Pattinson testing positive for COVID-19. But for Shazam! Fury of the Gods, it’s a little bit more urgent to start shooting sooner rather than later considering how fast the kids who make up the central foster family are growing. Wait too long, and you’ll have to contend with facial hair.

In any case, it sounds like it’ll be a while until we learn what’s in store for Shazam! Fury of the Gods, a title we only just learned about a few weeks ago thanks to the Shazam! panel at DC FanDome. That said, the Shazam! mid-credits scene teased an alliance between Doctor Sivana and the super intelligent caterpillar known as Mister Mind, so presumably Billy Batson and the rest of the Shazam Family will have to tangle with this nefarious duo for their next adventure.

Along with Shazam! Fury of the Gods, the Shazam corner of the DC Extended Universe is expanding soon with Black Adam, which will see Dwayne Johnson’s eponymous character battling the Justice Society of America. Black Adam was teased during Shazam!, but it remains to be seen when he and the World’s Mightiest Mortal will fight each other; Zachary Levi speculated it could happen in Shazam! 3.

Stay tuned to CinemaBlend for more updates concerning Shazam! Fury of the Gods, and be sure to scan through our comprehensive guide about what other DC movies are on the way.

The Internet’s been dealing with a collective Mandela effect for some time. In fact, there are people out there who really believe there’s a Shazam movie that exists starring Sinbad. Thus, after seeing Sinbad crash the Shazam! 2 panel at DC Fandome, it would be easy to connect a possible upcoming appearance in the DC and Warner Bros. flick to Sinbad’s Shazam movie. Only, the original nineties Shazam with Sinbad never actually existed.

What has happened and has been happening for years is that people have confused a fake movie called Shazam that starred Sinbad with a real movie that came out in 1996 called Kazaam which starred Shaquille O’Neal. Paul M. Glaser directed this movie. It has a real poster, Rotten Tomatoes scores, the works.

Shazam starring Sinbad, on the other hand, doesn’t exist. This hasn’t stopped confusion from reigning supreme. In fact, Sinbad himself fed into that back in 2017 with an April Fool’s joke that really got people talking. He actually created a College Humor video detailing his “role” in “Shazam.” Now, there’s even footage online that to the untrained eye seems to be from a nineties movie about a genie starring Sinbad. Whomp whomp.

At one point, this whole is the Sinbad Shazam movie real or not real even got the best of DC's Shazam! lead Zachary Levi. During an interview with EW, the whole fake Shazam versus Kazaam narrative was brought up to the Shazam 2019 actor and he noted,

Franchise director David F. Sandberg at the time tried to clarify the video versus the real movie thing, but the whole story goes to show you that a lot of people are still confused by the whole Shazam/ Kazaam thing. Suffice to say, if Sinbad were to really make a cameo, it would not be the second time he’s been in a Shazam movie. It would be the first.

Though Variety was unclear on the topic, Comic Book says that Sinbad will not actually be appearing in Shazam 2, which we now know will be subtitled Fury of the Gods. This is despite Sinbad saying he would “rectify the situation” by popping into the movie during a panel that was a part of DC FanDome. However, that hasn’t stopped the actor from having a little more fun with this ongoing joke.

Honestly, at this point, the movie hasn’t even started filming so who knows what could happen? And even if it was simply an elaborate joke, people in the know about the topic seemed to really enjoy it.

Meanwhile I do think adding Sinbad to Shazam!: Fury of the Gods wouldn’t be any more confusing than the whole deal where Shazam used to actually be Captain Marvel until there was a trademark issues with Marvel’s Captain Marvel to contend with. This whole franchise can get a little silly, but I like it.

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It's (almost) been a decade since Tangled came to theaters. Can you believe it? I'm having trouble wrapping my head around it. The long-in-the-works Rapunzel movie was an expensive, lavish accomplishment, serving as Disney's first entirely CG princess movie. The resulting film was a lovely mix of old and new sensibilities, as it brought a sense of buoyancy and exuberance to its old-fashioned tale that wasn't seen in Disney's prior CG features.

As a result, Tangled paved the way for the likes of Frozen and other Disney hits that fostered the company's rejuvenated creative period throughout the 2010s. With its splendidly vivid visuals, catchy songs, charming characters, and heartfelt storytelling, Tangled was one of Disney's finest and most undervalued modern smashes following Frozen's cultural dominance. Now that 10 years have passed since Tangled swung into theaters, let's find out what the talented voice cast of Disney's Tangled is doing now.

Mandy Moore (Rapunzel)

In the lead role of Rapunzel, Mandy Moore brought a new Disney princess to life in Tangled. The musician-turned-actress started her acting career in 2001 with Dr. Dolittle 2 and The Princess Diaries. Thereafter, she starred in A Walk To Remember, Chasing Liberty, Saved!, Because I Said So, and License to Wed before she took on the lead role in this Disney movie. 

In addition to reprising her role as Rapunzel in Tangled: Before Ever After and Tangled: The Series, both of which aired on Disney Channel, Moore starred in 47 Meters Down, The Darkest Minds, and, most recently, Midway — though her most acclaimed work is found in NBC's This Is Us, for which Moore received Golden Globe and Emmy nominations. Outside of acting, Moore unveiled her latest studio album, Silver Landings, earlier this March. It's her first album in 11 years, following 2009's Amanda Leigh.

Zachary Levi (Flynn Rider)

As Flynn Rider, a swashbuckler with a quick wit and a good bit of charm, Zachary Levi made a charming heartthrob in this Disney animated hit. Once best known for playing the title role in NBC's action-comedy series, Chuck, Zachary Levi has found great success in 2019's DC's superhero comedy, Shazam!, particularly with the actor endearing audiences to this Big-esque comic book adaptation. 

In addition to these two roles, Levi is recognized for his role as Fandral in Thor: The Dark World and Thor: Ragnarok. He also had a reoccurring role in Amazon's The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel and prominent roles in Netflix's miniseries, Alias Grace, NBC's Heroes: Reborn, and Telenova. Up next, Levi will star in Kevin Macdonald's Prisoner 760 and he has a role in Richard Linklater's newest animated Netflix movie, Apollo 10 1/2. Additionally, Levi will soon be heard in Star Wars: Detours.

Additionally, outside of his screen work, Zachary Levi has also been seen on the stage, notably with Broadway's 2016 revival of She Loves Me, for which the actor received a Tony nomination. He also appeared in a Broadway production of First Date from 2013 through 2014.

Donna Murphy (Gothel)

As Mother Gothel, the villainous matriarch figure who retains her youth for hundreds of years through the healing properties of a magic flower, Donna Murphy provides an outstanding antagonistic role in Tangled. As a two-time Tony-winning actress for her performances in Passion and The King and I, there's no denying that Murphy is a stage legend. She also received Tony nominations for Wonderful Town, LoveMusik, and The People in the Picture, and she won an Emmy for her role in Lifestories: Families in Crisis. 

Murphy is also known for her roles in Star Trek: Insurrection, Center Stage, The Fountain, The Nanny Diaries, and Spider-Man 2. After Tangled, Murphy starred in The Bourne Legacy, Dark Horse, and Higher Ground, as well as episodes of The Good Wife, Mercy Street, The Blacklist, and Power. She also served as an alternate to Bette Middler during 2017-2018's production of Hello, Dolly!

Brad Garrett (Hook Hand)

As Hook Hand, the feared leader of the Pub Thugs with aspirations of becoming a concert pianist (despite his, well, hooked hand), Brad Garrett's character might seem mean and imposing on the outside, but it becomes apparent that this lug has a softer side hidden underneath his hardened exterior. Best known for his supporting turn on CBS' long-running sitcom, Everybody Loves Raymond, the Emmy-winning TV actor has amassed a substantial career in voice acting, notably with roles in Casper, A Bug's Life, Ratatouille, Finding Nemo, Garfield: The Movie, Up, Christopher Robin, and more. 

On television, Garrett garnered awards consideration for playing Jackie Gleason in Gleason, while he also had starring roles in 'Til Death and How To Live With Your Parents (For The Rest Of Your Life). He also appeared in multiple episodes of FX's Fargo, CBS' The Crazy Ones, and Showtime's I'm Dying Up Here.

Most recently, Brad Garrett was seen in Gloria Bell and heard in Ralph Breaks the Internet. He's currently starring in the ABC sitcom, Single Parents, and provides a supporting role in Showtime's Penny Dreadful: City of Angels. In addition to his acting career, Brad Garrett owns a comedy club in Las Vegas. He is also a professional poker player. Additionally, the actor published a memoir, When the Balls Drop: How I Learned to Get Real and Embrace Life's Second Half, in 2015.

Ron Perlman (Sideburns)

As one half of the menacing thieves known as The Stabbington Brothers, Ron Perlman lent his deep voice to this antagonistic role. As the sibling who does most of the talking, Perlman was given a lot of lines, which explains why Disney ultimately went with a high-profile voice actor for this secondary villain character. 

The Golden Globe-winning actor has nearly 300 acting credits to his name, though he's best known for his work in the Hellboy movies, Sons of Anarchy, The City of Lost Children, Drive, Alien: Resurrection, and the TV series, Beauty and the Beast. He was most recently seen in the drama, The Big Ugly, which came late last month. He also played a leading role in Amazon's Hand of God. Up next, Perlman will appear in Monster Hunter, The Jesuit, This Game's Called Murder, How I Got There, and The Last Victim.

Additionally, Ron Perlman is expected to reunite with Hellboy director Guillermo Del Toro for his newest live-action film, Nightmare Alley. He's also lending his voice to Del Toro's upcoming Netflix animated film, Pinocchio. Outside of acting, Perlman wrote his first book, Easy Street (the Hard Way): A Memoir, alongside co-author Michael Largo, in 2014.

Jeffrey Tambor (Big Nose Thug)

As Big Nose, the romantic thug looking for someone to recognize his inner beauty, Jeffrey Tambor played an idealistic supporting character in Tangled. A veteran actor with a great deal of experience in film and television, Tambor is best known for his work in The Larry Sanders Show, Mr. Mom, Arrested Development, the Hellboy movies, There's Something About Mary, and How the Grinch Stole Christmas, to name a few. 

As a voice actor, Tambor is also known for his prominent role in The SpongeBob SquarePants Movie. Following his performance in Tangled, Tambor has notably been seen in Mr. Popper's Penguins, The Accountant, The Good Wife, Psych, Raising Hope, and The Death of Stalin, as well as heard in Trolls, WordGirl, Archer, China, IL, and Tangled: The Series, though it was through his Emmy-winning performance in Amazon's Transparent that he garnered some of his greatest acclaim.

In 2017, Jeffrey Tambor was accused of sexual misconduct by Van Barnes, his former assistant. He also received accusations from his Transparent co-star, Trace Lysette, and make-up artist Tamara Delbridge, whom he worked with in 2001's Never Again. Following these accusations, Tambor left the Amazon drama series. He was also accused of verbal harassment by Jessica Walter, his Arrested Development co-star, in an interview. Since then, Tambor has only appeared the fifth and final season of Arrested Development. He'll soon be seen in Disney+'s Magic Camp on August 14th. He also plays the voice of God in the animated movie, The Adventures of Drunky.

Richard Kiel (Vlad)

As Vlad, the strongest and most menacing of the Pub Thugs, Richard Kiel voiced a standout role in Tangled. Best known for playing Jaws in the Bond franchise, including The Spy Who Loved Me and Moonraker, the seven-foot-tall actor was always a memorable addition to any movie he starred in, which also included Happy Gilmore, Silver Streak, Cannonball Run II, The Longest Yard, Pale Rider, and Inspector Gadget, in which he lampooned his 007 character. In addition to his acting work, Kiel served as an executive producer and co-writer for 1990's family film, The Giant of Thunder Mountain. 

Sadly, on September 10th, 2014, Kiel passed away from a heart attack. The actor was three days shy of his 75th birthday. He's most certainly missed.

M.C. Gainey (Captain of the Guard)

As the gruff, no-nonsense Captain of the Guard, M.C. Gainey played an ultra-protective character throughout the course of Tangled. A character actor with over 40 years of experience, Gainey has given his talents to a variety of movies and shows throughout the decades, including Time After Time, Happy Days, The A-Team, The Dukes of Hazzard, Starman, Knight Rider, Cheers, The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, Con Air, Meet the Deedles, The X-Files, Walker, Texas Ranger, Terminator 3: Rise of the Machines, Wild Hogs, Club Dread, Sideways, Breakdown, Maron, and Beerfest, though he's likely best known for his character work in Lost. 

After Tangled, Gainey made noteworthy appearances in Django Unchained, Kingdom, The Mentalist, Bosch, and Justified. He was also recently in the comedy-horror film, Bit. He'll soon be seen in Emperor and The Cleaner, and he's expected to star in A24's space-based series, Moonbase 8.

Paul F. Tompkins (Shorty)

As Shorty, the oldest and arguably kookiest member of the Pub Thugs, Paul F. Tompkins received an appropriately small role in Disney's Tangled, but he made the most of his time in this family film. As a comedian, actor, writer, and podcaster, Tompkins is quite prolific in the comedy world. He's known for Mr. Show with Bob and David, Best Week Ever with Paul F. Tompkins, There Will Be Blood, Magnolia, Tenacious D in the Pick of Destiny, and The Informant! 

He was most recently seen in Netflix's Between Two Ferns: The Movie, as well as episodes of Brockmire, Criminal Minds, and CBS All Access' The Twilight Zone. Additionally, as a voice actor, Tompkins is heard in Bob's Burgers, Adventure Time, and Netflix's BoJack Horseman. As a podcaster, Tompkins is known for his 200-plus appearances on Comedy Bang Bang, as well as his other Earwolf projects.

What's your favorite Tangled performance? Please feel free to share in the comments!

Zachary Levi has played a Disney prince, DC hero and Marvel sidekick, and now the actor has just signed on to play real-life football legend Kurt Warner in American Underdog: The Kurt Warner Story. The Shazam! lead is set to begin production for the upcoming drama that tells the inspiring story of the NFL hall of famer and Super Bowl MVP. Anyone hearing Oscar bells?

The plans for American Underdog have just been announced by Lionsgate. The movie will be made by the Erwin Brothers, who have found success telling true stories rooted in faith for the past decade, including the release of I Still Believe starring K.J. Apa and Britt Robertson earlier this year. Zachary Levi was the filmmaking team’s first and only choice for the role.

Andrew Erwin, who will co-direct the movie with his brother Jon Erwin, said Zachary Levi is “born to play” Kurt Warner, an Iowa native who later led the St. Louis Rams to Super Bowl victory during his first season as a starter (the only quarterback to ever do so besides Tom Brady). Zachary Levi spoke about his new role with these words:

Along with having the writing team behind the heartbreaking story of Christian songwriter Jeremy Camp, I Still Believe, the scribe behind 2004’s Friday Night Lights David Aaron Cohen is also on board to write, and Kurt Warner and his wife Brenda will produce with Mark Ciardi (Rookie, Invincible). American Underdog is based off interviews with the football star and his 2009 memoir All Things Possible: My Story of Faith, Football, and the First Miracle Season.

The filmmakers also attributed Zachary Levi’s “humble charm,” “intense physicality” and “uncanny” resemblance to Kurt Warner to their choice to cast the actor. Levi recently got into incredible physical shape to star in Shazam!, though he did admit his costume was “a liiiiiittle padded.” Since the actor is set to soon resume his role in the Shazam! sequel in the near future, taking on football shape might as well be business as usual.

Shazam! 2 was delayed by Warner Bros seven months to November 4, 2022 once stay-at-home order prevented the film from beginning shooting. When last we heard, writer/director David F. Sandberg was working more closely on the script. The DC film does get priority over other comic book properties due to its young cast members who are already growing up. It sounds like Levi might jump on set for American Underdog first, but Shazam! 2 shooting plans have not been updated yet.

Stay tuned here on CinemaBlend for more updates on the latest in movie productions.

Zachary Levi is excited and ready to suit up again for Shazam! 2. Few could blame him after the incredible success of the first movie, but, like most actors during this strange health crisis, he has to stay at home and wait things out.

Staying isolated has been a trying time for many celebrities, with many going online to share how they’re feeling about the whole thing. Zachary Levi seems to be taking a modest and thoughtful approach to it. He recently spoke to ET about Shazam! 2 and quarantine, and shared some of his thoughts on how things might look on a film set moving forward. Here’s what he said:

The attempt to flatten the curve with stay-at-home orders during the pandemic has caused many movie productions, like Avatar 2, Mission: Impossible 7 and even Shazam! 2 to come to a grinding halt. Safety protocols would need to be put in place before a cast and crew can safely work together in close proximity. Zachary Levi added:

It was reported in late April that Shazam! 2 was moving its release date from April 1, 2022 to November 4, 2022. Despite the setback and delays, Shazam! director David F. Sandberg said he’s still working on the script, since that’s something that can be done.

Details about Shazam! 2 are relatively slim, with no word on the plot. Although Dwayne Johnson’s standalone DC movie Black Adam was going to film this summer with a release date of 2021, it doesn't look like he'll be clashing against the World's Mightiest Mortal in Shazam! 2. Judging by the Shazam! mid-credits scene, it's likelier that a Doctor Sivana and Mister Mind partnership is more in the cards. As always, we’ll keep you updated with the latest news.

Around this time last year, mainstream audiences were introduced to a superhero that hardcore comic book fans have loved for years – SHAZAM! Yes, the Big Red Cheese made his big-screen debut and the results were positive. As a result, a Shazam! sequel is now in development, but things have been slowed down due to recent events. However, this didn’t stop Shazam himself, Zachary Levi, from marking the film’s first anniversary and sharing an update on the sequel.

Zachary Levi posted a cool, Alex Ross-inspired image of himself in character. In the caption, he expressed his gratitude for having landed the role and thanked Shazam! fans for supporting the film. He also let out his excitement about being able to play the DC Comics character again, once production on the sequel picks back up. You can check out Levi’s sweet message below:

Zachary Levi, a longtime comic book fan, has been incredibly enthusiastic about playing Shazam and joining the DC Extended Universe since he was first cast. So the fact that he would commemorate the anniversary of his first solo film with an Instagram post like this is totally on brand for him.

Shazam! was well received by critics and audiences alike for its levity, action sequences and heart. It also contained some fun DC Comics Easter eggs that pleased fans. To top it all off, the film also set the stage for what could be an interesting sequel.

So far, there have been no concrete details regarding what lies ahead for the hero formally known as Captain Marvel. However, the first film’s post-credits scene revealed the presence of a new villain who could cause problems for Billy Batson and his superpowered family.

Speaking of the Shazam family, there’s a chance Billy’s foster siblings will also play a large role in a sequel now that they have abilities of their own. This also begs the question as to whether or not we’ll see the “black sheep” of the family make his entrance. I’m of course referring to Black Adam, who is set to be played by Dwayne Johnson in a solo movie.

Dwayne Johnson’s Black Adam film has been in development for years and is closer than ever to starting production. It’s unknown when or how the villainous (and sometimes antiheroic) being will cross paths with Billy Batson, but Zachary Levi believes it could happen in a third Shazam! installment.

Given our current circumstances, fans are likely going to have to wait just a little longer for Shazam to return to movie screens. The same can also be said for Black Adam’s debut. Still, getting fun updates from Zachary Levi does help to ease the prospect of a long wait. Shazam! 2 is scheduled to hit theaters on April 1, 2022.