• Pop Culture
    • Movies
    • Television
    • Comic Books
    • Video Games
    • Toys & Collectibles
  • Features
    • News
    • Reviews
    • Articles and Opinions
    • Interviews
    • Exclusives
    • Flickering Myth Films
    • FMTV
  • About
    • About Flickering Myth
    • Write for Flickering Myth
    • Advertise on Flickering Myth
  • Socials
    • Facebook
    • YouTube
    • Bluesky
    • Instagram
    • Flipboard
    • Linktree
    • X
  • Terms
    • Terms of Use
    • Privacy Policy

Flickering Myth

Geek Culture | Movies, TV, Comic Books & Video Games

  • News
  • Reviews
  • Articles & Opinions
  • Write for Us
  • The Baby in the Basket

Why Shazam is the cure for the DC Extended Universe

April 12, 2016 by Anghus Houvouras

Anghus Houvouras on why Shazam is the cure for the DC Extended Universe…

Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice has everyone talking. Unfortunately for Warner Bros. the discussion isn’t overwhelmingly positive. Critics were unkind to Zack Snyder’s epic superhero showdown and fans are as polarized as a pair of Ray Bans on the South Pole. There’s a lot of posturing and prognosticating the future of the DC Extended Universe. Those who believe this to be a disappointing launch for the Justice League are deriding the film’s box office performance. The film should end up north of 900 million dollars worldwide, with the potential for crossing the billion-dollar mark if the R-Rated extended cut is given a theatrical release.

It’s strange how many sites are calling the film a failure because it won’t hit the billion dollar mark. While it’s difficult to argue that a better received, less polarizing film would have had a higher box office ceiling, it still feels a little crazy to call ‘almost’ a billion dollars some kind of unmitigated tragedy.

Whether you’re a fan of the current incarnation of Batman and Superman on the silver screen, everyone can agree that Superman has become a darker, more brooding version of the character. This isn’t the Superman of yesteryear who protected the citizens of Metropolis with a wink and a smile and an awkward alter ego who fumbled his way through the offices of the Daily Planet.

I don’t mind if Batman, Superman, and Wonder Woman are going to be handled with a deadly seriousness. However the DC Universe could use a heaping helping of levity. A superhero that captures the wonder and thrills of the comics and is accessible to younger viewers. One that could help bring a lighter side to the DC Extended Universe.

Someone like Shazam.

Shazam (aka DC’s Captain Marvel) is a superhero that has been ripe for cinematic adaptation. A character that could serve as an exceptional bridge to the rest of the DC Extended Universe. A brave hero on as powerful as Superman with a kid friendly alter ego in Billy Batson. A Shazam film could be the Spider-Man of the DC Extended Universe. One that delivers us a teenage protagonist forced to deal with the overwhelming responsibilities of being a super hero. The power of a God in the hand of someone still trying to find themselves.

We know the villain will be Black Adam (to be played by Dwayne Johnson), who is a darker version of the title character. The character of Black Adam has been developed over the years to become a more nuanced villain, going so far to become something of an anti-hero. The kind of character who wants to protect the people of his home country and is willing to brutally kill those who would do them harm.

Can you think of a better story to balance out Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice? It could be the philosophical bookend to Batman v Superman. The film where Shazam/Billy Batson learns that being a hero is about saving lives, not taking them. We’re used to seeing Superman being the beacon of light in DC Comics, but in this current landscape Shazam could totally take that torch and run with it. With the speed of Mercury, no less.

A young God-like hero trying to find his way and a villain who is willing to kill in order to see justice served. This is a slam dunk waiting to be alley-ooped by Warner Bros. And yet, the Shazam movie doesn’t seem to have any sense of immediacy for the studio. I’m not a fan of playing ‘Armchair Studio Executive’, but after the relentless darkness of their first two entries into the DC Extended Universe it feels like something with a lighter touch would help broaden the appeal of this interconnected superhero universe.

Warner Bros. needs to get Shazam in the pipeline now. It could cure a lot of ills that currently plague the DC Extended Universe. It lightens the darker tone, gives audiences a relatable hero that could deliver the noble spirit that Superman has lacked, and could be an amazing addition to the Justice League franchise.

Since they start shooting Justice League this week, I’m guessing there’s no time to work the character in to the first installment. Warner Bros. should be doing everything in their power to make this film happen sooner rather than later. Before Aquaman. Before The Flash. Before Cyborg.

Shazam is what the DC Extended Universe desperately needs.

Anghus Houvouras is a North Carolina based writer and filmmaker and the co-host of Across the Pondcast. Follow him on Twitter.

. url=”.” . width=”100%” height=”150″ iframe=”true” /]

https://youtu.be/b7Ozs5mj5ao?list=PL18yMRIfoszEaHYNDTy5C-cH9Oa2gN5ng

Originally published April 12, 2016. Updated April 15, 2018.

Filed Under: Anghus Houvouras, Articles and Opinions, Movies Tagged With: DC, DC Extended Universe, Shazam

FMTV – Watch Our Latest Video Here

YOU MIGHT ALSO LIKE:

Asian Shock Horror Movies You Have To See

The Most Disturbing Horror Movies of the 1980s

Fantastical, Flawed and Madcap: 80s British Horror Cinema

What Will Amazon Do with James Bond?

Takashi Miike: The Modern Godfather of Horror

Underappreciated 1970s Westerns You Need To See

Great 90s Neo-Noir Movies You Might Have Missed

The Villainy of Lex Luthor in James Gunn’s Superman

Must-See Modern Horror Movies You Might Have Missed

10 Badass Action Movies You Might Have Missed

WATCH OUR MOVIE NOW FOR FREE ON PRIME VIDEO!

Top Stories:

The Essential Action Movies From Cannon Films

4K Ultra HD Review – Krull (1983)

Eight Essential Sci-Fi Prison Movies

Movie Review – Hamnet (2025)

10 Great Forgotten Gems of the 1980s You Need To See

10 More International Horror Movies You Need to See

Movie Review – Little Lorraine (2025)

Movie Review – Spinal Tap II: The End Continues (2025)

Movie Review – Night of the Reaper (2025)

Movie Review – Nouvelle Vague (2025)

STREAM FREE ON PRIME VIDEO!

FEATURED POSTS:

Ten Great Love Letters to Cinema

Knight Rider: The Story Behind the Classic 1980s David Hasselhoff Series

Max Headroom: The Story Behind the 80s A.I. Icon

Inception at 15: The Story Behind Christopher Nolan’s Mind-Melding Sci-Fi Actioner

Our Partners

  • Pop Culture
    • Movies
    • Television
    • Comic Books
    • Video Games
    • Toys & Collectibles
  • Features
    • News
    • Reviews
    • Articles and Opinions
    • Interviews
    • Exclusives
    • Flickering Myth Films
    • FMTV
  • About
    • About Flickering Myth
    • Write for Flickering Myth
    • Advertise on Flickering Myth
  • Socials
    • Facebook
    • YouTube
    • Bluesky
    • Instagram
    • Flipboard
    • Linktree
    • X
  • Terms
    • Terms of Use
    • Privacy Policy

© Flickering Myth Limited. All rights reserved. The reproduction, modification, distribution, or republication of the content without permission is strictly prohibited. Movie titles, images, etc. are registered trademarks / copyright their respective rights holders. Read our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. If you can read this, you don't need glasses.


 

Flickering MythLogo Header Menu
  • News
  • Reviews
  • Articles & Opinions
  • Write for Us
  • The Baby in the Basket