Shazam: Trailer #2 (DC/Warner Bros.)

With the shift from the DCEU and a reboot of sorts, DC has been trying to right the ship. With the perceived failure of a shared universe, Warner Bros. has been scrambling to do right in the eyes of fans as well as catch up to their rival Disney/Marvel. Shazam could be the movie to lighten the mood.

Man of Steel, Batman v Superman, Suicide Squad, and Justice League were all met with mixed results. To be fair Wonder Woman and Aquaman have enjoyed oppositely successful. Although it looks like the studio and movies appear to be back on track, Warner Bros. and DC have put the shared universe on hold for more traditional stand-alone films while they regroup. That’s not to say somewhere down the road they might not circle back around, but it looks like the current slate of films won’t have any tie-in storylines.

“David F. Sandberg (“Annabelle: Creation”) directs New Line Cinema’s “Shazam!,” the origin story that stars Zachary Levi (TV’s “Chuck”) as the titular DC Super Hero, along with Mark Strong (the “Kingsman” movies) in the role of Super-Villain Dr. Thaddeus Sivana, and Asher Angel (TV’s “Andi Mack”) as Billy Batson. Peter Safran (“Aquaman,” “The Conjuring” and “Annabelle” films) produced the film.
Warner Bros.

We all have a superhero inside us, it just takes a bit of magic to bring it out. In Billy Batson’s (Angel) case, by shouting out one word—SHAZAM!—this streetwise 14-year-old foster kid can turn into the adult Super Hero Shazam (Levi), courtesy of an ancient wizard. Still a kid at heart—inside a ripped, godlike body—Shazam revels in this adult version of himself by doing what any teen would do with superpowers: have fun with them! Can he fly? Does he have X-ray vision? Can he shoot lightning out of his hands? Can he skip his social studies test? Shazam sets out to test the limits of his abilities with the joyful recklessness of a child. But he’ll need to master these powers quickly in order to fight the deadly forces of evil controlled by Dr. Thaddeus Sivana (Strong).”
Warner Bros.

Shazam looks to continue to build on the family-friendly tone DC is trying to instill. Critics have blasted DC for being too dark to enjoy. With the upbeat and comical Shazam, could the studio have a third hit on their hands?