Some actors who star in superhero movies aren't fans of the source material going into their respective roles. Zachary Levi is not one of those actors. Even before he was cast as Shazam!'s eponymous protagonist, Levi was contemplating the possibilities for the DC Extended Universe's version of the World's Mightiest Mortal, including him being added to the Justice League's ranks. As Levi recalled:
I'm looking at these posters going, 'If this all goes well, and I get this job, and we go make this movie, and it does well, and this does well then I'll be, theoretically, I'll be on that next billboard with all those characters. So I haven't just been thinking about it since I've been the character, I've been thinking about well before I got the job.
Zachary Levi had these thoughts while driving to a screen test for Shazam!, which happened several months before Justice League's release. While Shazam isn't one of the more regular members of that particular superhero team in the comics, he's definitely had a lot of adventures with its core lineup, so I can't blame Levi for wanting Shazam to team up with them.
As Zachary Levi noted later in his interview with ET, the possibilities would be endless with Shazam interacting with the Justice League, from Billy Batson crushing on Wonder Woman to trying to act cool in front of Superman and Batman. Levi also believes that Shazam and Flash would hit it off well, saying:
We'd literally be racing each other [all the time]. I think I'd be trying to arm wrestle Superman all the time. We'd just be goofing off. Oh God, I want it to happen so bad!
Of course, whether or not Shazam actually crosses paths with the Justice League in the DCEU is uncertain. Following Justice League's mediocre commercial performance, the superhero franchise has been going through a lot of restructuring behind-the-scenes, and so far there are no plans for Justice League 2 to come out anytime soon. As we saw in the Shazam! trailer, the movie definitely isn't shying away from its ties to the wider DCEU, and there were reportedly plans to have Henry Cavill cameo as Superman. But for now, Shazam is remaining in his own corner of this expansive world.
Just like in the comics, Billy Batson will be taken to the Rock of Eternity in Shazam! and gain the ability to turn into an adult superhero from the mysterious Wizard. While getting the hang of his amazing powers, Billy will have to face off against Doctor Thaddeus Sivana, who was rejected as the Wizard's champion as a child and has spent his adult years trying to unlock the secrets of magic through science.
Shazam! will cast its magic in theaters on April 5, 2019. Don't forget to also look through our DC movies guide to learn what other DCEU projects are in development.
