It's Captain Marvel's big opening weekend, but don't forget about the other Captain Marvel. Zachary Levi has made it clear he has nothing but support for the MCU movie, but he's also very excited for fans to see his DC movie Shazam! Levi is a funny guy, but he got serious for about 85% of the caption for this photo with his young Shazam! co-stars Asher Angel and Jack Dylan Grazer:
You heard it from the superhero, kids -- dentures don't pay for themselves!
Zachary Levi seems to be having a great time promoting this movie with his young co-stars. They've been doing interviews and promos together, and that promotion will probably kick into high gear in the weeks ahead of Shazam!'s April 5 release.
In the movie, Asher Angel plays young Billy Batson, who is chosen by Djimon Hounsou's wizard to receive superpowers when Billy speaks the sorcerer's name, Shazam. Saying the name transforms Billy into an adult superhero, played by Zachary Levi. Jack Dylan Grazer plays Freddy, Billy's best friend and foster brother. They are the main characters in the movie, with Mark Strong as villain Dr. Thaddeus Sivana.
Shazam! recently screened for critics, and director David F. Sandberg is definitely keeping an eye on the reviews out there. Thankfully the early reviews so far have been very positive, praising the humor, action, and even the family emotion.
Shazam! is in an interesting position. For DC, it's arriving after the record-breaking success of Aquaman. That's not only the top-grossing DCEU movie, it's the top DC movie ever. Shazam! is also closely following Captain Marvel, which has already made close to half a billion in its first week, worldwide. Shazam! is also closely preceding Avengers: Endgame, which is expected to basically print its own money.
Early box office estimates for Shazam! suggest it could make around $50 million over its opening weekend. Could be higher (could be lower). We'll see in less than a month.
But, you know, everyone seems to be rooting for Shazam! I haven't had a chance to see it yet, but it looks like a great time. I fully expect to be as charmed by Zachary Levi's performance as I have been by his social media promotion. If it doesn't turn out that way, I'll be disappointed, but it doesn't seem like it would be the end of the world for anyone involved. They all had a great time making the movie, but the stakes don't seem as heavy and serious as they did for previous films. The whole experience feels light and fun.
Shazam! opens in theaters on April 5, as one of the many major movies opening in 2019. Keep up with all things DCEU in our handy guide.
