What does the “Fast and Furious” franchise have in common with “Shazam!”? And what
does the inclusion of “The Daughters of Atlas” mean for the future of the DCEU? Keep watching
for more details you may have missed in the first “Shazam! Fury of the Gods” trailer.
2019's "Shazam!" was truly something special. The superhero flick is dramatically different
from others in the DC Extended Universe, and its sequel is set to follow suit. "Shazam!
Fury of the Gods" arrives on December 21. On Saturday, at San Diego Comic-Con 2022 during
Warner Bros. theatrical presentation, we got our first full-length trailer for
the "Shazam!" sequel starring Zachary Levi in a red-and-white spandex suit and his Shazam Family.
The trailer has everything you'd expect from this film: fun flying sequences,
mythical creatures, hand-to-hand combat, and those corny kinds of jokes that can
only fly in the world of Shazam. Levi is back as the titular hero, with his foster
family from the original film fully suited up behind him. In their superhero form, Freddy,
Darla, Eugene, Mary, and Pedro are ready to take on villains Hespera and Kalypso. There
were plenty of homages to the original film and other DCEU flicks, so let's break down
all the small details you might have missed in the first "Shazam! Fury of the Gods" trailer.
"Shazam! Fury of the Gods" is upping the ante in terms of adversaries for
our titular hero and his family. The movie will see Billy and the gang go toe-to-toe with two
godlike siblings in the form of Kalypso and Hespera, who are collectively known as the
Daughters of Atlas. In the first official trailer for the DCEU sequel, they transfer
powers into their beings by touching a magical staff, and it's clear that they mean business.
The presence of Kalypso and Hespera also raises some interesting questions about "Shazam! Fury
of the Gods" and the future direction of the franchise. Could their introduction mean that
Atlas will make an appearance as well? The Titan has a longstanding history with Shazam
and his Justice League compatriots in the comics, after all, so it's entirely possible that he's in
the DCEU's plans. Alternatively, the movie might follow the storyline in which Atlas is
murdered by The Wizard, and the sisters merely want to avenge their old man by causing havoc.
It's also worth noting that Atlas had three daughters in the DC lore,
so Hespera and Kalypso might not be the only sisters to appear in "Shazam! Fury of the Gods."
One of the comedic highlights of the new "Shazam! Fury of the Gods" trailer comes when Shazam
invokes the famous "family" motif that is central to the "Fast & Furious" franchise during a botched
attempt to summon the rest of his own Shazam Family as he sits down with Hespera over a bite
to eat. The reference is a funny one for fans (and it's not the first time a "Fast & Furious" joke
has appeared in "Shazam!"), but if you don't know all of the movies, you might have missed
that there are at least two strong personnel connections between these two disparate families.
Firstly, Shazam's "family" speech is made to Hespera, who is played by the great Helen
Mirren. Mirren, of course, has been a part of the "Fast & Furious" franchise since her cameo
in 2017's "The Fate of the Furious." She's made subsequent appearances in her role of
matriarch Magdalene "Queenie" Shaw in the "Fast" spin-off "Fast & Furious Presents:
Hobbs & Shaw," as well as 2021's "F9." That gives Shazam's "Fast & Furious"
reference an extra metatextual twist that fans should find amusing.
Fans are also aware that another new member to the "Shazam" world is also a familiar
"Fast & Furious" face. Dwayne Johnson, who's set to make his DC Extended Universe debut
in October 2022 with "Black Adam," plays the titular role of Shazam's own arch-nemesis in
an antihero capacity. Given that both "Black Adam" and "Fury of the Gods" are set in the
same sub-franchise of the DCEU, it's not unthinkable that Johnson may some kind of
cameo in "Fury of the Gods," which is set to come out about two months before the "Shazam"
sequel hits theaters, further cementing the "Shazam"-"Fast & Furious" connection.
The "Shazam! Fury of the Gods" trailer doesn't give away too many spoilers. For that,
we should be thankful. However, some of the visuals do tease some significant
expansions of the "Shazam!" lore in the DCEU. For example, this image looks an
awful lot like the Rock of Eternity, and this is a big deal with a cool backstory.
Basically, the Rock of Eternity is a lair that is created by the original Shazam,
who uses rocks taken from Heaven and Hell. In the comics, the mystical refuge was used
to imprison formidable creatures, including an entity known as the Three Faces of Evil,
which is a tri-headed dragon that made life horrible for the Shazam family. If this is the
Rock of Eternity we're seeing in the "Fury of the Gods" trailer and it does figure into the film,
then it's entirely plausible that the aforementioned deadly menace could be
lurking in the shadows, waiting for an opportune time to plan a prison break.
Of course, the lair also serves as a power hub for anyone who's able to channel the wizard
Shazam's extraordinary abilities, so the film might not feature any three-headed monsters.
It remains to be seen how the Rock of Eternity will be portrayed in "Shazam! Fury of the
Gods," but its inclusion will undoubtedly lead to some interesting developments.
The newest trailer for "Shazam! Fury of the Gods" shows our hero — Zachary
Levi's Shazam — as he takes on Kalypso and Hespera. After Ares,the God of War,
came after Diana in 2017's "Wonder Woman," this would be the second instance of our heroes facing
off with the immortals. Fans will notice a little help comes for the villains in the form of a
dragon that emerges from the ground, looking as fierce as anything from "Game of Thrones." This
is probably the DC Comics version of Ladon, the hundred-headed dragon Atlas sent to guard
the apples of the Hesperides. While missing all of its heads, Ladon's CGI is top-notch,
with the dragon looking like a formidable opponent for the heroes as it spits blue fire.
Besides the dragon, viewers will notice another mythical creature arrive on the
scene. Near the end of the scene, Billy Batson's siblings ride black unicorns down
the street. While they're all in their human forms, the Shazam Family appears determined,
as if they're going into battle. The moment seems very reminiscent of TRINITY #18,
where Wonder Woman, Batman, and Superman are seen riding unicorns on the lost world, Skartaris. We
can't wait to see what other mythical creatures will be part of "Shazam: Fury of the Gods."
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