Shazam's 21st century adventure on the big screen is an origin story, so don't worry
too much if you're going in cold.
Just make sure you're paying attention and enjoy the ride.
But even if you aren't familiar with the characters, you're certainly going to see a few familiar
faces bringing them to life.
Here's why the cast of Shazam! looks so familiar.
Oh, and just in case you haven't seen the movie yet?
Spoilers ahead.
Seeing as he's playing the supersized version of young Billy Batson otherwise known as Shazam
Zachary Levi is essentially the face of the film, and probably the most recognizable face
all around.
"I'd like to purchase some of your finest beer, please."
With any luck, Shazam! will give the supremely talented Levi that final push onto the Hollywood
A-list.
Wondering where you've seen him before?
Well, Shazam! is hardly Levi's first superhero flick.
The actor last suited up for cosmic action as Fandral alongside his fellow Warriors Three
in Thor: The Dark World and Thor: Ragnarok.
It's far more likely that you recognize Levi from his extensive work on the small screen.
Most recently, he appeared in the short-lived series Heroes Reborn, and starred in the cheeky
NBC sitcom Telenovela.
He also impressed with a serious turn in Netflix's marvelous dramatic mini-series Alias Grace.
Of course, Levi is probably best known for his work on NBC's awesome, oft-overlooked
action/dramedy Chuck.
The actor brought some serious geek energy to his charming portrayal of a directionless
post-grad who inadvertently downloads a secretive government computer program into his brain.
And yes, it's every bit as fun as it looks.
Shazam! could also prove the first big break for the actor portraying Billy Batson, the
pint-sized version of Levi's superhero.
"Are you for real?"
"Say it!"
"Okay!"
We're guessing that most of you don't know who Asher Angel is, because he's just getting
started in showbiz.
Some of you may recognize the youngster from his one-off role in the short-lived spin-off
series Criminal Minds: Beyond Borders.
A few of you might also have even seen Angel as the second lead in the 2018 ballet drama
Driven to Dance.
If not, those of you with the Disney Channel might just recognize Angel as the conspicuously
kind-hearted Jonah Beck from the family-friendly comedy Andi Mack.
Whether you're familiar with Angel's work yet or not, we're fairly confident you'll
be seeing his face a lot moving forward possibly even in a Shazam! sequel!
The actor playing his precocious, crutch-bound best pal Freddie Freeman has been on the Hollywood
radar for few years now.
"Dude, just messing around.
You look at me and you're like, 'Why so dark?
You're a disabled foster kid.
You've got it all!"
His name is Jack Dylan Grazer, and he got his first taste of stardom with a brief appearance
in 2015's chilling horror anthology Tales of Halloween.
He followed that family-friendly outing with a starring role in the TV series Me, Myself
and I, a comedy exploring key moments in a man's life over three distinct time periods,
with Grazer portraying the youngest version of the protagonist.
The up-and-coming actor went from relative unknown to impressive newcomer when he joined
the Losers Club as the nervous, overprotected Eddie Kaspbrak in the brilliant adaptation
of Stephen King's It — a role Grazer is ready to reprise in 2019's hotly-anticipated
sequel.
In between those horrifying blockbusters, Grazer also booked the prime gig of playing
the adolescent version of Timothee Chalamet's character in the indie hit Beautiful Boy.
Grace Fulton is likely to be familiar to quite a few viewers.
Fulton portrays Billy and Freddie's foster sister Mary Bromfield in Shazam!, and much
like her co-star Jack Dylan Grazer in It, Fulton has likewise played the younger version
of a character in a film.
In fact, one of Fulton's biggest early roles came as the adolescent version of ill-fated
Hollywood starlet Natalie Wood in the 2004 TV movie The Mystery of Natalie Wood.
She followed that role with a recurring gig as the younger version of Jennifer Love Hewitt's
Melinda Gordon in The Ghost Whisperer.
Later, she booked a multi-episode gig as the teenage counterpart to Madeleine Stowe's matriarch
on ABC's Revenge.
Of course, most viewers will recognize Fulton as one the eldest of the tormented orphans
in 2017's chilling addition to the Conjuring universe, Annabelle: Creation.
Shazam! finds Djimon Hounsou playing an ancient wizard who gives Billy Batson the power to
transform into Shazam.
Hounsou spent the early years of his career as a fashion model and backup dancer in music
videos for Tina Turner and Janet Jackson, among many others.
Steven Spielberg used his own wizardry to pull a heartrending breakout performance from
the model-turned-actor in 1997's Amistad.
The film made an overnight star out of Hounsou, who has gone on to appear in dozens of films,
including memorable turns in Ridley Scott's' Gladiator, the heartrending 2002 drama In
America, and the fast-paced 2015 action film Furious 7, even earning a few Oscar nominations
in the process.
If you're wondering where you've seen Hounsou recently, it was likely in the MCU, where
the actor portrayed the Kree warrior Korath in both Guardians of the Galaxy and Captain
Marvel.
Speaking of Shazam! actors who have superhero experience, let's not forget about the great
Mark Strong.
The iron-jawed actor plays the nefarious Dr. Thaddeus Sivana in this latest DC flick, but
Shazam! is far from Strong's first turn as a super-baddie.
He actually played another DC villain almost a decade ago in that oh-so-forgettable Ryan
Reynolds-starring Green Lantern.
Of course, Strong may just have a face for villainy, because he broke bad again as the
vile Frank D'Amico in 2010's Kick-Ass.
Strong also played memorable villains in the big screen adaptation of Neil Gaiman's Stardust.
“ahhh”
And try not to forget the 2009, Robert Downey Jr.-starring Sherlock Holmes, where he played
the evil Lord Blackwood.
Did you happen to catch his performance in Ridley Scott's Robin Hood, where he played
Godfrey?
Rest assured, the role of the bad guy in Shazam! is in the hands of an extremely good actor.
He's also starred in the Kingsman movies, the 2008 thriller Body of Lies, Zero Dark
Thirty, and countless other films.
The actor playing the adult version of Freddy Freeman will likely need no introduction.
Adam Brody did, after all, get his first big break with a multi-episode stint as would-be
rocker Dave in Gilmore Girls.
His follow-up role as the ever-nerdy Seth Cohen on The O.C. helped the young actor achieve
full-on teen heartthrob status.
"I'm sorry if I'm the only one here who will state the obvious."
"Seth—"
"but we have all this extra room, right?
We have a pool house."
Brody has also made scene-stealing appearances in movies like the 2014 coming of age drama
Growing Up And Other Lies, Wes Craven's meta-horror sequel Scream 4, and Whit Stillman's Damsels
in Distress.
Dyed-in-wool horror fans will most likely recognize Brody for his disturbing and hilarious
turn as an indie-rocker with some serious ulterior motives in the bloody Diablo Cody
satire Jennifer's Body.
Freddie Freeman isn't the only one of Shazam's pint-sized pals to get a superhero alter ego
in the movie.
In fact, most of Billy's foster fam earn spots in the super-powered "Shazam Family."
The inimitable Meagan Good scored the role of the adult Darla Dudley, who undergoes a
truly radical transformation throughout the course of the film.
If you're wondering where you've seen her before, take your pick, 'cause she's been
cranking out movies on the regular since breaking into showbiz in the mid-'90s.
Of her work in that bygone decade, most will recognize Good as the confused big sis in
the coming-of-age drama Eve's Bayou.
In the years since, Good has racked up memorable roles in TV shows like Californication, and
the sadly short-lived Minority Report series.
She's also nursed a booming big screen career that's seen her appear in films like Anchorman
2: The Legend Continues and the entirely unfortunate 2008 comedy The Love Guru.
"And now, I'd like to show my love by making for you the Quebec pizza."
"What's that?"
"Pop Tart with the ketchup."
And don't forget you bloodcurdling work in the horrific and outright horrible Saw 5.
Here's hoping Shazam! helps make a household name of Good.
Of the actors playing adult, super-powered versions of younger characters in Shazam!,
Michelle Borth isn't one of the better-known names.
Still, that doesn't mean you won't recognize the face of the future Mary Marvel or Lady
Shazam or just plain ole Mary, AKA Mary Bromfield.
Though Borth has yet to find a legitimate breakthrough role in Hollywood, she's been
in the game for a couple of decades now.
Hawk-eyed viewers might recognize Borth for a one-off appearance as Dean's significant
other in a trippy episode of Supernatural.
Or perhaps you caught her in HBO's relationship drama Tell Me You Love Me.
Odds are most of you know Borth from her 60-episode run as Catherine Rollins on Hawaii Five-O.
And if you don't know Michelle Borth from any of those projects, now's as good a time
as any to learn her name, because you'll be hearing it for years to come.
Just a few years ago, most viewers would not have been able to pick actor Ross Butler out
of a lineup even if his 6'2" frame unquestionably set him apart from most of his peers.
While viewers still may not have Butler's name memorized, it's a safe bet they'll recognize
his face from one of several notable small screen appearances over the past few years.
The actor first started turning heads in 2015 when he appeared in Disney Channel's action
comedy K.C.
Undercover.
That same year, Butler booked one of his highest-profile gigs when he claimed the role of tough-guy
jock Reggie Mantle in The CW's surprise hit Riverdale.
With an obvious penchant for teen drama, Butler again played a tough-guy jock with a conscience
in Netflix's teen suicide drama 13 Reasons Why.
Though he's yet to find his breakout role, Ross Butler is very much a star on the rise,
and there's little doubt that his work as the superpowered adult version of Eugene Choi
will set his star a little bit higher.
The actor playing the father of Shazam! baddie Dr. Sivana will need no introduction to fans
of the superhero genre the DC Universe in particular.
The actor's name is John Glover, known for his giddily wicked work as Lionel Luther on
the long-running "Superman in high school" drama Smallville.
In addition to his voice work as the Riddler in Batman: The Animated Series, fans of the
Dark Knight should also recall Glover's face for his appearance as the mad scientist Dr.
Jason Woodrue in 1997's Batman & Robin.
Love it or hate it, Glover's maniacally over-the-top performance was unquestionably one of the
best parts of Joel Schumacher's controversial farce.
If you managed to miss Glover in those super-powered flicks, you'll probably still recognize his
face.
He's a beloved character actor who's been working steadily in showbiz since the '70s.
Among Glover's more memorable roles are appearances in the Oscar-winning dramedy Annie Hall.
"You know how I'd like to die?"
"No, how?"
"I'd like to be torn apart by wild animals."
And let's not forget his stupendously scene-stealing work opposite Bill Murray in 1988's Scrooged.
Oh, and then there was his equally delicious role in the 1990 sci-fi sequel, RoboCop 2.
"Magno-volt!
The final word in auto security."
That's to say nothing of his memorably hilarious turn as the head of the Clamp Cable Network
in the cult classic Gremlins 2: The New Batch.
There's plenty of other roles worth mentioning, like his part in John Carpenter's unheralded
masterpiece In the Mouth of Madness.
All we really want to say about John Glover is that he's one of those actors who makes
us smile the second he turns up on screen.
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