If you haven’t heard, Peter Segal, director of the upcoming Shazam movie, recently let it be known that a script for the film isn’t even done being written by scribes John August and William Goldman, largely due to the WGA strike.
Now, we could all sit around complaining about why Shazam isn’t moving ahead quickly enough, but I propose a more stimulating solution: what do YOU think Shazam should be?
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I mean, this isn’t Superman we’re talking about here: most of the people who will pack into theaters however many summers from now to see this flick, will STILL be thinking that they’re seeing a movie about a guy who’s just like Superman, only with red tights instead of blue, named Shazam. Fights in the audience will potentially break out because some popcorn-grubbing philistine fails to use the term “Capitan Marvel.”
However, the filmmakers are starting off on one good foot: the official title for the project is Billy Batson and the Legend of Shazam. That lengthy moniker should at least give even the dimmest bulb an idea that there’s more to this movie than it being some kind of bootleg Superman. But what should be the tone of the film? And who should it be aimed at?
The nature of the story – goofy kid gets to transform into a superhero just by saying a magic word – appeals to a wide range of boys, men, fanboys and families. And Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson playing Capitan Marvel nemesis Black Adam will bring in what few ladies are that loyal to Johnson’s career. But how to tell the tale? Action scenes gotta knock people’s socks better than the Neo/Agent Smith finale or Superman Returns did; while the kiddie scenes gotta be cutesy/funny and endearing. (And is it me, or did the Shazam! comics not always have that sort of goofy, ‘Archie Comics’-on-steroids atmosphere to them?)
Hearing that another classic comic book is getting its cinematic run is never a bad thing, but in the case of Shazam, I’m thinking it might be best to get my head around it, before the first trailer runs. So: what are your thoughts? (Long rants if you got ‘em.)
Source: Comic Book Movie
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8 Comments
I’ll pass, heh.
I don’t think this film has much of a chance.
The character has a very small fanbase and he’s a poor-mans Superman.
I have no interest in seeing this.
I think were about to see alot of superhero of the week movies for the next 3 years.
Everyone wants Marvels success, its just not that easy to achieve.
Don’t count out Shazam! just yet guys. I know I was hard on it in the post, but if they can hit a Get Smart/Hard Fuzz type of comedy/action mid-ground, it could be pretty good. It should def not take itself too seriously and have a dry wit ironic tone. There are so many potential laughs from a dorky kid being with great power trying to disguise himself as just a dorky kid (a la pete parker in Spiderman.)
I think a big problem is that Thor could possibly come out before this, and although yeah Donald Blake and Billy Batson are different and Thor and Captain Marvel are different, a lot of the movie going crowd will see 2 guys who do something and a bolt of lightning comes down and changes them into this big hulking person with super powers. I think that may hurt the chances for this movie to succeed.
Then again, I could be a complete idiot and not know what I am talking about.
Now, on to what it should be about and who it should be geared towards. I think this movie needs to be a movie that gears itself towards kids, but with enough action for the adults to be interested. As stated above, I think it will get a lot of Thor comparisons, but with the expectation of Thor being like Iron Man and the Hulk and be a more grown up hero, Captain Marvel can succeed with the kids. Billy Batson is a child, and Cap still thinks like a child most of the time, so I think that will be their best route. Make it full of wonder like the Potter/Narnia/Spiderwick movies so the kids will be all wide eyed to it.
If they market this towards kids hopefully it turns out better than “steel” did with Shaq. That one was horrible.
That is the risk of marketing to kids. I would hope Warner Brothers would have learned their lesson.
Man, that was a terrible movie though.
They should make it like the successful serial that ran back in the 1940’s. I’ve always liked Cap better than supes. Can’t wait to finally see him on the big screen.
A long time fan of Captain Marvel (I remember reading his comic books back in the 1970’s and watching the Saturday morning TV series) I agree with Peter Segal that Captain Marvel is unique. The world has had enough of anti-heroes like Batman and The Hulk. The people I meet at work or at Church would like to see somebody different, somebody who isn’t always down on society but epitomizes hope and everything a superhero SHOULD BE! Billy Batson has a potential character will work if he’s treated right, like the child of the street seen in Cap’s origin albeit updated for modern times. Caps should be reminiscent of Superman in his first movie the guy eager to help everyone, not the dim colorless depressed individual in ‘Superman Returns’ or the destroyer of public property Batman has become in movies. It never ceases to amaze me with all the flying super powered heroes in TV and movies these days the number of people who still compare Cap to Superman. Seems like these people are superman fans have some axe to grind! Yo dudes! Ever hear of Power Rangers? Ben 10? The TV series Greatest American Hero?
Adults need somebody to make them feel young again and kids need a hero they can believe in, not simply watch on the screen. Cap can once again teach us what it really means ‘You will believe a man can fly’! (Advertisement for Superman Movie 1970’s).
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