Another audition tape for Shazam! has surfaced and teases even more connections to Justice League and the larger universe. Warner Bros. is looking to expand their cinematic universe of DC characters (no longer called the DCEU), and their sub-studio New Line is going to be responsible for one of their next outings. Justice League is gearing up for its release in November and Aquaman is set to follow next December, and it's then expected that Shazam! will make it to theaters after that.

David F. Sandberg is still prepping the film to start production at the start of next year, and is still looking to round up a cast. There have so far been audition tapes for Billy Batson and Shazam to surface, both highlighting the comedic take Sandberg has in store, but also connections to the rest of DC's lineup. Now, another tape reveals a new character set to be included and even more Justice League mentions.

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Omega Underground has revealed a new audition tape for the role of Frank that was sent in by Brendan Heard. The tape shows "Frank" as a terminally ill foster kid that Billy will encounter in his young life, and one that is obsessed with superheroes. Frank is believed to be a stand-in name for the role of Freddy Freeman, also known as Shazam Jr.

As has been the case with previous audition tapes, these lines may not be exactly how they currently are in Sandberg's script, or how they could wind up being used if they stick. But, assuming the actual script and film will have connections of similar degrees, the ones teased here are subtle yet nice ways to remind audiences these films exist in the same universe. In this particular tape, Frank owns a replica of one of Batman's batarangs, but as a self-proclaimed bigger fan of Superman, he also has a nine millimeter round that was shot at, and therefore deflected off of, the Man of Steel.

Connections to the larger universe aside, the inclusion of Freddy could pave the way for a larger exploration of Shazam. Freddy only becomes Shazam Jr. and Earth's new Magical Champion once Billy advances to the point of becoming the controller of the Rock of Eternity. This type of an arc for Shazam, and as a result for Freddy as well, is too much to fit into one film, but could be an area WB explores in the future. But, before they or fans wonder about Shazam Jr.'s future, making Shazam! a hit right out the gate should be the focal point.

NEXT: How DC Films Will Connect Moving Forward

Source: Omega Underground

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