Warning: Contains SPOILERS for Shazam! Fury of the Gods!There are plenty of references and DC Easter eggs in Shazam! Fury of the Gods that connect to the comics and DC Universe. The sequel to 2019's Shazam! brings Zachary Levi back as the titular superhero. Directed once again by David F. Sandberg, Shazam! Fury of the Gods picks up Billy Batson's (Asher Angel) story two years later as he and the Shazam Family encounter the Daughters of Atlas - Hespera (Helen Mirren), Kalypso (Lucy Liu), and Anthea (Rachel Zegler). The sequel revolves around a plot to depower Earth's Champions and use the Wizard's magic staff to find the Seed of Life.
Since Shazam 2 is based on characters and storylines that come from DC Comics, the superhero movie is filled with references for fans of the comics. Shazam! Fury of the Gods is also part of the DC Universe movie franchise, allowing connections to past films and characters also to be included. This means the movie has plenty of cameos, references, and Easter eggs for audiences to catch. Here is a complete collection of Shazam 2's Easter eggs and references.
24 The DCEU Intro Remains Despite DC Studios Changes
Even before the main story of Shazam! Fury of the Gods begins, the movie features the return of the intro sequence created for the DC Extended Universe. The inclusion of the DC intro comes despite Warner Bros. recently overhauling the franchise's makeup, with DC Studios replacing DC Films. James Gunn and Peter Safran were appointed co-CEOs of DC Studios in late 2022. Despite the DC changes coming before Shazam 2's release, the film still opens up with the intro originating from the DCEU, possibly as a sign that it was not made under the new DC Studios regime.
23 Peacemaker Actor Appears In Shazam As A Different Character
The movie's opening sequence delivers an early Shazam! Fury of the Gods DC reference, as Rizwan Manji appears as a museum worker. Rizwan Manji should be a familiar face for DC fans, as he previously played Jamil the janitor in Peacemaker season 1. Despite his earlier work in the franchise, Rizwan plays an entirely new character in the film. He is credited as playing Docent, and his death confirms his Shazam 2 and Peacemaker roles are not the same.
22 How The Daughters of Atlas Connect To DC Comics
Shazam! Fury of the Gods breaks superhero movie tradition by introducing new villains, the Daughters of Atlas, instead of using characters from the comics. Hespera, Kalypso, and Anthea have never appeared in the pages of a DC comic and are pulled from Greek mythology. Despite them not having any basis in the source material, their father Atlas is part of the comics. He is an Olympian god, similar to Wonder Woman's father Zeus. The Daughters' mother Nyx is also the goddess of night and death in the comics. One of Shazam's powers is even the Stamina of Atlas, making his abilities directly tied to the Daughters of Atlas' deceased father.
21 Shazam References Flash, Aquaman, and Batman
Several Justice League members are name-dropped early on in Shazam 2. During a meeting with a child's therapist, Shazam references Flash by mentioning another superhero with a yellow lightning bolt on his costume that he is not as fast as. He also mentions Aquaman and Batman by name during this sequence. This multiple references to other superheroes in Shazam! Fury of the Gods serves as a reminder that the movie takes place within the larger DC Universe franchise.
20 Annabelle Doll In Shazam 2 References Director's Earlier Movie
The therapist's office includes a fun non-DC reference for Shazam! Fury of the Gods, as the Annabelle doll from the Conjuring franchise appears. This is because director David F. Sandberg directed Annabelle: Creation before he joined the DC franchise. The appearance is a fun nod to Sandberg's earlier films - or a haunting tease of Annabelle joining the DC Universe and terrifying the heroes.
19 Starro The Conqueror Returns In Shazam! Fury of the Gods Easter Egg
After serving as the kaiju-like villain of The Suicide Squad, Starro the Conqueror returns to the DC franchise. Starro is blink-and-you'll-miss-it Shazam! Fury of the Gods Easter egg during Shazam's visit with the therapist. The starfish-shaped alien is part of a picture alphabet, which surprisingly chose Starro to represent the letter "S." It is not a complete return for Starro after his defeat in The Suicide Squad but a sign that he made a lasting impact.
18 Shazam 2 Jokes About Freddy's Superhero Comic Name
One of the DC Comics Easter eggs in Shazam 2 comes with Freddy Freeman (Jack Dylan Grazer) joking about Shazam's superhero name. Freddy has rebranded himself as Captain Every Power, and he refers to Shazam as Captain Every Power Jr. during the bridge sequence. The moment hilariously references Freddy's actual superhero name in the comics: Captain Marvel Jr. or Shazam Jr. Only now Freddy is trying to claim that Billy is his sidekick.
17 Shazam 2 Easter Egg Suggests Superman & Wonder Woman Romance
The first visit to the Rock of Eternity brings another Shazam! Fury of the Gods Easter egg referencing a Superman and Wonder Woman romance. One wall has various newspaper clippings of the Shazam team's superhero activities, but one headline questions if Superman and Wonder Woman are in a relationship. Since Superman (Henry Cavill) has been with Lois Lane (Amy Adams) and Wonder Woman (Gal Gadot) has stayed focused on Steve Trevor (Chris Pine), such a romance has not been teased in the movies. It's unclear what lead to this newspaper report, but it references the various times when Superman and Wonder Woman started a romance in the comics.
16 Fury of the Gods References Shazam's Tiger Sidekick Tawny
Tigers have been a recurring visual or toy in the Shazam movies, but Shazam 2 more directly references Shazam's Tiger sidekick. At the bridge incident, Darla (Faithe Herman) decides to save two kittens and keeps one for herself. After she brings it home, Darla starts calling the cat Tawny. This is a clear DC Easter egg in Shazam! Fury of the Gods to Tawky Tawny. The tiger routinely helps the Shazam Family in the comics.
15 Freddy Jokes About Wonder Woman's Ridiculous Human Disguise
There is also a joke in Shazam 2 about Wonder Woman's human disguises. Freddy jokes about Mary (Grace Fulley) wearing sunglasses and attempting to have a normal life despite looking exactly like her superhero self now. It is during the exchange that Freddy remarks that Wonder Woman probably does not wear glasses to try and hide her identity. This is a reference to times when Lynda Carter and Gal Gadot's versions of Wonder Woman have done exactly that.
14 Shazam 2 Repeats Headless Superhero Cameo After Superman
The first Shazam! famously ended with a headless Superman cameo after Henry Cavill's cameo could not be worked out. Shazam! Fury of the Gods repeats the faceless superhero cameo joke by using Wonder Woman. One of Billy's dreams shows him as Shazam on a date with Wonder Woman, but Gal Gadot's face is never shown. The fake Wonder Woman cameo goes a step further by having Wizard (Djimon Hounsou) invade the dream and have his face be what Billy and the audience sees.
13 Billy Batson Is A Batman & Flash Fan
There are more references to Batman and Flash scattered throughout the movie that proves Billy Batson is a fan of these two heroes in particular. Billy's room includes a few of these Shazam 2 DC references, as drawings of Batman and Flash are featured on his wall. There is also a Batman mug featured in the Rock of Eternity, and Billy even goes to a therapist with Batman action figures in his office.
12 Shazam 2 References Batman's Robin (But Which One?)
Shazam! Fury of the Gods' Easter eggs continue by using Freddy's shirt to reference Batman's Robin. After wearing multiple Justice League-themed shirts in the first film, Freddy's shirt for the majority of the film has a bat and robin dressed in Batman and Robin superhero costumes on it. This is a rather significant reference to make, as it hints at Batman's Robin. Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice established Ben Affleck's Batman had a Robin, who Zack Snyder said was Dick Grayson before he died. It's unclear if this shirt is referencing Batman and his fallen Robin or a sign that he has a new sidekick in the franchise.
11 Shazam's Burning Violin Returns In Fury of the Gods
An obscure Shazam Easter egg from the first movie returns in the sequel with the burning violin. The artifact is confirmed to be Nero's fiddle, which is pulled from the 1946 Shazam comic "Cult of the Curse Part 4: Flames of the Magic Fiddle." The violin can shoot fire from it and remains in the Rock of Eternity, much to the confusion of Shazam and others in the sequel.
10 DC's Fairyland/Grimmworld Easter Egg In Shazam! Fury of the Gods
There is also a small Shazam! Fury of the Gods Easter egg that references the DC Comics location known as Fairyland or Grimmworld. One door in the Rock of Eternity has been labeled as Fairyland, a magical land in the comics home to many magical creatures. Despite the presence of cyclopes, minotaurs, and other monsters in Shazam 2's ending, they are not connected to Fairyland or Grimmworld.
9 Fury of the Gods Erases Shazam's Mary Marvel Recasting
Mary Marvel's recasting in Shazam! Fury of the Gods is completely erased in the sequel too. There is a brief scene that shows Billy's memory of Shazam!'s final battle, and it includes Grace Culley as Mary Marvel. The original movie had Michelle Borth play adult Mary. With the sequel momentarily showing those events again through Billy's mind, Shazam 2 erases the adult Mary actress by keeping Grace Culley in the role.
8 Shazam! Fury of the Gods Director David F. Sandberg Cameos
Director David F. Sandberg has a cameo in Shazam! Fury of the Gods. Once Kalypso's monsters begin to attack humans in the finale, one of the flying creatures grabs the director and takes him to the skies. David F. Sandberg's cameo ends with his character being dropped to the ground below.
7 Hades Mention Adds Another DC Greek God To The Franchise
The Daughters of Atlas reference another DC Greek god, as they namedrop their uncle Hades during one Shazam! Fury of the Gods moment. Hades is the king of DC's Underworld in the comics and another Olympian. He is also Wonder Woman's uncle. It's possible Shazam 2's reference to the DC villain is meant to set up Hades as the villain of Shazam 3.
6 Shazam Is Called Captain Marvel (But Not Because Of The MCU)
Shazam! Fury of the Gods' Easter eggs includes a civilian directly calling him by his original superhero name, Captain Marvel. While the name is now best associated with Brie Larson's character from the Marvel Cinematic Universe and the Marvel hero from the comics Carol Danvers, Captain Marvel is Shazam's original name in the comics. Marvel and DC came into a copyright conflict regarding the dual superheroes. The conflict ended with Marvel keeping the Captain Marvel title and DC rebranding Billy Batson's superhero identity as Shazam after he was reintroduced in the comics in 1972.
5 Billy Batson Actor From The 1970s Shazam Show Cameo
There is also a fun cameo in Shazam! Fury of the Gods when the actor who played Billy Batson in the 1970s Shazam! TV show appears. Michael Gray played Billy Batson for 28 episodes across three seasons from 1974 to 1976. His cameo comes during the third act and proves to be extra special. Michael Gray's character is the one who calls Shazam by his Captain Marvel name. The brief exchange brings the original Billy Batson live-action actor face-to-face with Zachary Levi.