The 1970s Shazam! TV Show is Coming to DC Universe

Screen Rant

To celebrate the upcoming release of Shazam!, DC Universe is adding all three seasons of the 1970s TV show, which has been newly remastered in HD.

To celebrate the upcoming release of Shazam!, DC Universe is adding all three seasons of the 1970s TV show, which has been newly remastered in HD. The show originally aired on CBS from 1974 to 1976, and starred Michael Gray as young Billy Batson and Jackson Bostwick (later replaced with John Davey) as Captain Marvel, the super-powerful hero that Billy transforms into when he says the magic word: SHAZAM!

The long-running comic book character is making a comeback this year in the movie Shazam!, directed by David F. Sandberg and starring Asher Angel and Zachary Levi as Billy Batson and Shazam, respectively. The cast also includes Mark Strong as the main villain, Dr. Sivana, and Jack Dylan Grazer as Billy's foster brother, Freddy Freeman.

DC Universe announced on social media that all three seasons of Shazam! will release on the streaming platform on Tuesday March 5th. The news was accompanied by a delightfully retro trailer for the series, in which Billy Batson travels around in an RV with his guardian, Mentor (Les Tremayne) and searches for people who need help and bad guys who need to be brought to justice. DC Universe is adding the show exactly one month before the theatrical release of Shazam!, and it seems like an excellent way to pass the time and make the wait feel shorter.

If you don't already have a DC Universe subscription, you can sign up for $7.99 a month or $74.99 a year (unfortunately it's not yet available outside of the United States). In addition to other classic DC shows like Batman: The Animated Series and Lois and Clark: The New Adventures of Superman, the streaming platform also offers new original series like Doom Patrol and Titans, as well as a collection of DC movies and comics.

Shazam is definitely one of the lesser-known DC superheroes among general audiences, so for many the upcoming movie will be their first introduction to the character. The trailers have so far leaned heavily into the comedy elements of the film, but it also promises to have some heart as well, with the jaded young orphan Billy Batson learning to open himself up to his newfound foster family, and working out what it means to really be a superhero (it takes a little more than just a cape and some superpowers... though admittedly those things do help).