First looks at Aquaman, Shazam! tease a brighter future for DC Universe
Only one film out of five in the DC Universe has received positive reviews, but after the disappointment of Justice League, Warner Bros hopes to turn things around with Aquaman and Shazam!. Check out first looks.
After the minor disaster that was Justice League - the film reportedly lost Warner Bros $50 million - the studio is looking to a brighter future. At the ongoing Licensing Expo in Las Vegas, first looks of DC Films’ upcoming superhero movies - Aquaman and Shazam! - were revealed, and the response has been enthusiastic.
Warner Bros currently has several films in different stages of production, but the lineup has constantly been shuffled depending on the performance of their films. Aquaman, Shazam! and Wonder Woman 2 are the only three confirmed movies, and we now have our first look at the two closest to release.
Star Zachary Levi earlier this week shared the surprisingly humorous first poster of Shazam!, director David F Sandberg’s film about the body switching superhero. In the image, Shazam is seen wearing a noticeably bright (and faithful to the comics) costume, and sipping a drink out of a straw. “This! This is what dreams are made of. Complete and total wish fulfilment, plus a beverage! All the squeees,” he wrote.
It is also being rumoured that Henry Cavill’s Superman will make a cameo appearance in Shazam!. Levi recently tagged Cavill in a leaked set pictures, poking fun at the digital removal of his moustache in Justice League.
The image looks like a direct response to the infamously dark tone of the DC Extended Universe of films, in which every entry has been criticised for being too bleak a take on popular superheroes. Justice League addressed this complaint to an extent, but even it could not swat away all the criticisms.
In addition to Shazam!, the first look at Aqauman’s new costume was also unveiled, and it looks like another faithful rendering. We were introduced to Jason Momoa’s take on the character in Justice League, and Aquaman will be the first (and only) DC movie this year.
In an earlier interview, Momoa said, “I think after Justice League, everyone got a pretty refreshing look at what Zack [Snyder] intended for Aquaman.” Momoa explained in an interview last month, “He’s a little grump and gruffy. Now, we get to know why he’s that way. We’re in the origin story, and we’re going to find out why he wasn’t loved in Atlantis and why he wasn’t loved on the surface. Now he has something that’s beautiful that can help the world...And it’s someone bringing it out of you even though you don’t think you have it.”
Directed by Furious 7’s James Wan, the film is scheduled for a November, 2018 release. The director has been very clear that no footage will be shown until the intensive underwater effects are complete. Shazam! will follow Aquaman in April, 2019. Wonder Woman 2, which is expected to begin filming this summer, is targeting a November 2019 release.
Meanwhile, The Flash, Suicide Squad 2, Gotham City Sirens, a Joker & Harley Quinn spin-off, Batgirl, New Gods, Man of Steel 2 and various planned films unconnected with the film universe, have also been announced.
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