Marvel Studios wasn't the only company flaunting its superhero wares at San Diego Comic-Con 2022. There were also some juicy and exciting reveals from rival studio DC, and these are highlighted below.
1. Shazam! Fury of the Gods trailer revealed
Back in 2019, the breezy and upbeat Shazam! helped steer the previously morose DC Extended Universe in a palatable new direction. Buoyed by Zachary Levi's likeable lead performance, this story of a young kid in an adult superhero's body crossed Big with Superman to winning effect, eventually grossing more than $300 million worldwide.
The Shazam! formula is set to be repeated in this year's sequel Shazam! Fury of the Gods, which pits young Billy Batson (Asher Angel) and his heroic alter-ego against some deadly, even mythological, enemies.
One of the said gods is played by British acting royalty Helen Mirren. Unable to attend the rapt Hall H in person, Mirren instead delivered a dryly comic video intro in which she claimed to have enjoyed "beating the s**t" out of her co-star Levi.
Mirren portrays Hespera alongside Lucy Liu as Kalypso. Both characters are daughters of the mighty Atlas, who is himself cited in Shazam's job description (remember, Shazam is described as having "the wisdom of Solomon, the strength of Hercules, the stamina of Atlas, the power of Zeus, the courage of Achilles, and the speed of Mercury").
Check out the new trailer for Shazam! Fury of the Gods, which promises more of the same likeable humour and punchy action that made the first movie such a hit.
Levi was in attendance at Hall H alongside director David F. Sandberg, Angel, Liu and Jack Dylan Grazer (returning as Billy's loyal friend Freddy). Another key cast member in the movie, although not present at the event, is West Side Story's breakout star Rachel Zegler whose role in the movie is yet to be confirmed.
Here are some star-studded snaps from the event, teasing Shazam! Fury of the Gods' arrival in Cineworld on December 21st.
2. Dwayne Johnson brings the house down with the new Black Adam trailer
Let's be honest: we've always known that Dwayne Johnson is a god among men. And his arrival at Hall H at Comic-Con only confirmed the suspicion. Replete in swirling cape and backlit by oodles of dramatic lightning, Johnson found his truest expression when promoting his fledgling DC venture, Black Adam.
Johnson thrilled the crowds with the reveal of the new Black Adam trailer. He plays the titular god who seems adamant (no pun intended) not to play by the good guy rules. Black Adam was set up in the DC Comics canon as the feared nemesis of Shazam, although Johnson's mooted cameo in the latter movie never came to fruition.
No matter: our patience is set to pay off this year as Johnson brings the muscles and the superpowers to bear on a brand new DC movie property. Here's the spectacular new Comic-Con sneak peek to whet your appetite.
The ensuing Comic-Con panel saw Johnson trade banter with director Jaume Collet-Serra, who confessed to having only completed the movie the night before, and co-star Aldis Hodge, who plays Hawkman.
The Black Adam movie is poised to introduce movie audiences to the Justice Society of America. In DC terms, this band of characters pre-dated the Justice League, and initially consisted of Doctor Fate, Hour-Man, Spectre, Sandman, Atom, Flash, Green Lantern, and Hawkman.
Initially a huge hit when introduced to comic book fans in 1941, the Justice Society's popularity soon waned. However, certain characters were later revived and incorporated into what became the Justice League.
The Black Adam movie co-stars Noah Centineo as fellow Justice Society member Atom Smasher and Pierce Brosnan as Doctor Fate. The movie will be released on October 21st.
Which DC movie are you most fired up about? Let us know @Cineworld.
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