The director behind Zachary Levi’s Shazam! revealed a surprising casting change made midway through production of the DC film.
It’s no secret that movie-making is a precise business and studios often make changes after audience test screenings after seeing what particular people respond to. Superhero blockbusters are no different, and Shazam! director David F. Sandberg revealed they changed actors for one character after audiences didn’t know who the character was supposed to be. We recently discovered that the Shazam! family will return for the sequel led by Zachary Levi, Shazam!: Fury of the Gods.
When asked on Twitter about if Smallville star John Glover always played both versions of Mr. Sivana in the Zachary Levi film, David F. Sandberg revealed that another actor originally played the character in the opening of the film. However, audiences were apparently unsure that the two actors were meant to be the same character in Shazam!, so the role was entirely played by John Glover to save any confusion. Take a look at the director discussing the process below.
No, we originally cast different actors for young and old but test audiences didn't get that they were the same person.
It can actually be a problem even if you have the same actor with a different hairstyle or something. Make sure your characters have really distinct features. https://t.co/AzKitWt5Q9
— David F. Sandberg (@ponysmasher) September 22, 2020
Are you surprised John Glover was called back to play the younger version of Dr. Sivana’s father? What do you want to see from Zachary Levi in Shazam!: Fury of the Gods? Sound-off in the comments below!
Here is the plot synopsis for Shazam!:
We all have a superhero inside us, it just takes a bit of magic to bring it out. In Billy Batson’s (Angel) case, by shouting out one word—SHAZAM!—this streetwise 14-year-old foster kid can turn into the adult Super Hero Shazam (Levi), courtesy of an ancient wizard. Still a kid at heart—inside a ripped, godlike body—Shazam revels in this adult version of himself by doing what any teen would do with superpowers: have fun with them! Can he fly? Does he have X-ray vision? Can he shoot lightning out of his hands? Can he skip his social studies test? Shazam sets out to test the limits of his abilities with the joyful recklessness of a child. But he’ll need to master these powers quick.
Directed by David F. Sandberg, Shazam! stars Zachary Levi, Asher Angel, Mark Strong, Jack Dylan Grazer, Grace Fulton, Faithe Herman, Ian Chen, Jovan Armand, Cooper Andrews, Marta Milans and Djimon Hounsou.
Shazam! is now available on Digital HD, 4K Ultra HD, Blu-ray, and DVD.
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Source: David F. Sandberg
