Warner Bros. and New Line's 'Shazam' gets Asher Angel of Disney Channel's 'Andi Mack' as Billy Batson.
- Nov 7, 2017
AceShowbiz - "Shazam" is getting closer to coming to the big screen. After announcing that Zachary Levi had been cast as the film's titular hero, Warner Bros. revealed that Asher Angel, one of the lead actors on Disney Channel's "Andi Mack", was cast as Billy Batson. Director David F. Sandberg confirmed the news by sharing on Instagram a picture of Levi holding a photo of Angel next to his face.
Angel is relatively a newcomer to film industry, and this role will be a big break for him. However, the young actor is shown to have an uncanny resemblance to his character's adult form, played by Levi. His role as Jonah Beck in "Andi Mack" proves that the actor can be funny yet vulnerable. His strong sense of charisma will give him just what he needs to portray a character who is not always all-powerful, but just a kid with normal problems and struggles, because Shazam is Earth's mightiest mortal who just happens to be a young kid.
In an interview with Collider, Sandberg said that he wanted to capture the magic and wish-fulfillment of a kid living with Shazam's crazy powers. He said, "The big attraction for me with that character is the fact that every kid dreams of being Superman, right? I mean, I certainly did, and Billy Batson is a kid that gets that chance."
Things have been coming together for "Shazam". The main roles, Batson and Shazam are already filled. Grace Fulton is in line to play a key character, which is likely to be Batson's friend. Mark Strong is in talks to play the villain, Dr. Sivana. Additionally, there is leaked casting tapes that show the loyal companion or sidekick of the young hero, Freddy Freeman. There is no indication whether Shazam is going to have crossover with other DC heroes, but it is a possibility. Although it should be noted that "Shazam" is being developed by New Line, not the proper Warner Bros. like other DC films such as "Justice League".
"Shazam", heading toward a production start in early 2018, will be released in U.S. theaters on April 5, 2019.
