The superhero train keeps rolling along at the movies, with Shazam! Fury of the Gods joining the list of 2023 new movies set in the DC Universe (formerly known as the DC Extended Universe). But there's definitely a level of excitement for this one, as it's a sequel to the surprise hit Shazam! that was released back in 2019.
The original Shazam! earned a 90% "Certified Fresh" rating from critics on Rotten Tomatoes and nearly $366 million worldwide at the box office. That's good enough to make it one of the best overall received (critics and box office numbers) DC movies in a while.
Can the Shazam! sequel repeat that success with just about all of its key players returning, plus some exciting new additions? Here's everything we know about Shazam! Fury of the Gods.
Shazam! Fury of the Gods release date
Shazam! Fury of the Gods premieres on March 17. That is a bit of a delay from what the movie was originally aiming for, as it (and other DC movies) were delayed a few times. But better late than never. Get info on how to watch Shazam! Fury of the Gods right here.
It's part of a busy March for movie fans, as in addition to Shazam! Fury of the Gods, big-budget movies like Creed III, Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves, John Wick: Chapter 4 and Scream 6.
In addition, the Shazam! sequel is just one of many DC Universe movies coming in 2023. Others include The Flash, Blue Beetle and Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom.
Shazam! Fury of the Gods plot
Quick recap on Shazam! The story centers on teenage Billy Batson, who lives with his adopted family in present-day Philadelphia. In the first movie, he is chosen by the wizard to be granted the powers of the gods whenever he says the word "Shazam" in order to defend the world. He does so, with his adopted siblings also getting powers by the end of the first movie to help.
The official synopsis for Shazam! Fury of the Gods provided by Warner Bros. doesn’t offer a whole lot right now, as it simply reads: "The film continues the story of teenage Billy Batson who, upon reciting the magic word 'SHAZAM!' is transformed into his adult superhero alter ego, Shazam." We can infer some more from the trailer (check it out below).
It seems that Billy and his family have some kinks to work out as they continue to get use to their powers. They'll have to do so quickly, as two powerful gods, the daughters of Atlas, aren't too pleased that kids have been given these powers.
Henry Gayden wrote Shazam! Fury of the Gods after doing the same for Shazam! He was joined this time by Chris Morgan.
What's not clear about the plot is if this is going to be the last Shazam! adventure, at least in this version of the DC universe, as James Gunn has plans to reset the comic-book movie landscape.
Shazam! Fury of the Gods cast
Just about everyone from the first movie is coming back for the Shazam! sequel. Leading the way is Zachary Levi as the superhero alter ego of Billy Batson, Shazam. Levi has been a fan favorite for years with his performances in Chuck, Tangled and the Thor franchise, while recently he has appeared in American Underdog and Apollo 10 ½.
Playing the non-superhero version of Billy is Asher Angel. Angel is best known for his music career and role on the Disney Channel show Andi Mack.
Billy's family of superheroes includes Jack Dylan Grazer (IT) as Freddy, with Adam Brody (Promising Young Woman) as the superhero Freddy; Grace Caroline Currey (Annabelle: Creation) as both Mary and superhero Mary; Ian Chen as (A Dog's Journey) as Eugene, with Ross Butler (Raya and the Last Dragon) as superhero Eugene; Faithe Herman (This Is Us) as Darla and Meagan Good (Day Shift) as superhero Darla; Jovan Armand (Second Chances) as Pedro, with D.J. Cotrona (G.I. Joe Retaliation) as superhero Pedro. Marta Milans (White Lines) and Cooper Andrews (The Walking Dead) are also back as the kids' adoptive parents, Rosa and Victor Vasquez.
Also returning for the sequel is Djimon Hounsou (A Quiet Place Part II) as the wizard who gave Billy his powers.
There are some big names joining the cast of Shazam! Fury of the Gods, including Helen Mirren (1923) and Lucy Liu (Charlie's Angels). The two are playing the villainous daughters of Atlas, Hespera (Mirren) and Kalypso (Liu). West Side Story breakout Rachel Zegler also joins the cast in the role of Athena.
Shazam! Fury of the Gods trailer
Getting closer to the March 17 release date for Shazam! Fury of the Gods, Warner Bros. has released a new trailer for the superhero movie. This one is definitely playing up the stakes a bit more, while the previously released trailer highlighted the comedy. Watch both trailers directly below:
Shazam! Fury of the Gods reviews
Reviews for Shazam! Fury of the Gods are in. As of March 16, the superhero movie has a "Rotten" rating on Rotten Tomatoes of 58%. You can read What to Watch's Shazam! Fury of the Gods review to find out what we thought of the movie.
How long is Shazam! Fury of the Gods?
The runtime for Shazam! Fury of the Gods is two hours and 10 minutes.
What is Shazam! Fury of the Gods rated?
Shazam! Fury of the Gods is rated PG-13 in the US and 12A in the UK for "sequences of action and violence, and language."
Shazam! Fury of the Gods director
Just as most of the original cast has returned for Shazam! Fury of the Gods, so has Shazam! director David F. Sandberg. Before taking on the superhero genre with Shazam!, Sandberg was more known for working in horror, having previously directed Annabelle: Creation and Lights Out. He's in line to return to horror with his next movie, Below.
How to watch Shazam!
If you want to catch up with the original Shazam!, it is currently streaming on HBO Max in the US and is available to rent/buy on digital on-demand in the UK.
