With the DCU about to undergo a major rebirth, all bets are off over which old-school DCEU veterans will survive to save the world another day under new DC Studios co-CEOs James Gunn and Peter Safran. On the one hand, you’d think Shazam! Fury of the Gods star Zachary Levi would be a shoe-in to return, thanks to his very public friendship with both of those execs. Even so, the actor’s still doing his best to hustle his way into their future franchise plans.
While promoting his incoming superhero sequel, which has earned much more positive first reactions than some more cynical fans might’ve been expecting, Levi was asked which DC hero he’d love to see Shazam team up with the most. And, wouldn’t you know it, the star just happened to plump for an iconic IP that’s set to be a major part of Gunn’s Chapter One: Gods & Monsters schemes.
As he told Screen Rant:
“I actually think Green Lantern would be a really fun character. The Lantern Corps; their abilities are so endless almost with their ability to create a manifest. And I think that, coupled with the child delight in Billy, [means] we would have so much fun.”
Is it just a coincidence that Levi chose Green Lantern, when a Lanterns TV series featuring Hal Jordan and John Stewart is on its way to HBO Max? Who knows, but planting the idea in Gunn’s head certainly doesn’t hurt the odds of Levi’s Billy Batson returning in the first phase of the rebooted DCU. Having said that, the actor also admitted in the same interview that he thinks Shazam can be paired with any other hero and it’ll work:
“I think that no matter who Shazam or Billy is teamed up with, he’s going to be the puppy dog. It’s like, ‘Wow, this is so cool. Wow, what are we doing?’ Right? And they’ll end up being more of a straight man to Billy’s silliness.”
Not that Shazam needs to rub shoulders with other Justice League members, given that he already has his Shazamily by his side — director David F. Sandberg has already described Shazam! Fury of the Gods as having so many superheroic characters that it’s practically a mini-Avengers movie. Catch what could either be Levi’s final outing as Billy Batson or just the end of the beginning for his DC career once it hits theaters from March 17.