Greek Mythology Inspires Shazam 2 More Than DC Comics

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Shazam! David F. Sandberg, who directed Fury of the Gods, discusses why the next DC Universe film was inspired by Greek mythology rather than comic books.

The first Shazam! movie fared well both critically and economically, but Sandberg said in an interview with Empire that he still had ideas he wanted to explore. The film’s antagonists, the Daughters of Atlas, were among the Greek mythology-inspired characters he planned to develop for the sequel.

We arrived there because Shazam’s abilities are derived from Greek deities, he explained. What if the gods are seeking retribution since their powers were taken from them? In his final statement, Sandberg hinted at some of the other characters that would feature in the film, including a dragon that is “kind of constructed of wood and [has the power to emit] a dread impact.” In contrast to comic comics, he continued, “It was very exciting digging into mythology.”

The World’s Mightiest Mortal will face off against Hespera and Kalypso, the Daughters of Atlas, in Fury of the Gods, which stars Helen Mirren and Lucy Liu, respectively. Dr. Sivana, the antagonist from the last film, will not make another appearance. Despite this, Mirren and Liu received Mark Strong’s permission last year, remarking, “I’ve had to kind of hold my tongue about not being in the movie for so long. I’m delighted to make room for Helen Mirren and Lucy Liu, whom I believe will both make excellent villains. It’s time for the female villains, I suppose, going by Emma Thompson and Emma Stone’s performances in Cruella.” Sivana and Mister Mind could return at some time in the future, according to Strong.

The movie also earned appreciation from its star Zachary Levi, who remarked that it is superior to its predecessor even if he is still proud of the latter, even though it hasn’t yet been released. Levi said, “I suppose we had more time and more money. We all knew our characters a little bit better and could kind of sit into them a little bit more because practically the entire cast was back. Similar to Strong, Levi too sang Mirren and Liu’s praises throughout this.

Shazam! The current release date for Fury of the Gods is March 17, 2023.

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