Shazam! Fury Of The Gods: Release Date, Cast, And More

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"Shazam!" took a lot of people by surprise when it hit theaters in 2019. It felt like the wildcard superhero movie in a year jam-packed with huge superhero movies, with everything from "Avengers: Endgame" to "Joker" selling loads of tickets that year. But director David F. Sandberg managed to craft a charming and unique entry into the genre that won over the hearts of fans.

The good news is, we're getting a sequel, and we're here to get you up to speed on all of the important details so you're ready when the original Captain Marvel returns to theaters. Here is everything you need to know about "Shazam! Fury of the Gods

"Shazam! Fury of the Gods" is slated to hit theaters on March 17, 2023. Warner Bros. intends to release its movies exclusively in theaters now, so unlike "The Suicide Squad," it won't be available on HBO Max on the same day. Those wanting to watch from the comfort of home will need to wait at least until the 45-day theatrical window is up, though it could very well be longer than that.

"Shazam! Fury of the Gods" is the latest big screen DC Comics adaptation. More specifically, it is the sequel to 2019's "Shazam!" The movie will once again pick up with the young Billy Batson as he navigates life as a teenager, in addition to being an incredibly powerful superhero. Rather importantly, it's one of the final movies to be released as part of the "old" DC Universe along with "The Flash" and "Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom" before DC Studios co-heads James Gunn and Peter Safran begin releasing their projects as part of the new, softly rebooted DC Universe. Does that mean this is the end of the line for Shazam? We'll have to wait and see.

David F. Sandberg ("Lights Out," "Annabelle: Creation") returns to the director's chair for the sequel. Henry Gayden ("Shazam!" "Earth to Echo") is returning to pen the screenplay, this time alongside Chris Morgan ("Fast Five"). Geoff Johns and Peter Safran are producing, with Walter Hamada on board as executive producer. Gyula Pados ("Jumanji: The Next Level") serves as the film's cinematographer.

Asher Angel and Zachary Levi once again lead the cast as Billy Batson and Shazam, respectively. Jack Dylan Grazer will also be back as Freddy Freeman. Other returning cast members include Djimon Hounsou, Adam Brody, Marta Milans, Ross Butler, Faithe Herman, and Meagan Good. Rachel Zegler, who stars in Steven Spielberg's "West Side Story," is one of the newcomers this time around.

As for the villains, they will be played by Helen Mirren, who is portraying Hespera, with Lucy Liu playing Kalypso. They are the "gods" in question in the title who will be unleashing their fury on the world, known as the Daughters of Atlas. Also of importance, Michelle Borth won't be returning as superhero Mary, as Grace Fulton will be filling on those shoes herself this time around.

Given that the DC Universe has ventured into R-rated territory from time to time with movies such as "Joker" or "The Suicide Squad," it's reasonable to wonder what the rating of "Shazam! Fury of the Gods" might be. But Warner Bros. didn't push the envelope for this one, as it's rated PG-13 "for sequences of action and violence, and language." So it should be very much in line with the first one in that respect.

For those who wish to catch up a bit before catching the sequel in theaters, it is pretty easy to watch the first "Shazam!" right now. It is available to stream on HBO Max, so anyone with a subscription can do so. It's also available to rent from just about every other digital retailer, such as Apple TV or Prime Video. Additionally, it is readily available on Blu-ray/DVD, for those who are still interested in physical media.

It is way too early in the game to know if we're going to get "Shazam 3" or not. What we can say definitely is that, as of this writing, Warner Bros. hasn't confirmed anything of the soort, and director David F. Sandberg certainly hasn't made any real indication as to whether or not that's in the cards. 

What we do know is that the DC Universe is headed for, more or less, a full-on reboot, with many new actors coming in to create a cohesive, DC multiverse. Be that as it may, DC Studios co-head James Gunn said during the new DCU slate announcement, "Shazam has always been off kind of in his own part of the DCU, so he connects very well." That very much suggests that Zachary Levi — and the rest of the cast — could return with little or no issue, should the gods will it.

Warner Bros. released several full length trailers for the film, but the one above is the most recent and should set the stage quite well for what we're going to see in theaters. As for the specifics of the story at hand, we've included the official synopsis for the sequel as well:

Bestowed with the powers of the gods, Billy Batson and his fellow foster kids are still learning how to juggle teenage life with having adult Super Hero alter-egos. But when the Daughters of Atlas, a vengeful trio of ancient gods, arrive on Earth in search of the magic stolen from them long ago, Billy—aka Shazam—and his family are thrust into a battle for their superpowers, their lives, and the fate of their world.