Shazam! Fury Of The Gods Trailer Features A Low-Key Shout-Out To A Beloved Horror Filmmaker

San Diego Comic-Con's wildest day is in full swing, and the Warner Bros./DC panel is spitting out news fast and furious! Don't worry about missing anything, because /Film has a team on the ground, furiously taking notes and bringing you all the best stuff. Today we have the new trailer for the upcoming film "Shazam! Fury of the Gods," and there is a super fun nod to a horror director in there at the 2:13 mark. 

In the film, Asher Angel and Zachary Levi as Billy Batson/Shazam have returned, and after the events of the first film, the entire family of kids now has the ability to transform into superheroes. There is a big threat looming in the form of Helen Mirren as Hespera, and the family has to battle to save the world. The film is directed by David F. Sandberg, known for his horror films "Lights Out" and "Annabelle: Creation," so it's no surprise that he managed to get in a few horror moments. Sandberg also directed the first "Shazam!" film.

At the end of the trailer, a scorched-looking Shazam is battling a dragon, and is delighted that his life involves the opportunity to throw a truck at one. Right at that moment, as you can see from the pic above, we see a large vertical sign behind him that reads, "Fulci."

If that isn't ringing a bell, you might want to have a horror movie marathon this weekend. Lucio Fulci is a legendary Italian horror and giallo film director, writer, and actor, who is known for titles like, "A Lizard in a Woman's Skin," "Don't Torture a Duckling," "Zombi 2," and "The Beyond." He's known as a master of gore and is often called "The Poet of the Macabre" for his graphically violent work. Does that mean "Shazam!" will feature plenty of horror and gore? No, probably not. But we can dream. 

Here is the logline for "Shazam! Fury of the Gods:"

From New Line Cinema comes "Shazam! Fury of the Gods," which continues the story of teenage Billy Batson who, upon reciting the magic word "SHAZAM!," is transformed into his adult Super Hero alter ego, Shazam.

The film stars Zachary Levi, Asher Angel, Jack Dylan, Adam Brody, Ross Butler, Meagan Good, D.J. Cotrona, Grace Caroline Currey, Faithe Herman, Ian Chen, Jovan Armand, Marta Milans, Cooper Andrew, Djimon Hounsou. Joining the cast are Rachel Zegler, Lucy Liu, and, of course, Helen Mirren.

"Shazam! Fury of the Gods" will hit theaters on December 21, 2022.