Upon seeing the first trailer for Shazam! I commented on my very first article for GVNation it’s homage to Tom Hank’s Big. The comparisons were easily recognizable and commented on by more than one person who saw the trailer. This was not lost on Zachary Levi. In fact he also mentioned the similarities in the premise of a young man suddenly finding himself in the form of a much older man. In Hank’s case, an adult with child-like tendencies can be endearing and perhaps even sweet. But to see a Superhero display those same kind of traits brings about a much different response. During his panel at the New York Comic Con, Levi explained his “Big” comparisons.
“It’s Big meets Superman. There’s levity built into it … It’s not that it skews younger. It just happens to have ‘younger’ in its nature.”
It’s the child-like innocence on display by Levi’s character that is a matter of contention for some fans who remember Shazam! as having a separate personality from young Billy and not sharing one. Levi is aware of the responsibilities of portraying such an iconic character and the fact that fans have been waiting a long time to see their hero get to the big screen. He admits that kind of passion can have an effect on the fan base and what they had hoped to see and he understood that.
That can lead to a lot of passion in a negative way, but I’m going to do my best.
When asked if he has seen any more of the film other than the initial trailer, he said he had not. However, he described his excitement at seeing the trailer for the first time at the San Diego Comic Con to the joy he felt when seeing The Goonies for the first time. As a fan of The Goonies, I can relate to that reference.
Now that some time has passed and it is clear the direction DC and the Director are taking with Shazam!, are you happy with what you’ve seen to this point? Does Levi’s comparison to Big help to explain the premise? Share your thought, Big or otherwise with us at GVNation.
Senior Writer at GeekVibesNation – I am a 50 something child of the 70’s who admits to being a Star Trek/Star Wars/Comic Book junkie who once dove head first over a cliff (Ok, it was a small hill) to try to rescue his Fantastic Four comic from a watery grave. I am married to a lovely woman who is as crazy as I am and the proud parent of a 18 year old boy with autism. My wife and son are my real heroes.
