Shazam 2, also known as Shazam! Fury of the Gods: It’s in theaters now, so these are the best DC cameos, pranks, and Easter eggs we saw in the movie.
Fury of the Gods is a superhero sequel that is once again directed by David F. Sandberg, from a script by Chris Morgan and Henry Grayden.
The official synopsis for the film is as follows: “Granted with powers from the gods, Billy Batson and his foster companions are still learning how to juggle teenage life with their adult superhero alter egos. When a vengeful trio of ancient gods come to Earth in search of magic stolen from them long ago, Shazam and his allies find themselves embroiled in a battle for their superpowers, their lives, and the fate of the world.”
The article continues after the announcement.
Fury of the Gods reunites the cast of the original, while also adding the likes of Helen Mirren, Lucy Liu, and Rachel Zegler as the villainous Daughters of Atlas to the mix.
The best Shazam! The Fury of the Gods Easter Eggs
Shazam 2 is full of Easter Eggs, including superhero cameos, DC references, returning characters, and more, with some of our favorites below.
However, we are going to go into details of MAROR, so BEWARE OF SPOILERS AHEAD…
Captain Marvel ES Shazam
Shazam was originally known as Captain Marvel before rights issues and legal disputes saw him switch brands. But the team behind Fury of the Gods found a way to say the name when someone suggests it as a possible nickname for Shazam.
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“Actually, I didn’t think we were going to be allowed to say it,” director David F. Sandberg tells Uproxx. “When we were shooting that scene, he actually had a different line. But I was like, well, ‘Let’s do a shot where you call him Captain Marvel. We’re not going to be able to use it, but we’re going to get it.’
“Then I was talking to the guys at DC and I said, ‘Can we put it in the movie? Alright? And they said, ‘Well, yeah, I mean, Marvel mentioned Superman and Batman, or whatever, in Eternals and other movies. That’s how this awesome inside joke came to be.
The article continues after the announcement.
1970 Billy Batson Appears
In the mid-1970s, a Shazam TV show aired on CBS for 28 episodes, with an actor named Michael Gray playing Billy Batson. And that’s the same Michael Gray saying the name ‘Captain Marvel’ in the aforementioned scene.
As Zachary Levi explains in the video above at the three-minute mark: “That’s from the actor who played Billy Batson on the Shazam TV series. We were able to get him in there to do a little cameo, a little Easter egg, in ‘Call Me Captain Marvel. Which is really fun.
Fairyland
In the Hall of Doors in the Rock of Eternity, a door leads to a place called Fairyland. Which is ripped straight from the pages of the comics.
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Also known as Grimmworld, Fairyland is a realm filled with magic, as well as mythical and supernatural creatures. Which is a nice setup for the ending with minotaurs, cyclops, and of course unicorns.
Wonder Woman Appears
This is Shazam! Fury of the Gods is the worst-kept secret, as Warner Bros. decided to include Wonder Woman’s cameo in last-minute TV spots, no doubt to boost interest in the film on the eve of its release.
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Director David F. Sandberg wasn’t too happy, tweeting: “There are some big Shazam spoilers out there now. If you want to go in fresh, maybe don’t go online or watch TV with ads.”
The article continues after the announcement.
Well now there are some big spoilers for Shazam. If you want to go in fresh, maybe don’t go online or watch TV with ads… Actually, that’s good advice in general.
—David F. Sandberg (@ponysmasher) March 11, 2023
He then tweeted: “I’m happy if it convinces people to watch the movie. But of course it’s less ideal for people who were going to watch it anyway if they saw spoilers.”
It’s a shame this one went sour though, as the movie does a great job of throwing you off track, with Wonder Woman. apparent appearing in an earlier sequence that ends up being a dream, only to in fact They appear during the climax of the film. Oh good.
fast and furious reference
The Fast and Furious movies are all about family. Literally, as all the characters seem to be related in some way at this point. And also metaphorically, with family as the plot, theme, and motivation for the increasingly ridiculous F&F movies.
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Family is at the heart of Shazam, too, with Billy Batson finding his in foster care, then spending much of this sequel fearing losing them. He also inspires one of the biggest moments in the movie, when Shazam says that he’s seen every Fast and Furious movie to the villainous Hespera. Played by Helen Mirren, who appears in the Fast and Furious movies. Some of which are written by Chris Morgan. Who in turn wrote Shazam 2.
Co-writer Henry Gayden explained the origin of the joke to CinemaBlend: “Chris came in and wrote about this movie, and I put that joke in for a nod. That was removing the cap. And then the casting began. Then Helen Mirren. And then we said, ‘Is this weird?’ And then I said, ‘No. It was better.’ I’ll say I think it’s better.”
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Mark Strong cameo, sort of
Mark Strong played the antagonist Dr. Thaddeus Sivana in the first movie, who of course is one of Shazam’s main villains in the books. He does appear in Fury of the Gods, but unfortunately only through a flashback to the end of the first movie.
Which is disappointing since the mid-credits scene at the end of that movie saw him meet the evil alien caterpillar Mister Mind, which precipitated them teaming up in a future movie to conquer the Seven Kingdoms. But since Shazam 3 seems unlikely at this point, it’s likely the last we’ve seen of Strong’s Sivana.
The violin on fire returns
Eagle-eyed viewers could see a flaming violin on the Rock of Eternity in the first movie. Believed to be the violin from a 1946 edition of Captain Marvel Adventures, in which a ‘Magic Violin’ spews flames.
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Well, that instrument makes another appearance in Shazam 2, our heroes questioning what it is and why it exists early in the movie. Then using it to distract the villains at the end of the process. Which makes it a great example of setup and payment.
Fury of the Gods is out in theaters now, while you can read more of our Shazam coverage below…
Shazam 2 review | Interview with Zachary Levi | Daughters of Atlas explained | Post-credits scene | Superman vs. Shazam | Rachel Zegler’s Anthea Explained | Does Black Adam appear? | Shazam 3 |
