Shazam!

***Shazam!*** is a 2015 superhero film, based on the DC Comics superhero of the same name. It is the eighteenth installment in the DC Shared Film Universe and the second installment of Phase Three.

It was directed by David F. Sandberg and stars Zachary Levi. A sequel, *Shazam and Mary Marvel!*, was released in 2018. The film was released on July 31, 2015 to gross $682.3 million on a $150 million budget. The film ran 131 minutes. The film also received critical acclaim.

## Synopsis

At a foster home in Fawcett City, Billy Batson, Mary Bromfield, Freddy Freeman, Darla Dudley, Eugene Choi, and Pedro Peña live together under Mr. and Mrs. Vasquez. However, when a man named Theo Adam claiming to be a child services agent comes to check up on them, Billy suspects he is not who he says he is. Billy's suspicions are confirmed when an ancient wizard named Shazam comes to their door and grants Billy the powers of Shazam, the wisdom of Solomon, the strength of Hercules, the stamina of Atlas, the power of Zeus, the courage of Achilles, and the speed of Mercury. Shazam reveals that Adam is an immortal from Kahndaq who wants to use the power to empower those who look like him by slaughtering those who don't, and Billy is now the only one who is at equal strength with Adam, and can defeat him.

## Plot

In Fawcett City, Mr. and Mrs. Vasquez are foster parents who parent Billy Batson, Mary Bromfield, Freddy Freeman, Darla Dudley, Eugene Choi, and Pedro Peña. However, one day a child services agent Theo Adam arrives at the home, claiming to be acting upon a call criticizing the Vasquezes parenting. Adam confirms it was a neighbor that's identity is being kept confidential. After Adam leaves, Mr. and Mrs. Vasquez try to act especially kind to the kids, though Freddy continues to dislike them. Billy is suspicious of Adam. While Mr. Vasquez is at work and Mrs. Vasquez is out running errands one day, an old man visits the children. Freddy tries to get him to leave, though he insists that he must see Billy. He convinces Freddy to open the door by mentioning Adam's name. The old man speaks with Billy in secret and reveals that Billy is special, he carries a specific marker that allows him to hold the power of Shazam. When Billy questions him, he reveals that he is an immortal wizard named Shazam who has been fighting Adam for centuries. However, his old age has caught up to him and he can no longer carry the powers, he must pass them down. Shazam gives Billy his power, the wisdom of Solomon, the strength of Hercules, the stamina of Atlas, the power of Zeus, the courage of Achilles, and the speed of Mercury. Shazam then leaves, though Billy now can speak the word, Shazam, and will transform into an adult version of himself, with the new powers.

Billy keeps his powers a secret to everyone but Mary. When Adam returns, he realizes Billy now has Shazam's powers. Billy transforms himself and fights Adam on the street. Adam reveals his backstory; thousands of years ago in Kahndaq, Teth-Adam was sold around as a slave. However, he was visited by Shazam, who gave Adam a share of his power. Adam used his powers to kill those who sold him and lift up the remaining slaves, freeing them. However, Shazam saw this as abusing his power by killing, and fought Adam. Adam hid from the public eye and Shazam until now, now that he is ready to empower the remaining people of color and kill anyone who has prosecuted them. However, Billy agrees with Shazam that killing is not the answer. However, the fight results in the city learning of their powers and Adam escaping. Billy returns home and Mary covers for him to a worried Mrs. Vasquez.

Adam returns to Kahndaq, where the Kahndaqi now worship him as a god. He asks for an army, leading to the Kahndaqi soldiers bowing to him. Adam asks them to follow him to America, where they can take over and rule to show the Americans what it is like to be enslaved and tortured. In Fawcett City, Billy is still trying to control his powers when Freddy sees him using them. Freddy tells Darla, Eugene, and Pedro. This eventually leads to Mrs. Vasquez finding out and calling Adam to take him away, fearing about what he could do. Adam arrives and takes Billy away, saying it is to find a more suitable home for him. However, in reality, Adam plans to take Billy to his hideout to make him give up the power. Back at the foster home, Mary gets angry at Freddy for snitching on Billy. Darla, Eugene, and Pedro apologize for telling Mrs. Vasquez, while Freddy leaves, planning to run away, and asks Mary to come with him, though she refuses to go with him.

Billy tries to transform into Shazam, but Adam prevents him from doing so. Adam tortures Billy, though he refuses to give up the power. Adam's army arrives and opens fire in Fawcett City, separating the Caucasian from the People of Color. Mary is taken from the Vasquezes and the other children, though reunited with Freddy. Adam realizes Billy's weakness for his foster siblings, and takes Mary, Freddy, Darla, Eugene, and Pedro from the crowd and presents them infront of Billy. Adam wraps himself around the kids and threatens to electrocute them if Billy does not give him the power. Mary begs him to let them die to save the millions Adam plans to enslave. Billy tells Adam that once he enslaves the Caucasians, he will be no better than his enslavers. However, Adam nearly kills the kids. Billy agrees and begins the process. However, he instead transfers some of his power to his siblings, granting them similar powers. Mary, Freddy, Darla, Eugene, and Pedro are transformed into adults and, along with Billy, attack Adam. Adam surrenders, as does his army.

Fawcett City is returned to normal and the foster kids, including Billy, are returned to the Vasquezes. Mrs. Vasquez apologizes to Billy for turning him in, and he accepts her apology. Billy uses his power to connect to another realm and imprisons Adam, calling himself Black Adam, in the realm to ensure he cannot escape. Billy and Mary kiss, while Freddy grows more comfortable with his family. In a mid-credits scene, Dr. Sivana researches Black Adam and Shazam and begins to copy their genes. In a post-credits scene, Adam hears a voice calling his name, along with a dark face showing in the shadows1.

1The face was confirmed off-screen to be Darkseid.

## Cast

* Nicholas Hamilton and Zachary Levi as Billy Batson/Shazam
* Mackenzie Foy and Rebecca Ferguson as Mary Bromfield
* Chandler Riggs and Tom Hiddleston as Freddy Freeman
* Skai Jackson and Lupita Nyong'o as Darla Dudley
* Ian Gouw and Lewis Tan as Eugene Choi
* Rico Rodriguez and Peter Gadiot as Pedro Peña
* Dania Ramirez as Mrs. Vasquez
* Rodrigo Santoro as Mr. Vasquez
* Dwayne Johnson as Teth-Adam/Theo Adam/Black Adam
* Richard Dreyfuss as Shazam