The magic word could transform Swedish filmmaker David F. Sandberg into the director of Shazam!
Sandberg, the filmmaker behind the upcoming Annabelle 2, is in talks to direct the New Line Cinema adaptation of the DC Comics character, The Hollywood Reporter has confirmed. Sandberg released his debut feature Lights Out last year, with the horror film earning more than $148 million on a $4.9 million budget.
First appearing in 1940's Whiz Comics No. 2, Shazam was originally known as Captain Marvel. The stories starred teen Billy Batson, who becomes the superhero when he utters the magic word "Shazam!" The name is an acronym for six gods and heroes of the ancient world as well as their attributes: the wisdom of Solomon, the strength of Hercules, the stamina of Aries, the power of Zeus, the courage of Achilles and the speed of Mercury.
Last month, news broke that Dwayne Johnson, who has long been attached to play Shazam! villain Black Adam, would star in his own spinoff movie as the character. Johnson's big screen take on Black Adam will see him cast as an antihero, mirroring developments in recent DC Comics by Geoff Johns.
The Black Adam movie is concurrently being developed with Shazam, which has a script by Henry Gayden.
