Shazam!’s large twist defined

Note: Contains Shazam! spoilers.

DC’s new film Shazam! ends with a twist that some followers might have seen coming – nevertheless it got here as an enormous shock to the remainder of us.

Faced with the evil Dr Sivana and his allies, the Seven Deadly Sins, Billy Batson’s outnumbered magical alter ego pulls off a transfer that ranges the taking part in subject.

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He tells his 5 new adopted siblings to grab the Wizard’s workers (no laughing) and say his title. After a hilarious false begin, they shout “SHAZAM!” and are reworked into superheroes.

Say good day to the Marvel Family.

Before we get going, they’re known as the Marvel Family as a result of Shazam was recognized for many of his 80-year existence as Captain Marvel (we have got a helpful article to elucidate why there are two Captain Marvels).

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Mary Marvel (performed by Grace Fulton and Michelle Borth) and Freddy Freeman/Captain Marvel Jr (Jack Dylan Grazer and Adam Brody) are probably the most long-standing members of Billy’s superhero household.

The others – Darla (Faithe Herman and Meagan Good), Eugene (Ian Chen and Ross Butler) and Pedro (Jovan Armand and DJ Cotrona) – are newer additions, who first confirmed up when Shazam was rebooted for the ‘New 52’ period of DC Comics – a run that was clearly an inspiration for the film.

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(Bonus geek reference: Brody, Good and Cotrona had been all as soon as set to star within the scrapped movie Justice League: Mortal, as The Flash, Wonder Woman and Superman respectively. Their Shazam! casting is a neat nod to this movie that by no means was.)

But what is going on on with these guys? Well, Shazam has the flexibility to share his powers amongst his mates and allies. This was established again in 1941, when Captain Marvel/Shazam saved Freddy’s life by turning him into his magical sidekick. Mary, Billy’s long-lost twin within the comics, was launched a yr later.

While the movie reveals the Marvel Family displaying one particular capacity every, they’re normally depicted as having the identical powers as Shazam (the Wisdom of Solomon, the Strength of Hercules, and many others).

There have been different members previously, together with the Lieutenant Marvels – three boys additionally known as Billy Batson who might additionally use the ability of Shazam – and Hoppy the Marvel Bunny.

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There are additionally different allies related to the Marvel Family that do not share in Shazam’s powers, such because the humanoid tiger Tawky Tawny (who’s teased all through the movie) and Uncle Shazam (per Wikipedia: “an old man named Dudley claimed that he was not only a relative of the Marvels but also a Marvel himself, although neither was true”).

The someday Shazam villain Black Adam has additionally had his personal model of the Marvel Family, imaginatively named the Black Marvel Family. Perhaps we’ll see them in Black Adam’s Dwayne Johnson-starring movie, every time it lastly arrives.

As for the Marvel Family members we have met already, they’re ripe for an even bigger function within the inevitable sequel. Anything that offers us extra of child Darla is okay with us.

Shazam! is out now.

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