Shazam! Star Zachary Levi Is Proud Of The Movie’s Diversity

Shazam! Star Zachary Levi Is Proud Of The Movie’s Diversity

There are a lot of things that anyone involved in the production of Warner Bros’ Shazam! can signal as being proud of. With its deft mix of horror and comedic tones, as well as its continued revitalization of the DC Comics canon’s film branch, the movie has been well received by critics and fans alike, and one of the film’s stars, Zachary Levi, knows it as well as anyone!

But when it comes to what he’s particularly proud of in director David F. Sandberg’s comic caper, it’s the wide breadth of diversity that’s on display in the film. Zachary Levi explained his position in the following remarks during a recent interview:

And such an incredibly diverse and beautiful rainbow of diversity in that family, ethnically, but also one kid being disabled and all of them being foster kids. I have never in my life seen a movie, even not something that I haven't been a part of, that is so inclusive of so many groups of people that have not felt included. So I was like, 'This is gold. I'm so stoked. I'm so stoked that this is the heartbeat of what this movie is.' So it's an honor. It genuinely, is an honor. And it's been so cool being on social media and seeing so many people who have felt that, and felt seen, finally. Foster kids or people who were in the foster system, are now adults and out of it, or kids that are in right now. And them feeling seen.

At the heart of Shazam! is the story of the foster family, with its children of various ages coming from various ethnic backgrounds, and in the case of Jack Dylan Grazer’s Freddy Freeman, possessing a physical disability. Rather than showcasing a uniform example of diversity, the casting of the various family members was a truer portrait of diversity than most films get to show, and it’s clearly exciting for Zachary Levi to see that this is something that’s helped moviegoers identify with the film.

What’s even better is the fact that when you look at the marketing for Shazam!, it doesn’t oversell the idea of the family’s diversity as a marketing point. Which only makes the big spoilery reveal in the film’s third act all the more exciting, as the efforts that went into that particular scene’s production also required the same sort of diverse casting of characters, but on another level.

During his talk with Comicbook.com, Zachary Levi continued to praise the progressive portrayal of Billy Batson and his foster family in Shazam!, with his ultimate point being the following:

If we can do anything in this world, I hope that we can always be, again, looking at people and saying to them, even just in the way we treat them, 'I see you. I see you and I value you. And you're worthy of living the life that you're living.'

As Shazam! is looking to be fast tracked for a sequel in the near future, that message of acceptance, value and representation is likely to continue in the DCEU. Should that be the case, the comic franchise will only rise in personal value, as its efforts to reach out to a more diverse crowd of moviegoers will have been more than worth their inclusion the first time around.

Shazam! is currently in theaters, but if you’ve already seen it and would like to try out a new adventure at the movies, feel free to use our 2019 release schedule to help guide the way.

How The Men in Black Universe Could Grow, According To Its Producer

How The Men in Black Universe Could Grow, According To Its Producer

When Men In Black International opens later this summer, it will be the first time that the lead agents aren’t played by Will Smith and Tommy Lee Jones. The idea behind MiB always seemed bigger than the one that carried three movies, but it wasn’t until Tessa Thompson and Chris Hemsworth slipped into the tuxedos for director F. Gary Gray that he producers began thinking of ways to expand this fascinating universe.

The bulk of the early Men In Black movies took place in New York City. The franchise will branch out globally in Men In Black International, with Tessa Thompson’s agent heading to London to team with Hemsworth’s alien tracker. We have been filing reports from the UK set of the upcoming blockbuster, but it was during a conversation with longtime producer Walter Parkes that he said the creative team has its eye on the future. Parkes told CinemaBlend:

We imply that we have [headquarters in] other places and in prior drafts of the script we did [see them. But in terms of effective storytelling, we just didn’t find a way to come about that. But, if the film’s successful, we’ll certainly be going to new headquarters throughout the world.

There’s no way that a secret organization tasked with exploring and containing alien activity could or should be contained to New York City. Naturally, one way to increase the scope of your story is to expand out to new international cities. This inspires storytellers to come up with new creatures that match the cities in which you want to set your action. Think about action sequences in Egypt at the Pyramids, or along the Great Wall of China. The possibilities are endless.

The way that Walter Parkes phrased it, Men In Black International is benefitting from the current evolution of franchise storytelling, which wasn’t nearly as powerful or cohesive when the first few Men In Black movies were happening. He went on to say:

What you say about the expansion of the cinematic universe is absolutely true. I think that’s one of the most exciting things about the last 15 years that these big [franchises] exist. And what excites me is that it’s expansion -- not so much in other movies, but in other media. You know, there’s digital expressions of this, and VR expressions of this... So I think you can build out the universe, even around this movie. And I think that’s very much what modern franchises do.

That’s a very exciting premise. Who wouldn’t want to play a Men In Black VR game, or interact with the series on social media in original ways? The possibilities are unlimited, so long as you were eager to get creative.

The latest trailer for F. Gary Gray’s Men In Black International certainly looks plenty creative:

And we will see if the new movie makes enough for the cast and crew to continue telling stories in this universe for years to come. The new movie drops on June 14. Are you planning on checking it out?

Marvel Is Making A Supercut Of Stan Lee Cameos And Unused Footage

Marvel Is Making A Supercut Of Stan Lee Cameos And Unused Footage

It's a very exciting time to be a Marvel fan. Avengers: Endgame is days away from arriving in theaters, and Disney's merger with Fox means that comic book favorites like the Fantastic Four and X-Men may make their way to the Marvel Cinematic Universe. And although there's plenty to celebrate in the world of Marvel comics, it's sad that visionary Stan Lee is no longer with us to enjoy it all.

But while Stan Lee passed away in November, he's still got a few more appearances on screen. Lee was known for his fantastic Marvel cameos, able to steal the show with one quick line reading. And it looks like Marvel Studios has found another way to honor him, by compiling all his cameos and even some unused footage into one epic tribute. As Kevin Feige recently revealed:

We’ve put a video together. We’ve never done this before, a behind-the-scenes of every cameo. All the B-roll that was shot and his stand-ups there. His passing was very emotional for all of us, but it suddenly all came back to me just when I watched it.

Well, this is exciting. In addition to compiling Stan Lee's countless cameos, it looks like the new tribute video will also include deleted scenes and B-roll of the comic book visionary at work. In short: excelsior!

Kevin Feige's comments to EW are sure to delight the generations of Marvel fans who are missing Stan Lee during this exciting time in film history. Avengers: Endgame will be the cumulation of 21 movies and a decade of filming, and Stan Lee was there throughout almost all of it. The comic book creator always delighted in seeing Marvel's finest on the big screen, and Endgame has been teased to be bigger and better than anything we've seen before.

Given how delightful Stan Lee was up until his death at age 95, many moviegoers who would love to see extra footage of the Stan the Man in action. Many of his MCU roles included one liners, but that doesn't mean those were the only lines offered. Typically Lee tried a few different versions of his cameos, so there should be plenty of unused footage to mine from. So while Avengers: Endgame may be his final cameo in the MCU, the public should expect new clips from him regardless.

Related: Spider-Man: Into The Spider-Verse Director Reveals Stan Lee's Cut Lines

The stakes for Avengers: Endgame are already sky high, but Stan Lee's cameo gives the upcoming blockbuster yet another goal to live up to. Luckily for us all, Endgame looks like it will do just that. The early response from the movie's premiere is overwhelmingly positive, and The Russo Brothers might just top the massive success of Infinity War.

Stan Lee will return to screens when Avengers: Endgame arrives on April 26th. In the meantime, check out CinemaBlend's Endgame death pool, and be sure to check out our 2019 release list to plan your next trip to the movies.

Sean Gunn Is Determined To Make Guardians Vol. 3, Even Without James Gunn

Sean Gunn Is Determined To Make Guardians Vol. 3, Even Without James Gunn

The future of Guardians of the Galaxy Vol 3 is still very much in question. While Marvel seems dedicated to making the movie happen, the film is still on hold and with no apparent movement forward with no director attached. However, at least one person seems quite focused no making sure Guardians Vol. 3 does happen. Sean Gunn, the brother of the film's previously attached director James Gunn, says that, one way or another, the movie needs to happen. According to Gunn...

I don’t know exactly how that’s all gonna work. But I feel like we are going to make the third movie, I’m excited to make it, I think it’s a disservice to the fans if we didn’t make it and I know the people who worked on the Guardians movies are really a family, and we’re gonna come together and make the best movie we can regardless of who’s in charge.

While Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 was supposed to be the first of Marvel's Phase Four productions, hitting screens in May of 2020, all of that was thrown into chaos when James Gunn was unceremoniously removed as director of the film following the revelation of social media posts he had made years ago.

At the time, it wasn't clear if the movie would ever actually happen or if the already completed script James Gunn had written would be used. Marvel Studios chief Kevin Feige has since conformed that the plan is still to make the movie, and to use Gunn's script, but the project has yet to find a new director.

Sean Gunn has been an unequivocal supporter of his brother from the beginning, but he's also been a supporter of the film franchise as well. He wants to make this movie and finish the trilogy, He tells Variety that he truly believes that things will work out and the movie will get made, though he admits he has no idea exactly how that will happen.

While a social media campaign by fans and even an open letter written by the cast in support of James Gunn came in the wake of Disney's decision, the studio has not altered its stance on the situation at all. James Gunn has since moved over to the other side of the fence, writing the script for the Suicide Squad sequel with every expectation that he will direct it as well.

Certainly, many fans likely want to be as optimistic about the future of the Guardians of the Galaxy franchise as Sean Gunn is. While the movie will clearly be something a little different without James Gunn in the director's chair, the fact that it will at least tell the story he wrote may be enough. Of course, the movie has to actually get made first, and we're still waiting for movement in that regard.

The Suicide Squad's Jai Courtney Is Psyched To Play Captain Boomerang Again

The Suicide Squad's Jai Courtney Is Psyched To Play Captain Boomerang Again

Although it is being described as more of a reboot than a sequel, James Gunn’s The Suicide Squad will be bringing back some familiar faces from David Ayer’s 2016 film. Among those faces is Jai Courtney, who played the funny and mad George “Digger” Harkness, better known as Captain Boomerang. Although his character was the most cowardly of the original group, Jai Courtney himself is psyched to hop back into the role for another go round, as he explained:

I loved playing Captain Boomerang. It's just like a rocker’s nightmare. Just looking forward to reprising that and getting the gold tooth back in and getting after it.

Captain Boomerang seems like the kind of character that would be a blast to play, and clearly Jai Courtney enjoyed his time as the Aussie bank robber. Based on what he told The Hollywood Reporter, he seems stoked that Captain Boomerang will be a part of the sequel and that he will get to have fun reprising that role, gold tooth and all.

We don’t know what writer/director James Gunn has planned, but Jai Courtney’s Boomerang does seem like the kind of odd and goofy character that Gunn does so well. And that makes him so ideally suited to this property in the first place. So it is cool that Captain Boomerang will be back and will be portrayed by an actor who relishes in the role.

Given the fact that most signs point towards James Gunn’s film doing its own thing and acting as more of a soft reboot than a true sequel, it’s difficult to know what The Suicide Squad has in store for Jai Courtney’s Captain Boomerang. At the end of Suicide Squad, having survived their mission, the team gets ten years off their sentences. Everyone except Boomerang. And while the others get special privileges, Courtney's gets put in solitary confinement.

Apparently Amanda Waller or whoever will put together the Suicide Squad in the sequel determines that Captain Boomerang isn't more trouble than he's worth and there is still some merit in keeping him around, if only for the comic relief.

Returning alongside Jai Courtney in Suicide Squad 2 is Viola Davis who plays Amanda Waller. The rest of the potential returnees are not confirmed as of yet. Despite some rumors to the contrary, it is believed that Margot Robbie’s Harley Quinn will return, but Joel Kinnaman’s Rick Flag is not expected to.

Captain Boomerang will be mixing it up with some new faces as well. Idris Elba has been cast in The Suicide Squad and for a brief time, it seemed like he would be taking over Deadshot from Will Smith. Instead he will actually be playing a new character but we don’t know who yet, although we have some guesses. Also in talks to join Suicide Squad 2 and his first superhero film, is John Cena in an undisclosed role.

The Suicide Squad is scheduled to open on August 6, 2021. Check out our 2019 Release Schedule to keep track of all the big movies coming to theaters this summer and for all the latest movie news, stay tuned to CinemaBlend.

Iron Man Creation Timeline- How Marvel's Gamble On Tony Stark Paid Off

Iron Man Creation Timeline- How Marvel's Gamble On Tony Stark Paid Off

With Avengers: Endgame being hailed as one of the biggest love letters to the MCU to date, it feels like a good time to revisit the film and the character that started it all, Iron Man. Believe it or not, the world almost got Tony Stark in theaters much sooner than when it actually premiered. Here's a breakdown of the years leading up to Iron Man, and the studios, actors, and directors who almost had a hand in it.

The Beginning- (1990)

The first mention of Iron Man in a film surfaced in 1990 in a couple of ways. Tony Stark was considered as a character who could possibly be included in Death Of The Incredible Hulk, but the idea was ultimately scrapped for Hulk sacrificing his own life instead. It's a shame we didn't get to see an early 90s live-action Tony, if only to see if it's as laughably bad as other live-action Marvel characters of the era.

Universal Studios had the rights to Iron Man during this time, and while Re-Animator director and Honey I Shrunk The Kids writer Stuart Gordon was approached to direct a low-budget feature, that never happened. That same year Robert Downey Jr. starred in the movie Too Much Sun, which was written and directed by his father Robert Downey Sr. It was just one of ten films the father and son duo would do together over the years.

The 20th Century Fox Years (1996-1997)

20th Century Fox ended up acquiring the rights to Iron Man, and from that point on some really interesting things happened. At least, more interesting things than whatever happened at Universal, which as mentioned before, didn't do a lot. The first eleven months of the character's acquisition were quiet, and then word surfaced in early 1997 a young actor fresh off of a big Hollywood film was interested in playing the hero.

That man was none other than Con/Air actor Nicolas Cage. Unfortunately, there's not a lot of information out there about any discussions that happened, or how serious Cage actually was about playing Tony Stark. What we do know is that he did a costume test for Tim Burton's Superman that same year, so maybe his interest laid more in playing a superhero than anything? We can only speculate, although it is worth noting he's done a handful of superhero roles since.

Stan Lee's Iron Man Script (1998-1999)

The year 1998 brought another big celebrity to Fox's doors, as Tom Cruise said he was interested in producing and starring in an Iron Man feature. Sometime later I-Robot screenwriter Jeff Vintar teamed up with Stan Lee to write a story that re-imagined Iron Man's origin and featured the villain M.O.D.O.K. as the central villain. Plans eventually fell apart, and Goldeneye screenwriter Jeffrey Caine was brought in retool the script.

Then, things took a surprising turn when the studio approached Quentin Tarantino to write and direct an Iron Man movie. What was his vision? Was Samuel L. Jackson involved? How many times did Tony Stark drop an f-bomb? It could've happened, but unfortunately Fox ended up selling off the rights. While the studio liked Lee and Vintar's script, they just had too many Marvel films in development to commit.

New Line Cinema's Iron Man Script (2000-2001)

It was the start of a new millennium, and with New Line Cinema in ownership of the rights to Iron Man, a new hope that a movie would be made was born. A new script was commissioned with Pirates of the Caribbean writers Ted Elliott and Terry Rossio and The Iron Giant's Tim McCanlies helping out with writing as well. This script was also an origin story, but with corporate villains.

Another interesting part about this script was that it allegedly included a Nick Fury cameo. According to rumors from insiders at the time (via Comics2Film), the S.H.I.E.L.D. Helicarrier was set to make an appearance, over a decade before it actually did in The Avengers. Coincidentally enough, New Line also entered into discussions with Joss Whedon to direct. Was it the Helicarrier mention that caught him? Because that connection is just too good.

Iron Man vs. Howard Stark? (2002-2004)

New Line Cinema finished the script in 2002, and New Line got John Q and The Notebook director Nick Cassavetes on board to direct. This time, the plot put Tony up against his father, Howard Stark. That's right, Howard Stark was the bad guy, and would eventually weaponize Tony's design to create, wait for it, War Machine.

Thankfully, nothing happened with that idea and New Line Cinema eventually lost Nick Cassavetes. (He released Alpha Dog not long after). With the studio's main prospect gone, New Line Cinema ended up relinquishing its rights to Iron Man, which sent it back to Marvel.

Back Home With Marvel (2005-2006)

After years away, Iron Man was finally home. Unfortunately, it had lost all interested parties in the process. For a time, Marvel struggled to find a writer due to it being strictly a Marvel production and the obscurity of Iron Man. Marvel decided to hold a campaign to raise awareness about the character, and commissioned future Deadpool director Tim Miller to make shorts that showcased the character's abilities.

The studio eventually landed Jon Favreau, who had a vision for a character finding redemption as a hero in what could be a bit of a spy thriller. He originally wanted to go with an unknown actor as the lead, but became hooked on Robert Downey Jr. after seeing how the actor's personal struggles mimicked that of Tony Stark. Marvel tried to push back on the hire, but Favreau wouldn't budge. The rest, as they say, is history.

It Wasn't Quite That Easy Though (2007)

Iron Man had its cast, a passionate director, and apparently, that was enough to go into filming. The script wasn't fully complete, which led to a lot of improvised dialogue, on-set rewrites, and actors doing multiple takes for lines they came up with on the spot. As Jeff Bridges would describe many years later, it was like shooting a $200 million student film.

For all intents and purposes, it could've been a train wreck. Yet, Iron Man succeeded in theaters and started one of the most impressive cinematic runs in movie history. It's even more impressive understanding the history involved, and how it could've all turned out radically different had a few things gone differently. Luckily, it didn't and audiences have been able to celebrate Robert Downey Jr.'s impressive run as the character for over a decade.

That run continues in Avengers: Endgame, which is currently in theaters. Stick with CinemaBlend for all the analysis on it and what comes next for Marvel in the future.

Chris Evans Can’t Wait For The Avengers: Endgame’s Spoiler Ban To Be Lifted

Chris Evans Can’t Wait For The Avengers: Endgame’s Spoiler Ban To Be Lifted

It's been a week since Avengers: Endgame hit theaters, and the movie still being talked about in hushed tones. Both the fandom and directors The Russo Brothers encouraged moviegoers to keep the film's secrets, with #DontSpoilTheEndgame going viral ahead of its release. But this weekend is Endgame's second in theaters, so the public is slowly loosening the reigns on the blockbuster's contents.

The Russo Brothers recently did an appearance on CinemaBlend's ReelBlend podcast, and were able to finally get chatty about Avengers: Endgame's contents. They also revealed they believe the statue of limitations of Endgame spoilers is up after this weekend, which should fans and cast alike very happy. In fact, Captain America actor Chris Evans seems pleased as punch, as he recently tweeted:

It looks like Chris Evans shot some secret footage from the set of Avengers: Endgame. And with The Russo Brothers' blessing, he may start posting videos and photos starting this coming Monday.

Spoilers were almost synonymous with Avengers: Endgame's release, as the internet became a very dangerous place in the days leading up to its debut in theaters. The movie leaked online, and advanced screenings meant the movie's contents were readily available for moviegoers who simply couldn't wait until opening night.

Kevin Feige and The Russo Brothers were clearly displeased with Endgame's various leaks, encouraging moviegoers to take care of themselves and keep the secrets until an appropriate time. And that time appears to be in a matter of days, as Monday May 5th is apparently the final day of the fan-mandated gag order.

Related: 6 Incredibly Easy Ways To Avoid Avengers: Endgame Spoilers

The Russo Brothers mentioned this date on ReelBlend, speaking with hosts Sean O'Connell, Jake Hamilton, and Kevin McCarthy about all of Avengers: Endgame's contents. It was Joe Russo who spoke to the Endgame's secrets up until a point, with:

You have to be fair about it because we are, as you know, exceedingly anti-spoiler and I feel it, for the same reason, it's bullying. It could even be sociopathic to go online or, or walk out of a theater like some guy did and shout out the end of a movie while a bunch of people are standing in line waiting to go see it. And they've got 10 years of their life and their time and their emotions invested in it. It's a despicable thing to do. But I think you have to be fair. Two weekends feels like enough time for everyone to get to see it and then people should be… because you also want people to be able to talk about it. And so at a certain point, I think after the second weekend, it's okay to share spoilers.

And just like that, the Marvel fans were given a date when they could freely discuss the myriad twists of Avengers: Endgame. And considering it's coming from the Russo Brothers themselves, it looks like Monday will be a very lively day at the water cooler and on social media.

While it may have been a long week of keeping secrets for Marvel fans, imagine what it was like for the cast and crew. The Russo Brothers have been working on Infinity War and Endgame for the past three years, and the cast has had to remain tight-lipped about exactly what went down on set. Endgame was the cumulation of the last 21 movies, so the expectations was sky high. As was the pressure to not spoil any of the blockbuster's plot.

Chris Evans and his Avengers co-stars are presumably relieved that Endgame is finally in theaters, and they no longer have to worry about sidestepping questions about the movie in interviews. Plus, cast members can finally share their experiences on set, especially the big group scenes. Chris Pratt has already shared one such video, check it out:

With the statue of limitations ending in just a few days, we should get more videos like this. And Chris Evans seems to be psyched to join the party and celebrate Avengers: Endgame's massive success.

Avenger: Endgame is in theaters now, and making a ton of money at the box office. In the meantime, check out our 2019 release list to plan your next trip to the movies.