Shazam Will Be The Most "Lighthearted" DC Movie So Far

Last month it was reported that the next DC movie to go into production will be Shazam. It's set for a 2019 release, and now director David F. Sandberg has been speaking about what fans can expect from the movie.

In an interview with the Toronto Sun, Sandberg revealed that Shazam would be a lot lighter in tone than previous films in the DC Extended Universe. "The big attraction for me with that character is the fact that every kid dreams of being Superman, right? I mean I certainly did, and [Billy Batson] is a kid that gets that chance," he said. "He gets to become the superhero. So it'll be big with superpowers in a way. In terms of what people can expect, I think this will be one of the more fun or lighthearted movies so far in the DC universe. It certainly will be a departure."

Sanberg scored a hit last year with the thriller Lights Out, and his horror sequel Annabelle: Creation arrives next week.

Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson was previously announced in the role of Shazam's nemesis Black Adam and is set to appear in a spinoff movie focusing on that character. However, it has now been confirmed that he will not feature in the Shazam movie.

Shazam first appeared in 1939, when he was known by the name Captain Marvel. The character was bought by DC in 1971, when he was renamed, due to Marvel's ownership of the name Captain Marvel. A live action Shazam TV show was broadcast in the mid-70s, while an animated show followed in 1981.

Although Shazam will be the next DC movie to start shooting, the studio has plenty more films in the pipeline. A full slate of upcoming titles was announced at San Diego Comic-Con last month, including Wonder Woman 2, The Batman, Justice League Dark, Green Lantern Corps, Batgirl, and the Flash movie, which is now titled Flashpoint.

Suicide Squad 2 was also announced at SDCC, but the film is currently without a director. Earlier this week, it was reported that DC's top choice, The Shallow's Jaume Collet-Serra, had passed on the project.