New Line’s DC told Variety today that Asher Angel will be playing Billy Batson, the child counterpart to Zachary Levi’s Shazam in the upcoming Shazam! film. People may recognize Asher as Jonah Beck from Disney Channel’s Andi Mack.
Shazam stands for the mythical figures Solomon, Hercules, Atlas, Zeus, Achilles, and Mercury, from whom his powers derive. Billy Batson is the boy who can turn into the adult superhero simply by saying the word “Shazam”, and summoning that power. The movie will be directed by David F. Sandberg, produced by Peter Safran, and written by Henry Gayden and Darren Lemke. Additional casting rumors for this film include Grace Fulton as one of Billy Batson’s friends, and Mark Strong in talks to play the villain.
Shazam! is next to begin shooting on a list of upcoming DC films including Joss Whedon’s Batgirl, Gavin O’Connor’s Suicide Squad sequel, Flashpoint, and a Black Adam film starring Dwayne Johnson about Shazam’s arch-nemesis.
