If there's anything we love in a big superhero film, it's all the sly winks and nods to other films in the franchise (or otherwise) that the cast and crew hide for fans to catch. DC's latest superhero outing, Shazam!, is no different.
The film follows the adventures of Billy Batson (Asher Angel), a mischievous foster kid who is granted powers by the wizard Shazam. Every time he says the wizard's name ("Shazam!"), Billy is transformed into the best version of himself — a tall, muscular, superhero played by Zachary Levi who can shoot lightning bolts from his hands and fly (though that takes some getting used to). He and his superhero-obsessed foster brother Freddy (Jack Dylan Grazer) use Billy's alter-ego to cause pranks, get out of school early, and get up to other mischief. Of course, things can't stay perfect for long, and the big bad — wealthy scientist Dr. Thaddeus Sivana, played by actor Mark Strong — comes through to claim Billy's powers for himself.
Shazam's lighthearted approach is a refreshing break from the bleak, gritty stories found in Batman v Superman and Man of Steel, though the film is filled to the brim with references to the DCEU films that came before it. It also pays homage to some classic films also set in Philadelphia, as well as a ton of references to the character's comic-book mythology. Keep reading for some of the biggest and sweetest Easter eggs in Shazam!.
The entire premise of Shazam! has quite a few parallels to the beloved 1988 comedy Big. The DC film follows Billy as he gains magical abilities and an adult alter-ego, similar to how Tom Hanks stars as the grown-up version of a kid named Josh in the Penny Marshall film. There's a more obvious homage to Big in the film, but it's safe to say that Shazam! will give anyone who's seen Big a small case of déjà vu regardless.
When Sivana attacks Shazam in Philadelphia, their battle leads them inside of a toy store in the mall. As Shazam attempts to dodge Sivana's attacks, he pushes past customers and hurls a bunch of Batman action figures at Sivana's head to try to slow him down. They finally come face to face at the front of the store, where they find themselves inadvertently playing a few notes on a giant walking piano. Classic.
Freddy's shrine of Justice League souvenirs is easily best source of DC Easter eggs. He has a Batman action figure, a Superman baseball cap and mug, a batarang, and a bullet that hit Superman safely tucked in a plastic baggy. Most importantly, his shrine has an issue of Time Magazine published shortly after the attack on Metropolis by General Zod and a newspaper clipping about Batman and Superman, meaning that Shazam! takes place in the same timeline as previous films of the DCEU.
One of Freddy's many superhero collectibles include one of Batman's batarangs. It features prominently in Freddy's super-shrine and gets star billing when both Freddy and Billy use it to distract Sivana in the wizard's lair.
One of the most precious collectibles in Freddy's shrine is his purchase of a bullet that was fired at Superman and rebounded. He shows it to Billy on the latter's first night in their home and calls him out when Billy steals it from his room. Later on, the bullet is the only way Freddy will believe that the aged-up Shazam is truly Billy.
In case you weren't sure if the other DC superheros existed in the Shazam! universe, just take a gander at Freddy Freeman. Billy's foster brother has a seemingly endless collection of superhero-themed shirt and they mainly revolve around the members of the Justice League. His closet shout outs include Superman, Aquaman, and Batman.
The foster kids all attend Fawcett Central School, which references two things: Fawcett Comics, which was the original publisher of Shazam (who was known as Captain Marvel back then), and Fawcett City, the fictional city in DC Comics that was the home base of Shazam and the Shazam Family.
Considering the fact that Shazam! is set in Philadelphia, there's no way it would have missed out referencing the best-known Philly film franchise there is. Rocky's anthem, "Eye of the Tiger," is played at one point during the film and, after a day of misadventures, Freddy and Billy wind up on the steps of the Philadelphia Museum of Art to admire the view. Billy notes that he now understands why Rocky wanted to get up the stairs (and audience members over the age of 25 will suddenly feel 100-years-old).
At one point during Shazam's second battle with Sivana, he flies by the window of a huge apartment where a little boy plays with Batman and Superman action figures. He's playing out the huge battle the two had in Batman v Superman, before he's distracted by the commotion happening outside his window. His stupor causes him to drop his action figures as he stares at a flying Shazam in awe.
Before Billy and Freddy realise just how dangerous the superhero gig can be, the two use Billy's alter-ego to get them out of school early, to buy beer, and make them famous on YouTube. As such, Freddy can't help but brag to some school bullies that he personally knows the hero and, to prove it, he promises to have Shazam join him in the cafeteria at lunch the next day. Unfortunately Shazam never shows and Freddy ends up the laughing stock of their high school. To make it up to his foster brother later on, Billy pops up in the cafeteria as Shazam and ALSO brings along Superman. We never get to see his face (Henry Cavill has exited the franchise), but it's pretty obvious from the suit who it's meant to be.
We don't actually get to see Jason Mamoa as Aquaman's Arthur Curry, but we feel like he would approve of his character's mention in the Shazam! post-credits scene. Freddy (aka baby Seth Cohen) continues trying to figure out the scope of Billy's powers. They both learn that Shazam isn't able to communicate with fish and thus, won't be able to "command an army of billions in the sea." Shazam laughs and notes that he doesn't think it's that cool of a power anyway!
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12Tawky Tawny Callbacks
Image Source: Warner Bros. Animation
All throughout Shazam! there are several references to tigers: Billy fixates on a stuff tiger while at the carnival with his mother, his school backpack has a tiger logo, he gives a stuffed tiger to the scared little girl during the carnival fight against Sirvana, and "Eye of the Tiger" is played at one point in the film. In the comics, Tawky Tawny is an anthropomorphic tiger who is close to the entire Shazam family. Tawny has featured in various DC productions, sometimes as a more realistic tiger that Billy visits and others as a kind of mentor for him. Maybe Shazam! 2 will bring him around in his true form?
When Billy finally learns about his parents, he discovers that his father's name is C.C. Batson. This is most likely a nod to C.C. Beck, the artist who co-created Captain Marvel (Shazam) with Bill Parker.
In a sure blink-and-you'll-miss-her cameo, Annabelle makes her appearance in Shazam's first scene. When the police officers enter the pawn shop at Billy's directions, the camera pans over the shop from their point of view. On the shelf in the lower left side of the screen, Annabelle sits in wait for the next person to purchase her and ruin their entire lives.
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15Lionel Luthor Strikes Again with Villian Progeny
Smallville fans were greeted to quite the treat when John Glover appeared onscreen. The actor played the father of Lex Luthor in the TV series Smallville, which is almost exactly like his role in Shazam! as Dr. Sivana's father. The man really enjoys playing those corporate geniuses with severely messed up relationship with their villainous sons, huh?
When Billy and Freddy decide that they need a lair, they go right to the nearest real estate office. Billy describes a lair that is overlooking water, with a waterfall that you can drive through to access — which all comic book fans know is the basic description for the Batcave. Most notably, it's the Batcave we've seen in Christopher Nolan's Batman trilogy.
