DC found a smash hit with Aquaman and is looking at another with Shazam. Given the comedic nature of the latter, and the fact it comes out this Friday, it makes sense that if DC did an April Fools’ Day joke, it would center on their latest and most humorous film. So, we get a joke Aquaman 2 announcement, as well as a teaser hyping up how the critics are reacting to Shazam.
The trailer opens with fanfare and the Aquaman logo, teasing that the King will reign … only for Eminem’s “My Name Is” to kick in as “king” gets replaced with “kid,” Shazam appears, and we get a gentle reminder that the film opens on Thursday before it goes into a short teaser for the film, hailing it as “the most fun you’ll have in theaters all year.”
All in all, it’s a solid April Fools joke. Aquaman has already had a sequel greenlit, but they haven’t started filming yet; there’s no surprise or worry over whether this does or doesn’t mean the film will get a sequel. Instead, it’s just a harmless joke that fits in with Shazam‘s general willingness to laugh at the world of DC and itself.
After all, a film that features a scene of the hero throwing a giant Batman doll at the villain screaming, “Get him, Batman!” would gently mock the rest of the Justice League as well, including DC’s new flagship franchise.
I’ve got to say, this also makes me want an Arthur cameo in a later Shazam movie, or for Shazam to join the Justice League. Billy’s enthusiasm and excitement would be a welcome addition to a very grumpy team of superheroes, and I would love to see him and Arthur share supervillain fighting techniques or for Billy to totally fanboy over meeting the Aquaman himself.
If the film does as well as it should at the box office, Billy will definitely make the team the next time they all save the world.
Critics are loving Shazam, more so than probably was expected. Currently sitting at 93% on Rotten Tomatoes, it holds the same score as Wonder Woman, making it tied for the highest-rated film in the DCEU. With nothing really in the way to bar it from reaching number 1 at the box office—due to Dumbo‘s under-performance and the only real competition being Pet Sematary—it looks like DC should have another massive hit on their hands.
Are you excited to see Shazam, or do you wish we had actually been given a real Aquaman 2 tease?
(image: Warner Bros.)
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