Production on Warner Bros. and DC's Shazam! Fury of the Gods is finally underway and director David F. Sandberg has offered a glimpse at the set. Included in the newly released image is a nod to Sandberg's horror film Lights Out, but unfortunately, fans will never be able to spot the easter egg when they see Shazam 2.
The first Shazam! film introduced audiences to young Billy Batson, an orphan boy who is bestowed with the ability to become an adult superhero by the ancient wizard Shazam. This encounter comes not long after Batson was placed in a group home with five other foster children, including superhero enthusiast Frederick "Freddy" Freeman, whose bedroom was adorned with all kinds of memorabilia.
The aforementioned Shazam 2 set photo was posted to Sandberg's official Instagram page and while it is unclear who occupies the room at this time, it too is covered with trinkets that could only belong to a child or child-at-heart. Among the items seen in the photo are posters for the classic '80s adventure comedy The Goonies and Sandberg's Lights Out, but at least the latter won't be seen in Shazam 2 because the scene in question was shot in such a way that the portion of the wall seen in the image won't be visible to audiences. Further details on the scene were not provided, so fans will have to wait and see which character happens to be a fan of Sandberg's work.
Released in 2016, Lights Out starred Teresa Palmer as a young woman who must protect her half-brother from a supernatural spirit that seems to have a connection to their mother. Complicating matters is the fact that the supernatural entity cannot be seen when the lights are turned on. The generally well-received horror feature was based on Sandberg's 2013 short film of the same name, which starred Lotta Losten, Sandberg's wife, as a woman who is tormented by a similar spirit.
Interestingly, Sandberg was able to tap into his horror roots for Shazam! despite the DC film's more family-friendly tone. This may have been best demonstrated in a scene where Dr. Lynn Crosby, a researcher working with Mark Strong's villainous Dr. Sivana, is killed in a horrifying fashion.
Whether or not Shazam 2 will have any equally frightening death scenes remains to be seen. However, there's no doubt the titular DC hero will have his hands full with a new slate of villains that includes Helen Mirren as Hespera, Lucy Liu as Kalypso, and Rachel Zegler.
Shazam! Fury of the Gods is scheduled to be released in theaters on June 2, 2023.
Source: David F. Sandberg/Instagram