Top 10 Things You Missed in Shazam! Fury of the Gods

When we consider DC superheroes with a red suit and lightning bolt, we think of… well, the Flash, but Shazam is a close second! Billy’s red suit is given a makeover during the climax as he dukes it out with Lucy Liu’s Kalypso and her dragon. The more hits Shazam takes, the blacker his suit becomes. We’d say that this would be a good look for Billy if it wasn’t taken already. Billy’s damaged suit alludes to Black Adam, one of Shazam’s archenemies in the comics. Billy’s suit change seemed to tease an eventual confrontation between Shazam and Black Adam. Between James Gunn’s overall and Dwayne Johnson’s future with the franchise up in the air, though, we may have to settle for this subtle nod.

Enduring a midlife teenage crisis, Billy seeks psychological help… from a pediatrician. While the doctor gives Billy some good advice, he needs to work on his office decor. Among the Batman and Wonder Woman toys, the doctor has an Annabelle doll, which seems more likely to emotionally scar children than comfort them. This isn’t Annabelle’s first DCEU cameo. She can be spotted at the bottom of the ocean in James Wan’s “Aquaman.” Wan isn’t the only one with “Conjuring” roots. David F. Sanberg, who directed both “Shazam!” films, also made “Annabelle: Creation.” It remains unclear if The Conjuring Universe and DCEU are one and the same. However, Starro the Conqueror is definitely part of this universe. The starfish pops up in the office as well. (xref)

Billy Batson has learned the meaning of family from his foster siblings, foster parents, and good old Vin Diesel. Shazam references Dominic Toretto’s family obsession during a conversation with Helen Mirren’s Hespera, noting that he’s seen all the “Fast & Furious” movies. Apparently, he hasn’t seen “The Fate of the Furious,” as that installment introduces Shaw’s mother Magdalene, played by Mirren. We’d say that Billy should notice the resemblance, but he also overlooks the fact that his crush, Wonder Woman, looks suspiciously like Gisele. You’d think he’d piece together the similarities between Brixton and Bloodsport, Jakob Toretto and Peacemaker, or Luke Hobbs and Black Adam. What’s next, Aquaman as the villain is “Fast X?” Let’s just assume this is all because of Flashpoint.

Many have pointed out the parallels between the “Shazam!” movies and “The Goonies,” including Zachary Levi. Both center on a ragtag group of kids who are thrown into extraordinary circumstances involving a character with a distinct eye. DC and “Goonies” even have Richard Donner in common. “Fury of the Gods” pays direct homage to “The Goonies” as Billy dons a T-shirt with a familiar pirate logo. While we’re on the subject of t-shirts, Freddy’s ties into the franchise’s fantasy theme with the White Tree of Gondor. Gamers will notice that Eugene’s shirt references the indie platformer “Iconoclasts.” Eugene’s shirt contains two in-jokers for the price of one. The creator of “Iconoclasts” is none other than Joakim Sandberg, the brother of this film’s director.

By saying the magic word, Billy and his siblings sprout up faster than lightning. There’s one exception this time around, however. Grace Caroline Currey returns as Mary Bromfield, playing the eldest sister in both her normal and superhero forms. In the first “Shazam!,” actress Michelle Borth stepped in as adult Mary. Why didn’t Borth reprise her role here? While the filmmakers haven’t given an official explanation, Currey is in her mid-20s and Mary is hardly a teenager anymore. So, maybe there wasn’t a need to age her up. It’s worth noting that in the early comics, Mary Marvel retains her teenage form when she becomes a hero. Later incarnations of Mary would change this, but perhaps the filmmakers wanted to honor the original comics.

To combat the mystical creatures in the climax, the Shazam Family seeks out the deadliest beings of all… unicorns! Although these unicorns look demented, Darla manages to befriend them with a handful of Skittles. Given this franchise’s 80s influence, we wouldn’t be surprised if this scene pays homage to E.T. and his fondness for Reese’s Pieces. Speaking of nostalgia, we also wouldn’t be shocked if Darla borrowed a line from a certain online critic. Riding a unicorn, Darla repeats the Skittles slogan, but with a censored expletive thrown in for good measure. Maybe it’s a coincidence or maybe the screenwriters knew exactly what they were doing. Either way, fans of the Nostalgia Critic will immediately think of his “Care Bears Movie” review watching this.

One of the film’s running gags revolves around Billy trying to settle on a superhero name. Many citizens have come up with their own names for him, some more flattering than others. The most meta nickname comes during a battle when a spectator calls him “Captain Marvel.” Those who only watch the movies might be wondering how someone could confuse Shazam for Carol Danvers. However, comic readers will know that long before Carol Danvers, or Walter Lawson for that matter, Billy Batson carried the Captain Marvel moniker. Although DC technically used it first, Marvel eventually trademarked the name. The New 52 saw DC’s Captain Marvel formally adopt the Shazam name. By the way, the spectator that called Shazam out was Michael Gray, who played Billy himself back in the 70s.

During the opening scene, Hespera and Kalypso storm a museum where Rizwan Manji plays a tour guide. Manji is no stranger to the DCEU, having previously appeared as Jamil in “Peacemaker.” He’s not the only familiar face from that series. During the mid-credits, Emilia Harcourt and John Economos approach Shazam, asking him to join a certain team known for serving up justice. No, not the Justice League, much to Billy’s disappointment. The Justice Society of America, which is down a member after Doctor Fate’s demise. Billy echoes the audience’s frustration of having two teams with Justice in the title, listing several alternatives. While his “Avengers Society” suggestion is an obvious jab at Marvel, we did get The Judgment League Avengers in an Amalgam Comics crossover.

Considering where the previous film ended, some assumed that the sequel would pick up with Sivana and his new caterpillar companion. While the Daughters of Atlas serve as this film’s main villains, Sivana does resurface in the post-credits with a series of hieroglyphics on his cell walls. After a two-year absence, the caterpillar returns to Sivana, although he’s not ready to unveil his full plan. Although not yet clarified in the narrative, the talking bug is Mister Mind, voiced by director David F. Sandberg. These two post-credits scenes seem to be building up the Monster Society of Evil, which unite Mister Mind, Sivana, and Black Adam, among others. Given the DCEU’s uncertain future, though, will Mister Mind finally get his moment in “Shazam 3?”

Throughout “Fury of the Gods,” the Shazam Family questions the nature of a burning violin in their lair. Although it comes in handy during one confrontation, they never learn its backstory. The burning violin made an appearance in the first film as well, albeit briefly. This mysterious artifact could be a nod to Emperor Nero, who played the fiddle as Rome burned. At least that’s the legend with many historians calling it into question. In “Captain Marvel Adventures #64,” which was published in 1946, Billy attends a violin concert where he encounters a character named Nero, a follower of his enemy Oggar. Ironically, this Nero is terrible at playing the fiddle, but his instrument possesses to ability to create flames, setting the city on fire.