After the disappointing box office performance of Justice League, there was some talk that the DC Extended Universe could use a fresh start. While any official “reboot” remains a rumor for now, the first trailer for Shazam is offering us a taste of a much brighter future for the heroes and the world that they live in. Today’s Nerdist News is breaking down some key details from the Shazam teaser that tell us what happened after Justice League.
Join guest host and Daily Planet corespondent, Amy Vorpahl, as she takes us into the post-Justice League DCEU. The first big change is that the cinematic DC universe is now a bit closer to its comic book counterpart in terms of hero worship. Aquaman and Wonder Woman T-shirts are in the collection of Freddy Freeman, Shazam’s best friend in the movie. Freddy also has a replica Batarang and a bullet that bounced off of Superman’s chest, complete with a certificate of authenticity!
All of that is fun to see, but here are the important takeaways: the world knows about the Justice League, and Lex Luthor has been outed as a supervillain. Given the end of Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, we suspected Luthor couldn’t hide behind his legitimate businesses any more. But the newspaper headlines in Freddy’s collection place the blame for Steppenwolf’s invasion with “Lex Luthor and his associates.”
And who might those associates be? The post-credits scene in Justice League featured Luthor and Deathstroke suggesting a league of their own. Perhaps the Legion of Doom has already been formed by the time Shazam takes place, and they are already pursuing their own agenda before their big screen return.
What do you think about the Justice League Easter Eggs in Shazam? Let us know in the comment section below!
Images: Warner Bros. Pictures
