SHAZAM!: Henry Cavill's Original Superman Cameo Has Been Revealed

A dispute over money led to Henry Cavill bidding farewell to the DCEU and giving a cameo in Shazam! a miss. Now, director David F. Sandberg has revealed what that was going to entail. Check it out...

By JoshWilding - Sep 02, 2019 12:09 AM EST

Filed Under: Shazam

Shazam! ends with a surprise appearance from Superman when the Man of Steel shows up during Fawcett Central School's lunch hour to surprise Freddie Freeman. We only see the hero from the neck down, but rumours have swirled for ages now that Henry Cavill may have actually shot a proper cameo before it was scrapped by Warner Bros. after he decided to hang up his cape.

Well, while he didn't confirm if this was the case, a recent Q&A session on Instagram with Shazam! director David F. Sandberg saw the filmmaker shed some light on his original plans.

"He sat down at the table," he explains. "They had a brief chat. There was a joke about (sort of) school food and then it ended with Freddy just leaning into him, and it going like, 'I have so many questions,' and then it cut out." That would have been fun to see, but the version we got (mostly) worked despite how awkward it was seeing Superman from only the neck down.

Sadly, the chances of Henry Cavill's Superman meeting Zachary Levi's Shazam are currently slim, and it's said that Supergirl is going to be a priority for the studio moving forward. As for the version we saw in this movie, he was actually played by Ryan Handley, Levi's stunt double!

What do you think comes next for Superman on the big screen?

Hit the "View List" button to check out all the ways
Shazam! sets up the sequel and the DCEU's future!

Black Adam

When Billy Batson meets the Wizard for the first time, he learns of a previous champion who used his powers for revenge, unleashed the Seven Deadly Sins, and wiped out entire civilisations. He is, of course, referring to Black Adam.

That's the only reference we get to the villain turned anti-hero here and it as now going to be interesting seeing whether that long-rumoured movie starring Dwayne Johnson will tell an extended version of that origin story over two hours or skip through it and bring Adam into the present day for an eventual clash with Shazam.

Either way, a meeting between these two has to be on the horizon now and providing this movie is as commercially successful as it has been critically, then there's no way Warner Bros. will hold off on this highly anticipated and much-wanted crossover.

The Marvel Family

In Shazam!'s final act, we're finally introduced to the Marvel Family as Billy's fellow foster kids say the magic word and transform into superheroes as well.

Its a cool moment but the adult versions of Mary, Freddy, Darla, Eugene, and Pedro only get a relatively limited amount of screentime and so the sequel is bound to elaborate on that by delving into what it's like for these youngsters to be superheroes and how they operate as a group. As introductions go, though, this movie handled that well.

However, we definitely need to see more of them in action and given how powerful they are as a group, you can see why the stage has been set for them to battle an entire team of bad guys the next time we see them....

Mr. Mind And The Monster Society Of Evil

We first catch a glimpse of Mr. Mind during the opening sequence at the Rock of Eternity where he's being kept in a jar. Once the Seven Deadly Sins escape, we later see that that's been smashed open and he returns in the mid-credits scene to recruit Dr. Sivana.

Based on what the miniscule villain says, he's planning on forming the Monster Society of Evil and given the history between him and Sivana in the comics, we can expect them to make one neck of a team as they take aim at the Shazam Family.

A two inch talking worm may seem like a comical choice of big bad but his comic book counterpart has conquered world and could make for a formidable new foe to Shazam. Whether this franchise needs more CGI monsters after the mostly underwhelming Sins is obviously up for debate, though.

The DC Multiverse

At one point in the movie, the kids find themselves being pursued through the Rock of Eternity by Dr. Sivana. It's then that they come across a room of door, all of which appear to lead to difference universes.

This is obviously a reference to the wider DC Multiverse and reminiscent of something we saw in DC Rebirth.

While I don't think the follow-up will necessarily delve straight into this complicated aspect of the DCEU, it's interesting to now ponder the possibilities and easy to imagine the types of stories that could be told with access to this. The Rock itself, meanwhile, definitely leaves the door open to more characters and magical artefacts being introduced.

Only Magic Hurts Magic

During Shazam's first clash with Sivana, the villain mentions that human weapons cannot harm the hero and that only magic can hurt one powered by it. While I'm sure a punch from someone like Superman would leave Billy Batson reeling, it seems the intention with this franchise is to delve into the world of magic in a big way.

That's an interesting and extremely exciting decision and hopefully one that will lead to a lot of fan-favourite comic book characters finally getting their due. In fact, it's easy enough to imagine the possible success of Shazam! leading to Justice League Dark finally becoming a reality after years of delays.

Mary Marvel's Future

During the course of this adventure, we find a conflicted Mary dealing with the fact she's been offered a spot in a college based in California. She's about to turn 18 when we meet her too so what, if anything, does this mean for her future as a member of the Shazam Family?

As it is, it's a little strange to see an actress who is 40 playing her adult counterpart and it would be even stranger for that continue as she enters her 20s.

So, does this mean Grace Fulton will take over the role? Here's hoping but her college woes will need to be addressed first. It's feasible that the action could move to California if the family chooses to follow her there and it's definitely going to be interesting seeing how this particular ploy point is handled.

Shazam Knows Superman

While the Man of Steel's cameo is very much used for comedic effect, there's obviously one key takeaway here: Shazam has met Superman and they get on well enough that he was able to convince him to come and have lunch at Freddy Freeman's school.

While it seems as if Warner Bros. doesn't have any immediate plans for Superman (especially as Henry Cavill has walked away from the role), Billy Batson having met a member of the Justice League is bound to be mentioned in the sequel. Ultimately, this may or may not lead to more cameos; it depends on just how standalone the studio wants this franchise to be.

Speaking of which, that post-credits scene may very well leave the door open for another big meeting...

Shazam Vs. Aquaman

Aquaman was the DCEU's first $1 billion hit and the signs are all pointing to Shazam! finding a great deal of success as well. With that in mind, it doesn't feel like a stretch to think that Warner Bros. could have Billy Batson and Arthur Curry meet, especially after that fun post-credits scene.

In that, Shazam makes fun of Arthur Curry's ability to talk to fish before being put in his place by Freddy.

While this initially feels like a meaningless stinger, there are a number of ways a team-up between these two could be handled and one of the Monster Society of Evil's members could easily have some sort of connection to Atlantis (the Monster Brigade, for example). Honestly, Jason Momoa and Zachary Levi would steal the show together!

Unite The Seven?

As has always been the case in the comics, there are only six members of the Shazam family and that leaves a seventh throne to fill in the Rock of Eternity. The question is, is this a plot point future instalments will delve into?

Black Adam could ultimately take that spot of we see him go through a redemption arc, while Geoff Johns' current Shazam comic book series is exploring the idea of that mantle belonging to a character called King Kid.

The fact that there's an empty throne is never directly mentioned here so there's a possibility that this isn't really a priority for the studio right now. However, the opportunity is there to delve into this if the opportunity presents itself and I can definitely see this tying into Black Adam's movie in some way, shape, or form.

A New Direction For The DCEU

Between this and Aquaman, it's now clear that the DC Extended Universe is going to be very different to what Zack Snyder had planned. At its heart, Shazam! feels like a Marvel Studios movie and while that's certainly not a bad thing, it obviously means the studio has realised that superhero movies should be fun and not dark and brooding.

Aquaman embraced this direction and made over $1 billion, so assuming Shazam! is a success (I'm sure it will be even after a lacklustre marketing campaign), this tone is likely indicative of what comes next and that means Ezra Miller's hopes for a dark Flash movie written by him and Grant Morrison will probably never come to fruition.

Continue reading below for a spoiler-filled recap
of Shazam!'s biggest moments and surprises!

Dr. Sivana's New Origin Story

Like most DC Comics characters, Dr. Sivana has had a number of origin stories over the years but Shazam! delivers something new. The movie kicks off with a flashback to his childhood as we see the youngster transported away from his vile brother and father to the Rock of Eternity where it's quickly revealed that he's not worthy of inheriting the Wizard's powers.

Once he's back in the car, his reaction causes a crash which leaves his father badly injured and when we catch up with him in the present day, we learn Sivana has spent years finding others who were taken to the Rock of Eternity and deemed unworthy. After finally figuring out to return there, he frees the Seven Deadly Sins and badly injures the Wizard in order to get his revenge.

The Sins are contained within an orb he places in his eye and he later unleashes them on his family before learning that he must take Shazam's powers for himself so they can control the world.

Black Adam's "Cameo"

Unfortunately, Dwayne Johnson doesn't make any sort of cameo appearance as Black Adam but we do get a glimpse of the anti-hero when the Wizard is passing his powers on to Billy Batson.

It turns out that the Council of Eternity gave Adam their powers but he used them for revenge, unleashed the Sins, and wiped out both them and entire civilisations in the process. As a result, the Wizard has now spent thousands of years waiting for someone truly worthy to inherit his mantle.

We don't learn what became of Adam and his face is obscured but this story will surely be expanded on in his own movie unless it focuses on his return in the present day (the better option).

The Truth About Billy's Parents

Early on, a flashback to Billy Batson's childhood reveals that was separated from his mother at a funfair and has been searching for her ever since. It's not until his fellow foster kids lend a hand that he learns she's just two subway stops away.

Unfortunately, when he comes face to face with her, it becomes clear that things aren't quite as he remembers them and his then 17 year old mom actually saw that the police had found Billy and decided he would have a better life if she just left him. As for his father, it turns out he's behind bars.

It seems this plot thread won't be going any further than this as he soon embraces his foster family.

Shazam's Celebrity Status

When Shazam first inherits his abilities, he's not quite sure what to do with them and while he manages to stop a few petty crimes, being a "superhero" doesn't appear to be Billy's priority.

Instead, he becomes something of an internet celebrity with Freddy's help and they start raking in the cash. At one point, a display of his powers (which he's collecting cash for) goes horribly wrong and it's then that he has to save the bus we've seen in trailers. It's not until Sivana appears that the youngster realises that with great power, there must also come great responsibility!

Meet The Shazam Family

Thanks to those action figures that were officially revealed a couple of months back, the appearance of the Shazam Family in this movie isn't exactly a surprise. However, it's still a cool moment and one of the most memorable scenes in this entire adventure.

After remembering the Wizard's final words, Shazam grabs his magic staff (which is now in Sivana's possession) and shares his powers with his fellow foster kids during the final battle after the villain kidnaps them with the help of the Sins. They all look pretty cool but don't get a huge amount of screentime and some of them don't get to say more than a couple of lines each.

With any luck, that will change in the sequel because this adult versions of the gang definitely need fleshing out after this movie.

DCEU References

Heading into Shazam!, it's fair to say that many of us were concerned that the references to characters like Superman and Batman would be a little too heavy handed. Well, that's thankfully not the case and we instead just get to see what it would be like to be a kid in a world where superheroes exist.

I'm not sure we needed to see them in toy stores (how would that even work, legally?) but Shazam! does a good job of reminding us that it takes place in the same world as Justice League while remaining as standalone in nature as Aquaman.

Dr. Sivana And The Seven Deadly Sins Defeated

The final battle drags a little but Sivana is finally defeated when Shazam manages to convince Envy to show himself, something which leaves the villain powerless. Just as he's falling to his death, the hero saves him and lures the Sins back to the funfair and traps them back inside that orb after removing it from his foe's head.

What follows is a pretty hilarious moment in which Shazam pretends that he's being sucked in by them, and that's just one example of many great gags in the DC Comics adaptation.

Superman's Cameo

Freddy spends a huge chunk of the movie trying to talk Billy into coming to school as Shazam to validate him with the other kids. Well, in the closing moments of the film, he finally does that, but he's not alone. it's then that Superman walks in!

While he's wearing the Justice League suit, we never see his face and the actor doesn't appear to be anywhere near as well-built as British heartthrob Henry Cavill. However, it's a cool moment and Shazam! cuts to the credits before we get to spend too much time picking fault with his appearance!

It's just a shame Warner Bros. couldn't work things out with Cavill.

Mr. Mind

Right at the start of the movie, we see Mr. Mind trapped in a jar at the Rock of Eternity but by the time Billy gets there, that's been smashed open. Well, the pint-sized bad guy finally makes his presence felt in the mid-credits scene when he recruits Sivana to his cause and teases the formation of the Monster Society of Evil.

Like his comic book counterpart, he talks through an electronic voice box but he's not credited at the end of the movie so we don't know who provided his voice as of right now.

The Post-Credits Scene

The second post-credits scene isn't really worth sticking around for, especially when it's actually been featured in TV spots and trailers for the movie. Basically, it just features Shazam pretending to talk to a fish before making fun of the power much to Freddy's disgust when he points out that Aquaman is actually a badass. This feels like a deleted scene tacked on for the sake of it, unfortunately.

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34 Comments

DeadClunge - 9/2/2019, 12:42 AM

WB need to pay the man 🙄 smh

dracula - 9/2/2019, 2:35 AM

@FarFromClunge - his movies didn't make enough for it to be worth it to give him the amount of control he wants.

ShimmyShimmyYA - 9/2/2019, 5:30 AM

@dracula - you’re right but it’s not his fault , don’t hire dark and edgy man to make your movie next time

Imfunnyhow - 9/2/2019, 1:02 AM

@Android009 -
"like what's going on"

Well long story short, the idiots at WB are...Well... Idiots.

BlackIceJoe - 9/2/2019, 1:09 AM

Henry Cavill got robbed of getting to do more with Superman. So hopefully he'll be able to come back, because if Ezra Miller is unfortunately still Barry Allen, at least keep an actor that no one has a problem with and still has potential of bringing out a great film.

Nightmare - 9/2/2019, 1:12 AM

Cavill was reportedly on set, but not on the day they were gonna shoot the cameo. What a waste.

MosquitoFarmer - 9/2/2019, 1:15 AM

Can't replicate that Cavill charm.

groundrunner15 - 9/2/2019, 8:42 AM

@MosquitoFarmer - Too bad he's shown 0% of that charm in the actual movies

tmp3 - 9/2/2019, 2:09 AM

I wish Cavill stayed and Ezra Miller left

Chewtoy - 9/2/2019, 2:47 AM

For the people wondering, Cavill is gone because he’d be making his 4th major film appearance as the character if he came back, and he’d be due a significant raise I’m sure. WB doesn’t want to pay that, feeling that his version of Superman never caught on enough to be a box office draw. (His first solo film did moderate returns. They added Batman for his second film and got less than the last solo Batman films made, and then Justice League really dropped off.)

Ezra Miller still comes cheaply, like Jason Momoa did... he hasn’t played Flash as the lead yet. And since Aquaman proved audiences aren’t holding Justice League against those actors, he still gets a chance.

I think Cavill could shine with someone other than Snyder handling the character, but it doesn’t look likely to happen.

xfactor - 9/2/2019, 4:17 AM

@Chewtoy - not to mention the rest of the supporting cast. Once fishburne and Adams jumped ship, I know it was over.

xfactor - 9/2/2019, 4:18 AM

@xfactor - *knew

Spock0Clock - 9/2/2019, 2:47 AM

WB really have outdone themselves. It's just... it's just a mess. They've got four major characters that are working right now (each in their own way), but none of them really feel like they come from the same cinematic universe, and Gadot and Momoa already have scars from the one big attempt at a crossovers. Their most traditionally popular character looks like he is slinking back to a rebooted isolation.

Even if Cavill hadn't already semi-sorta-walked away, it makes no sense to throw more money at him as a centerpiece for a shared universe or as a continuation of a schizophrenic franchise that has never been all that popular.

But, a clean reboot doesn't seem all that attractive either because (evidence suggests) that a Superman solo movie probably wouldn't be a safer bet than a solo franchise with literally any other virgin DC property. Pull a name out of Geoff Johns' snapback and there's a good chance it could crack a billion. So, what's the point in rebooting a character that WB doesn't really have a use for?

...It's sad days for the big blue boy scout... Cavill will be fine. He's a mutant witch [frick]er, now.

TsekCBM - 9/2/2019, 2:47 AM

This is why I hate DC.

They keep going on and on and on and on and on about how it was GOING to be - get over it and move the [frick] on.

No wonder DC can't move forward, they living in the past themselves..... [frick]ing synder started it all with his rants on twitter

Battabing - 9/2/2019, 3:00 AM

@TsekCBM -

You're blaming DC because Josh made an article?

Battabing - 9/2/2019, 2:56 AM

Too bad for Cavill. He missed out on being in a great film.

GodHercules20 - 9/2/2019, 3:02 AM

Henry Cavill for Wonder Man

Spock0Clock - 9/2/2019, 3:08 AM

If WB spent 200 million dollars on a Superman movie right now (with Cavill or rebooted), they would have to deal with franchise fatigue. There have been three cinematic Supermen, a half-dozen TV variants, and a fairly popular Supergirl series that has mined a lot of the comic story material. Superman's supporting cast has largely been an outdated cliche of the genre, so there would need to be some rehabilitation work done there. And beyond that, it just seems to me that WB brass isn't all that interested in the core themes of Superman (hope, justice, truth, all that jazz), as they seem a lot more enthusiastic about trashy clown movies.

So, if you've got a 200 million dollar check on your desk right now, and you're thinking about what to write in the memo line, I've got to imagine that you'd think... "What about Martian Manhunter, instead?" You can do all the space nonsense, all the last-son-of-a-dead-world stuff, and all the superhero city smashing spectacle of a Superman movie, but with a property that few people have any preconceptions about.

(Or maybe more clown movies, what do I know.)

99OPTIMISTPRIME - 9/2/2019, 3:21 AM

Supergirl can be the sole one with her name on the title. But it still has to be a Superman & Supergirl movie, with Lois Lane.

Spock0Clock - 9/2/2019, 3:34 AM

@WAKANDABATMANFOREVER - I think that kind of "RDJ in Homecoming" sized role is the only way Cavill is coming back at all. But even then, WB may not want to have any elements that tie a fledgling new franchise to the first fumbling phase of the DCEU.

99OPTIMISTPRIME - 9/2/2019, 4:58 AM

@Spock0Clock - I'm expecting both Amy Adams and Henry Cavill to be replaced. Which would be a real shame, because they were so fun together in interviews. I would've loved to have seen them portray a light-hearted Lois & Clark. But oh well. At least Zack Snyder gave them the love in the tub scene.😊

L0RDbuckethead - 9/2/2019, 2:13 PM

@WAKANDABATMANFOREVER - @WAKANDABATMANFOREVER - She was miscast as Lois, IMO. But to be fair, we never got to see that much of her outside of MoS, so it's not her fault they didn't utilize her talents.

She's a great actor -- don't get me wrong -- I just think she's horribly miscast for (Snyder's interpretation of) Lois Lane, much like Eisenberg was for "Lex Luthor, Jr."

OmegaDaGrodd - 9/2/2019, 5:35 AM

Despite not being a huge fan of most of the action in the movie, I felt like it still managed to work out it's own unique niche in the genre and was a really well rounded and wholesome movie overall.....which made the super awkward placement of this scene even more strange. Who's idea was this?

Forthas - 9/2/2019, 5:59 AM

Henry Cavill did not need to be in that mess of a movie. They need to this iteration of the DCEU and start from Man of Steel 2. Shazam is the worst performing DCEU in the franchise.