Shazam! 2 Features a Cameo From the Original Billy Batson
Shazam! 2’s Most Unexpected Cameo Honors the Titular Hero’s History
Shazam! Fury of the Gods features a cameo from the classic TV version of Billy Batson, finally giving the 1970s series its long-deserved due.
The following contains spoilers for Shazam! Fury of the Gods, in theaters now.
Shazam! Fury of the Gods is only the second appearance of the World's Mightiest Mortal In the DC Universe films, but the character's history goes back several decades. That saw him become one of the first superheroes ever adapted outside the world of comics. One cameo in the new film even homages this history.
While not as well-known as other superhero shows in the 1970s, the Shazam! TV series was still a classic of the time. Long overlooked and somewhat denied its place in old-school superhero media canon, the series and its star are now being honored through a very different incarnation of Billy Batson. Here's how the new "Captain Marvel" met the version from the '70s.
TV's First Shazam Is in Fury of the Gods
During the climax of the Fury of the Gods, the Shazam Family -- namely Billy's superhero alter ego -- finally begins to become accepted by the citizens of Philadelphia. That sadly only comes after the Daughters of Atlas encase the city in a magical dome and ravage it with mythological monsters. Even with the rest of his family losing their powers, Billy/Shazam goes it alone against Kalypso and her vile wooden dragon. Throwing cars and lightning at the beast, he's backed up by a choir of supportive civilians. And despite having mocked him and his heroic efforts, the townspeople now celebrate him, namely one older man wearing a familiar red and yellow shirt.
And that is none other than Michael Gray, who portrayed Billy/Captain Marvel in the 1974 Shazam! TV series. As if his appearance (which mirrors his on the show in the form of Billy's classic comic book wardrobe) wasn't enough, he encourages Zachary Levi's Billy by telling him, "You go, Captain Marvel!" The line is one of the film's best Easter eggs and spotlights an often-overlooked part of the hero's history.
The Shazam! TV Series Is Underrated
When it comes to old-school superhero shows, many will recall the Adam West Batman TV series, the Lynda Carter Wonder Woman show and perhaps even the George Reeves Superman show. The '70s also had the live-action Incredible Hulk series that made the jade giant a household name, but the Shazam! show of the same era isn't remembered quite as much. The premise was somewhat different and more grounded than the fairly whimsical Fawcett Comics, with Billy traveling around the country with a man named Mentor (essentially a mortal stand-in for the Wizard Shazam) looking for trouble to fix. That may have upset some fans of the classic character, but the show was definitely successful in its own right.
It led to a spinoff titled The Secrets of Isis, a completely original superhero series not based on a preexisting DC or Fawcett property. The Isis character would later be adapted into the DC Universe, with the heroine's mortal alter ego being a prominent character in 2022's Black Adam. It would even be referenced via the Rust Bucket (a vehicle similar to the camper driven in Shazam!) in the cartoon Ben 10, which had a license plate that read as S81Z1M (Shazam). Thus, it's impossible to deny the impact of the show on the hero and his development, and remembering it using someone that many people saw as Billy Batson was perhaps the best way to give the series reverence.
To see TV's original Captain Marvel, Shazam! Fury of the Gods is now playing in theaters.
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