Sequel to the pre-pandemic “Shazam”, this new feature film by David F. Sandberg with Zachary Levi also stars Djimon Hounsou, the actor reprising his role as a wizard … which allowed him to find Helen Mirren on the set .
This brand new “Shazam! The Rage of the Gods” continues to give pride of place to the tribulations of young Billy Batson (Asher Angel) who, since his meeting with the old wizard Shazam (Djimon Hounsou), transforms into a superhero (Zachary Levi) when the need arises. actually feel. With his friends, he is confronted by the daughters of Atlas, Hespera (Helen Mirren), Kalypso (Lucy Liu) and Anthea (Rachel Zegler), who want nothing more than the annihilation of the planet by means of a particularly formidable weapon.
“I have a more important presence in this one, said Djimon Hounsou to the QMI Agency. I can’t say too much about my character, but in the first film, I only had to deal with Billy Batson, to whom I gave the powers of Shazam. Here, I have to deal with his “family”.
“Everyone was extremely invested in “The Rage of the Gods”. The writers really did an outstanding job of bringing all the characters back, he said. And then, we have three extraordinary villains who come to challenge the young people.
Always a wizard, we saw him quickly in Jaume Collet-Serra’s “Black Adam”, released in 2022, in which Dwayne Johnson played the superhero. Under the impetus of James Gunn, the future of Black Adam is uncertain – the boss of the DC universe having denied nothing… nor confirmed.
Since it’s no longer the allure of unlimited appearances in so many sequels, prequels, and new releases, why does Djimon Hounsou care about the wizard?
“It was the way the role was written that interested me at the time. The wizard was described as a man of great integrity, an essential quality for this kind of character,” he said.
If he could not reveal the – many – surprises that await moviegoers, Djimon Hounsou, on the other hand, was able to share his memories of the filming of “Shazam! The rage of the gods”, initiated as the whole world came out of confinement in the summer of 2021.
“My God! he exclaimed. It was so happy for everyone. We had all been confined for so long! Most of us hadn’t seen a film set in over a year. In fact, we were all extremely happy to meet again to film a story that resonates even more than that of the first part.
While some actors keep props from their roles, Djimon Hounsou has kept nothing from this shoot, or even from his wizard character.
“Not the staff, not the clothes… Anything to do with the wizard should go to a museum because of the creativity involved. I really think that the wizard’s accessories will become iconic objects, ”he said mysteriously, without wanting to elaborate on the meaning of his words for the future of his character.
Ascent…
The one who lived in the streets of Paris before being spotted by a member of Thierry Mugler’s team who suggested he work for the couturier has made it his duty to embody characters he can defend. Her first lead role? That of Cinque in “Amistad” by Steven Spielberg, which will earn him a nomination for the Golden Globes and the recognition of his peers. He then continues with “Gladiator, “Lara Croft: Tomb Raider, the cradle of life”, but it is his role as a painter in “In America” of which he is most proud… and which earned him his first Oscar nomination.
In 2006, we find him in “The Blood Diamond” – for which he was again nominated for an Oscar – and, in 2010, he gave the reply to Helen Mirren in “The Tempest” by Julie Taymor. In this reinterpretation of Shakespeare’s classic, he becomes Caliban, symbol of death and the earth, facing Prospera, who controls him. The former model, established in the United States, ex-husband of Kimora Lee Simmons with whom he had a son, finds himself caught up in the madness of superheroes when he becomes Korath in the first “Guardians of the Galaxy” in 2014. He spent time at DC dubbing the voice of King Ricou in “Aquaman” before returning to Marvel in “Captain Marvel” and, the same year, appeared in the first “Shazam! »
“Yes, I find Helen Mirren, he agreed. And I have the opportunity to play in a way that is more fun, more joyful and much more rewarding for me.
“He could well have a link between Shakespeare and superheroes, he repeated, laughing. Especially in the deep meaning of what the life of a superhero is. Yes… it deserves that I think about it more lengthily.
“In almost 10 years, superhero movies have changed enormously. They had a huge impact on society in general. Yes, it’s a genre that’s here to stay, to last. We need to escape reality and ourselves from time to time, and this genre satisfies that appetite. The nature of the life we lead, the constant pressures, etc. make superheroes appeal and attract,” he concluded.
Helen Mirren does not understand anything…
In “Shazam! Rage of the Gods,” Oscar-winning actress Helen Mirren transforms into Hespera, daughter of Atlas. With her companions Lucy Liu and Rachel Zegler, they want to put the world on fire and blood…
“Don’t ask me any questions about the script, it’s too complicated,” exclaimed the British actress on the “Graham Norton Show”. But that didn’t stop the one who defines herself as “not really the target audience” from wanting to appear in the credits of “Shazam! The rage of the gods”, because, the first film was “cute and funny. I loved it and I signed for the second part with happiness.
She was so enthusiastic that she demanded to do some of the stunts herself…but broke her little finger while filming one particularly intense scene. “I didn’t say anything, I didn’t complain so much I wanted to look like a stuntwoman,” she said of her misadventure on the set.
Zachary Levi’s Paradox
The interpreter of the superhero Shazam praised the merits of his character, whose first part of the adventures was successful at the box office, bringing in no less than US$366.1 million in the purse of Warner studios.
“He really is one of the most interesting and entertaining characters in the comic book world. While most superheroes are grown up, mature, and go about their time mulling over their problems, none can balance the fact that they’re still a kid and still learning to drive. This paradox creates a really pleasant playing field”, he detailed in the American media.
- “Shazam! The rage of the gods” hits cinema screens on March 17.