OMG OMG OMG. Hollywood Reporter has some exciting news for comic book and pop culture fans the world over. Okay, so Peter Segal, who has directed lame stuff like Anger Management and The Longest Yard, but also the sweet and funny 50 First Dates, has sign on with New Line to direct SHAZAM!. As anyone who frequents this purgatory of the damned knows, SHAZAM! is about young Billy Batson, a normal kid, who magically becomes the hero Captain Marvel when he utters the name of the magician SHAZAM!. SHAZAM! of course stands for the wisdom of Soloman, the strength of Hercules, the stamina of Aries, the power of Zeus, the courage of Achilles and the speed of Mercury.
Captain Marvel is one of comic history's oldest heroes. I'm sure not an expert, but Superman came along in like 1938 and the all of the sudden there's Captain Marvel in like 1940. So I am pretty sure that Marvel wouldn't be around if Supes hadn't turned out to be so darned popular. DC Comics
has owned the rights to the character since the 70s and because of copyright issues, many people know him as SHAZAM! as opposed to Captain Marvel because Marvel Comics called dibbsies on the name or something.
The character actually made it to the small screen in the 70s. The show was, umm, called SHAZAM! I think, and while I have never seen it, Movie MILFie says that it was like crap on a stick or something. After a disturbing google, I found this picture to the right where Captain Marvel is skinnier than Karen Carpenter lost on an island.
I have always liked Captain Marvel even though he kind of doesn't hold a candle to Superman. But Captain Marvel can be such a cheeseball, right? Last year sometime I saw a great episode of Justice League Unlimited where Captain Marvel and Superman got up in each other's stuff. It was great because even though Supes is the Big Blue Boy Scout, Captain Marvel made him look sinister by comparison. I am not sure that will be the angle they take the movie, but I hope they remain true to the character. But this is being directed by the guy that brought us The Longest Yard so who knows. It might be just a parody or something, which would suck. And I really hope New Line isn't just rushing this through because their option on the property is about to move back to Warner Bros. or something.
Oh and by the way, Mr. Segal. Don't you mess up this costume. Captain Marvel has one of the best costumes in the history of comics. JUST DON'T! NO!
