Oscar winning actress Helen Mirren has officially signed on to play opposite Zachary Levi in Shazam: Fury of the Gods, the upcoming sequel to 2019’s hit DC Comic based superhero film Shazam.
As per the official description, Mirren will be playing the villain Hespera, a daughter of Atlas. It is unclear yet who exactly Hespera is within the DC Comics framework, as she does not have a clear comic book counterpart and Atlas is the name of several different DC Comic characters. Both Atlas and Hespera have ties to Greek mythology, so fans who are looking for a hint at what may be coming might want to brush up.
Mirren is the most recent addition to the cast, which has also announced Rachel Zegler (West Side Story) in a yet to be decided role. The film is set to continue the story of Billy Batson, a teenage boy who transforms into his superhero alter ego Shazam anytime he says “Shazam!” Asher Angel will return as Billy, with Zachary Levi playing his alter ego. The sequel will also see director David F. Sandberg returning to bring life to Henry Gayden’s screenplay based on the DC comic character created by Bill Parker and C.C. Beck.
Currently, Shazam! Fury of the Gods is scheduled to be released on June 2, 2023.
