Warning: The following contains spoilers forShazam: Fury of the Gods.It’s a rite of passage for superhero movie fans to try to spot all the Easter eggs in new releases, andShazam: Fury of the Godsaudience members will have plenty of fun doing just that. The movie doesn’t have a vast number of comic book Easter eggs since it does usher in a lot of pop culture references and blatant connections to the wider DC Universe, but there are a few hidden ones for fans to pick out.
InShazam: Fury of the Gods, Billy Batson (Asher Angel, Zachary Levi) struggles to get his siblings to cooperate as a team of superheroes as they’re all growing up and finding their own paths. When the Daughters of Atlas (Helen Mirren, Lucy Liu, and Rachel Zegler) hatch a plan to get the power of the ancient gods back, however, Billy finds himself trying to be the team leader his family needs him to be. Amidst the two+ hours of action are Easter eggs and references.
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Deliberately Designed Studio Logos
Any movie opens with the logos of the production companies and studios that finance and distribute the film. In the case ofShazam: Fury of the Gods, that means logos for Warner Bros., New Line, and DC. Each of those logos, however, will look different from what fans might remember from other movies. They’re all designed to look like they’re made of stone, just like the temple and ancient labyrinth that play larger roles in the film.
The Pediatrician’s Office
There are quite a few DC nods in the office of the pediatrician that Billy, in his superhero form, goes to for advice. There are several toys depicting DC heroes like Batman, Robin, Green Lantern, and Wonder Woman. In fact, there are several Wonder Woman dolls, foreshadowing her importance in the movie. The alphabet poster also provides a nod to a recentDC villain found inThe Suicide Squad. S might be for a star, but the illustration depicts Starro. Starro can also be spotted drawn on a chalkboard in the office.
That’s not all though. Amid the toys in the room, there’s also anAnnabelledoll seated at the kids’ table.Shazamdirector David F. Sandberg is better known for his work in horror movies. Those movies includeAnnabelle: Creation. Annabelle has appeared in multiple DC movies now thanks to the horror connections. Sandberg also had the doll on a store shelf in the firstShazammovie. She’s also been spotted inAquaman, which is the result ofhorror icon James Wan overseeing theAquamanmovies.
Beyond that, the pediatrician’s office also acts as some major foreshadowing for events to come - and not just because of the numerous Wonder Woman dolls. The illustrations and toys also feature unicorns, which play a major role in the battle later. The room also features a lot of rainbows or toys featuring the classic red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo, and violet color scheme of rainbows, which comes into play with the use of Skittles later in the movie.
References To The Justice League
Shazamwasn’t shy about referencing the Justice League in the first movie, and it’s not this time around either. The biggest references are for Wonder Woman, who also appears in the wall of newspaper clippings that the siblings save, but Billy also makes references to the Flash and name-checks Aquaman and Batman. Only Cyborg gets no love from the hero.
Wonder Woman’s cameo, which features Gal Gadot in the role (possibly for the last time in the DC movies), makes it clear that theShazammovies are set in the same continuity as theJustice Leagueand wider DCEU for the time being.
The Burning Violin
The burning violin seen in the lair the siblings have created around the Rock of Eternity was previously seen in the first movie. Though they’re not sure of its origin, it’s a nod to a flaming magic fiddle from the originalCaptain Marvel Adventurescomics of the 1940s.
The Pop Culture References
The trailer made it clear that there would be a ton of pop culture references for fans, though even someplanned Easter eggs didn’t make it intoShazam 2. The hero calls Lucy Liu’s villain “Khaleesi” in a nod toGame of Thrones, and Billy Batson wears aGooniesshirt before transforming. Those are just the tip of the iceberg.
When Freddy (Jack Dylan Grazer) is told to “say their names,” in reference to revealing the team of heroes who have the powers of the gods, he resists by likening the phrase to a Destiny’s Child song of a similar name. This reference works well because he aims the question about Destiny’s Child at Liu, who starred in theCharlie’s Angelsremake movies for which Destiny’s Child recorded music.
A similar tongue-in-cheek nod is used when Billy takes a meeting with Helen Mirren’s villain. There, he references that he’s all about family,just like theFast and the Furiousmovies. While it’s a fun pop culture reference on its own, it works better here because Mirren was in those movies as well.
Billy also makes an accidental reference toLord of the Rings. He has trouble remembering the name Solomon, who provides Shazam with his wisdom. At one point, he calls Solomon “Saruman” instead, confusing his siblings. Saruman is one of the antagonists in theLord of the Ringstrilogy.
The tee shirts worn by the main cast of characters also provide a ton of pop culture nods. Freddy has shirts that provide nods to real-life bands. He and Billy also reference a lot of movies with their tees. In addition toThe Goonies,there’s also aGremlinsshirt. They are clearly fans of 1980s adventure movies. There’s also a shirt depicting a bat and a robin in the traditional color scheme of Batman and Robin from the comics.
The Monsters From The Tree Of Life
While it’s clear that theDaughters of Atlas and the golden applesare adapted from stories of Greek mythology, so are the “monsters” that emerge from the roots of the Tree Of Life. All the monsters are inspired by mythological creatures. In addition to the unicorns that Darla (Faithe Herman, Meagan Good) likes so much, the creatures that emerge include cyclops, minotaurs, harpies, manticores, and griffins.
Captain Marvel
It’s been a running joke that Billy needs a heroic name to go with his heroic persona. One person calls him Captain Marvel when he’s trying to save the city. That’s not a nod to the Marvel comic book character, but a nod toShazam’s comic book history. He was originally called Captain Marvel before the Marvel comic book character became better known for the name.
In a double Easter egg situation, the man who actually calls Billy is played by Michael Gray. Gray played Billy Batson in the 1970sShazamtelevision series that lasted for about two dozen episodes.
The Mid-Credit Scene
Jennifer Holland andSteve Agee reprise their roles fromSuicide SquadandPeacemakerfor the mid-credit scene inShazam: Fury Of The Gods. Their presence in the movie continues astoryline fromBlack Adamin which Amanda Waller (Viola Davis) has a team of heroes she can contact, not just a team of villains at her disposal. The duo attempt to recruit Shazam to join the Justice Society, the same team that Doctor Fate, Atom Smasher, Hawkman, and Cyclone are a part of.
It’s not clear if the Justice Society will continue to be a part of James Gunn’s DCU moving forward, but it’s clear that the recent DC movies intended to set up a new roster for the team.
The Post-Credit Scene
Though reports surroundingShazam: Fury Of The Godsindicated thatMark Strong’s Dr. Sivanawould not be a part of the movie, that’s not entirely the case. He appears in a post-credit scene talking to Mr. Mind, the caterpillar about their mysterious future plan. Sivana is still locked in a cell, but that cell is covered with doodles of the symbols he’s been seeing since he was deemed unworthy of the power of Shazam as a child and images of the hero suffering various fates. The scene sets up a potentialShazam 3, though it’s not clear if theShazamseries will continue in the current DCU.
