To revisit this article, select My Account, then View saved stories. Still, Mar-Vell himself was a bit of a snooze, and found himself gradually eclipsed by his one-time love interest, Carol Danvers. All Rights Reserved, This is a BETA experience. Carol is easily able to overpower him from beginning to end, and upon reaching her full potential she destroys an alien armada that randomly appears in the sky, disposing of Yon-Rogg only as an afterthought. Shazam! embracing the outdated elements of the source material, turning the silly story into a self-aware coming-of-age comedy. Why DC and Marvel both have one in their stable—and how both ended up starring in films being released this spring. Here’s why Shazam! Jeremy has been active on the web since the 90s. For all the different qualities the films possess, whether you love Shazam! Meanwhile, Marvel’s Captain Marvel also saw his stock rising; as an alien superhero, he found himself at the epicenter of what became the “Cosmic” Marvel wing, whose most famous representatives in the 21st century are the Guardians of the Galaxy. Billy doesn't actually receive or self-assign a superhero name in the film, which leaves his foster brother (and superhero sidekick) Freddy Freeman to come up with multiple versions. Captain Marvel's screenplay, by Ana Boden, Ryan Fleck, and Geneva Robertson-Dworet, is a bit more ambitious and experimental but not quite as perfectly successful. And in an extension of this theme, Billy is unable to defeat Sivana alone; it’s only after he extends his superpowers to his family that they manage to take down the villain, together. Fawcett had to cease and desist publishing Captain Marvel comics—although by that point, sales of superheroes had generally fallen off since the war years, and they were likely about to retire the franchise in any event. US Agent Confirmed to Use the Captain America Title in The Falcon and The Winter Soldier, The Falcon and The Winter Soldier Will Bring Back Early MCU Characters, Sony Addresses the Tobey & Andrew Spider-Man 3 Rumors, Rumor: Miles Morales is Headed to the MCU, The Disney+ Investors Day is December 10th. Captain Marvel's soundtrack is a much bigger deal for the film's atmosphere, contributing a lot to the film's '90s setting. One of the most impressive qualities of Shazam! But as proof that the rivalry between the heroes of the same name is far from over, Shazam! can't match: the de-aging work on Samuel L. Jackson as Nick Fury. Much easier to describe them, right? Two decades later, DC cheekily purchased the rights to the character and integrated him into the DC universe, where he was referred to within the pages of his comics as “Captain Marvel” but marketed as “Shazam,” due to an ongoing trademark conflict with Marvel Comics, which had since created a separate character sharing the name “Captain Marvel”. Even if you don't love how every track is used (the fight scene set to No Doubt's "Just a Girl" has proven controversial), there's a lot more to remember. From the awards race to the box office, with everything in between: get the entertainment industry's must-read newsletter. Marvel's Captain Marvel wasn't entirely a hit with their readers, according to comics historian Don Markstein. Still, there aren't many chances for both Marvel and DC to throw eachother a wink--and two superheroes who became famous as "Captain Marvel" is as good an opportunity as they'll ever get. Shazam! SPOILER WARNING for both Captain Marvel and Shazam. Vinyl Figure, Captain Marvel: Nick Fury Pop! will be more powerful. Want up-to-the-minute entertainment news and features? But even if star Zachary Levi supports Captain Marvel, it's not hard to see why Warner Bros. would choose against free advertising for the competition. works as well as it does because from the get-go, it makes viewers understand and care about Billy Batson. and Captain Marvel have some really entertaining action scenes that show off the heroes' powers. has maybe two and a half memorable music cues. All the latest gaming news, game reviews and trailers. 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When he’s not pursing the future of Marvel movies, he’s really into tech. approaches such issues. might actually be more consistent quality-wise, but both films have their fair share of plastic-y CGI body doubles in action scenes. ), originally sent to earth from the alien Kree empire as a military observer, before switching allegiances and helping the earthlings fend off enemy attacks. But at least we finally know how Nick Fury lost his eye … it makes sense why he never talks about it. ignores the existence of Carol Danvers altogether... to make a Captain America joke, instead. He referred to the Captain as the Big Red Cheese. If you're looking for a general and subjective opinion, we'd say that Shazam is overall better at what it's trying to accomplish than Captain Marvel is at achieving its goals. That Shazam! Now, do the same for Billy's foster family. I write about film, television, pop culture, and other fun stuff. Nobody can begrudge the makers of Shazam! really emphasized how amusingly antiquated the titular character is. Carol Danvers is established both as a powerhouse, and a fish out of water. In comic-book terms, it would be described as an epic battle: Captain Marvel vs. Captain Marvel. Shazam! 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