We've spent most of our time talking about Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson's role in the Shazam film, but have paid little to no attention to the most important aspect of the character: Billy Batson. Billy Batson is a young orphan who is deemed worthy of becoming the champion of an ancient wizard SHAZAM. He's gifted the power of the Gods, and is struck by a magical thunderbolt that transforms into an adult superhero every time he utters the word "SHAZAM!" Though much of the film will likely be spent with Batson as his superpowered alter-ego fighting against the evil Black Adam, a main focus of the film will have to be on Batson himself, and the adventurous wonder of a child becoming a superhero. And there's arguably no better candidate to do that than Chris Columbus. Columbus' name doesn't seem to be well respected in fan circles, though he's directed some seminal and important films throughout his career. Adventures in Babysitting, Home Alone, Mrs. Doubtfire, and the first two Harry Potter films show that he can capture that young, magical spirit of Billy Batson, and deliver on the big blockbuster spectacle at the same time. He's already got one foot in the door over at Warner Bros., so getting him to work for the studio would likely be easy, if they ever decided to take the chance with him.
James is a 24 year old writer and filmmaker living in Portland, OR. He attended college for graphic design and writes for various sources on the web about film, television, and entertainment.
You can view all of his work on his website, www.thereeljames.wordpress.com
