Skip to main content

All the Easter eggs in Shazam: Fury of the Gods

At long last, Shazam! Fury of the Gods has struck theaters with another exciting adventure following Billy Batson and his super-powerful foster family. As with many other comic book movies, there are plenty of Easter eggs laid throughout this superhero blockbuster that reference previous comics, films, and TV shows.

Now that the film has finally made its worldwide premiere, here’s a guide to all the hidden and extra details found in Shazam! Fury of the Gods.

The doctor’s toys

The pediatrician's office in "Shazam! Fury of the Gods."
Image used with permission by copyright holder

In Billy’s first scene in the film, he takes part in a therapy session with his doctor (pediatrician, actually). In his office, the audience finds a kids’ table with the cursed Annabelle doll that appears in The Conjuring Universe. This is clearly a reference to director David F. Sandberg’s previous film featuring said doll, Annabelle: Creation.

However, there are also plush dolls of heroes like Wonder Woman, Batman, Robin, and Green Lantern. There’s also a painting of Starro on the wall, which is strange since he killed and brainwashed countless people in The Suicide Squad.

Lotta Losten

Dr. Lynn in "Shazam!"
Image used with permission by copyright holder

Director David F. Sandberg’s wife Lotta Losten makes a brief cameo in this movie as a woman whom Shazam saves from falling off a bridge. Loste is also known for playing Dr. Lynn, who disintegrates after touching a magic door in the first Shazam! film, as well as the protagonist in many of Sandberg’s short horror films. At this point, it’s pretty clear Sandberg loves putting his wife in scary situations on camera.

The burning violin

Thaddeus Sivana in the Rock of Eternity in "Shazam!"
Image used with permission by copyright holder

One of the most bizarre artifacts found in the Rock of Eternity is a violin that’s always burning. This mystical relic reappears in the sequel and is the subject of many jokes, and is even used as a distraction to trick the Daughters of Atlas.

Some comic book fans may know this is an obscure reference to Nero’s fiddle from Captain Marvel Adventures #64, which shows the villain Oggar enchant the artifact to make it release fire, nearly turning New York City to ashes.

Pedro’s book report

Pedro holding a failed math test in "Shazam!"
Image used with permission by copyright holder

In the first film, Billy’s foster brother Pedro is seen throwing out a test marked with a failing grade, indicating that he is having trouble in school. Though this subplot isn’t mentioned much after that, the sequel does call back to it with the revelation that the Shazam Family’s sentient pen Steve has been secretly writing Pedro’s book reports for him.

Shazam’s real name

Shazam points to something in Shazam: Fury of the Gods.
Image used with permission by copyright holder

Even in his second film, Billy still can’t figure out the name of his superhero persona. Though he and his team are dubbed the “Philadelphia Fiascos” by the local news, one bystander lovingly refers to Billy as “Captain Marvel” later in the film.

Many fans know that this was the hero’s original moniker in the comics before facing a trademark battle over a certain character of the same name in Marvel Comics. Fun fact: the bystander who calls Shazam “Captain Marvel” is played by TV’s Michael Gray, who played Billy Batson on The Shazam!/Isis Hour.

The Fast and the Furious

Hespera in "Shazam! Fury of the Gods."
Image used with permission by copyright holder

In the scene where Billy meets with Hespera, Billy argues that he has the upper hand in their divine conflict because he has his family supporting him, all while mentioning that he’s watched all the Fast of the Furious films.

While it’s common knowledge that this series of action blockbusters emphasizes family to the point of widespread parody, this bit of dialogue may also be a tongue-in-cheek reference to Mirren’s role in the franchise as Magdalene Shaw.

The cyclops

The cyclops in "Shazam! Fury of the Gods."
Image used with permission by copyright holder

This superhero film pays homage to classic cinema with the appearance of the mythical cyclops, who is birthed from the Tree of Life when Kalypso plants it in Philadelphia. This creature’s design strongly resembles that of the cyclops seen in The 7th Voyage of Sinbad which was designed by Ray Harryhausen, whose work in stop-motion animation set the stage for future CGI blockbusters like Fury of the Gods.

The man in black

Shazam faces an unseen enemy in Shazam! Fury of the Gods.
Image used with permission by copyright holder

During the film’s climactic third act, Billy’s red super suit becomes so burnt that it is rendered almost completely black. This costume design likely references Billy’s predecessor, Black Adam, who made his DCEU debut not long ago in his film of the same name.

The fact that Billy now resembles him as he battles Kalypso seems to complete the former’s complete transformation as the legendary Champion of Shazam, albeit one with a much purer heart.

The Justice Society

Shazam in "Shazam! Fury of the Gods."
Image used with permission by copyright holder

The film’s mid-credits scene features the surprise return of Emilia Harcourt and John Economos. The duo is seen inviting Shazam to join the Justice Society of America, who introduced themselves to the DCEU in Black Adam (perhaps this is another setup for Shazam to face his antiheroic counterpart). Shazam quickly accepted the offer, but only because he thought they meant the Justice League.

The hero then goes on a long rant questioning why both teams have similar names, and he throws some suggestions for different names using an online thesaurus. This ends with Shazam suggesting “The Avengers Society,” which he likes the most. Gee, wonder why.

Editors' Recommendations

Topics
Anthony Orlando
Anthony Orlando is a writer/director from Oradell, NJ. He spent four years at Lafayette College, graduating CUM LAUDE with a…
Argylle’s first trailer teases action, sex, and Henry Cavill with a bad haircut
Sam Rockwell and Bryce Dallas Howard in Argylle.

Early next year, Apple TV+ and Universal Pictures are teaming up for a spy action comedy film called Argylle, which has some real-world intrigue behind the scenes. The Argylle movie is based on a book that hasn't been released yet by first-time author Elly Conway, a woman who may not exist. There's almost no digital footprint for the "real" Elly, and the main character in the movie is also named Elly Conway (Bryce Dallas Howard). We suspect that the real novel writer is just using Elly Conway as a pen name, but that mystery will have to wait for another time. For now, the fictional Elly is about to be thrust into a spy story that is straight out of her novels.

Argylle | Official Trailer

Read more
The 10 best Star Trek: Voyager episodes, ranked
Captain Janeway gives a speech on the bridge of the Starship Voyager

As much as fans love to praise Star Trek as groundbreaking science fiction, it’s important to remember that, for most of the franchise’s history, Trek was weekly procedural television. Until the streaming era, each series was churning out roughly 26 episodes a year, and by the later seasons of Star Trek: Voyager, some of the creative crew had been in the business of making Star Trek for over a decade. The franchise was a crossover commercial success, the kind of success that the money men like to leave exactly as it is for as long as it’s doing steady numbers.
The operation was essentially on rails, and there was a lot of pressure from the studio and the network to keep it that way, which accounts for the general blandness of Voyager and the early years of its successor, Enterprise. The waning years of Trek’s golden era were plagued by creative exhaustion and, consequently, laziness. Concepts from previous series were revisited, often with diminishing returns, and potentially groundbreaking ideas were nixed from on high in order to avoid upsetting the apple cart.
That’s not to say that Star Trek: Voyager isn’t still a solid television show, and even many Trekkies’ favorite. The saga of Captain Kathryn Janeway (Kate Mulgrew) and her gallant crew finding their way home from the farthest reaches of the galaxy may not be as ambitious as it could have been, but it is steadily entertaining, which is why new and nostalgic fans alike enjoy it as cozy “comfort viewing.” For our part, however, we tend to enjoy the episodes that have a certain emotional intensity or creative spark, that feel like conceptual or stylistic risks. As such, you might find that our list of the 10 best Voyager episodes differs greatly from some of the others out there. We like when Voyager dared to get heavy, or silly, or sappy, or mean. So, without further ado, let’s raise a glass to the journey ...
Like Star Trek? Then check out how do I get into Star Trek?
10. Counterpoint (season 5, episode 10)

Counterpoint drops the audience into the middle of an ongoing story,in which Voyager is boarded and inspected by agents of a fascist government, the Devore. The Devore treat all travelers through their space with suspicion, but are particularly concerned with capturing and detaining all telepaths, who they view as dangerous. Despite the risks, Captain Janeway is attempting to smuggle a group of telepathic refugees to safety, all while putting on a show of cooperation for smiling Devore Inspector Kashyk (Mark Harelik). Much of the plot takes place in the background, obscured from the audience in order to build suspense. The real focus is on the evolving dynamic between Janeway and Kashyk, a rivalry that simmers into one of the Voyager captain’s rare romances. Kashyk works in the service of what are, transparently, space Nazis, but when he offers to defect to Voyager, can his intentions be trusted?
Beyond its intriguing premise, Counterpoint is a particularly strong production with a lot of subtle hints of creative flair. Director Les Landau and director of photography Marvin Rush, who had been both working on Star Trek since the 1980s, shoot the hell out of this story, breaking from Voyager’s even lighting and predictable camera moves to make some very deliberate choices that build a great deal of tension around what is essentially a bottle episode. The makeup team, supervised by equally seasoned Trek veteran Michael Westmore, supplies a memorable and imaginative makeup design for an alien astrophysicist who appears in all of two scenes in this episode and is never utilized again. Most of all, Kate Mulgrew provides what may be her most subtle, human performance in the entire series, embodying Janeway’s famous conviction and strength of will while also granting a rare glimpse at her more vulnerable side without ever straying into melodrama.

Read more
The Creator’s ending, explained
John David Washington stands by a bridge in The Creator.

Warning: This article contains spoilers for The Creator (2023).

Early in The Creator, its hero, Joshua (John David Washington), is assigned by his military superiors to track down and kill the mysterious figure known as “Nimata,” the creator of a new AI weapon that's supposedly capable of ending the war between the anti-AI U.S. and the robotic and human civilians of New Asia. It’s during this mission that Joshua crosses paths with the weapon in question, an AI child named Alphie (Madeleine Yuna Voyles), who has the power to remotely shut down any technological devices in close proximity to her.

Read more