15 Actors Perfect for the Role of the Shazam in the DCU

Shazam—also known as the champion empowered by the wizard’s magic—debuted in ‘Whiz Comics’ and is traditionally the superpowered counterpart to teenager Billy Batson. The character’s name is an acronym referencing the mythic sources of his gifts: Solomon, Hercules, Atlas, Zeus, Achilles, and Mercury, and stories typically balance high-flying action with a light, adventurous tone rooted in Billy’s perspective. On screen, the hero has appeared in ‘Shazam!’ and ‘Shazam! Fury of the Gods’, entries that placed the character within modern superhero cinema while spotlighting the wider Shazam Family.

As the DCU era develops under new leadership and reimagined continuity, casting for major icons regularly draws from performers with proven action credentials and a track record in ensemble storytelling. The actors below have anchored successful films or series, carried genre projects, or contributed to franchises across action, comedy, and fantasy, providing clear examples of the collaboration between performers, directors, writers, and crews that define large-scale comic book adaptations.

Zachary Levi

Zachary Levi headlined ‘Shazam!’, directed by David F. Sandberg and written by Henry Gayden from characters created by Bill Parker and C. C. Beck, with Asher Angel as Billy Batson and Mark Strong as Dr. Sivana. He returned in ‘Shazam! Fury of the Gods’, again directed by Sandberg with a screenplay by Henry Gayden and Chris Morgan, alongside Helen Mirren, Lucy Liu, and Rachel Zegler as the Daughters of Atlas.

Levi previously led the series ‘Chuck’, created by Josh Schwartz and Chris Fedak, and voiced Flynn Rider in Disney’s ‘Tangled’ for directors Nathan Greno and Byron Howard. His film and television work includes collaborations with producers such as Peter Safran and studios including Warner Bros. and New Line Cinema on the Shazam films.

Alan Ritchson

Alan Ritchson stars in ‘Reacher’, the Prime Video series developed by Nick Santora from Lee Child’s novels, portraying Jack Reacher across seasons produced by Amazon MGM Studios and Skydance Television. Before that, he played Hawk in DC’s ‘Titans’, developed by Akiva Goldsman, Geoff Johns, and Greg Berlanti, appearing in an ensemble that connected multiple corners of DC television.

Ritchson performed motion-capture as Raphael in ‘Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles’, directed by Jonathan Liebesman, and in ‘Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Out of the Shadows’, directed by Dave Green. Earlier credits include the comedy series ‘Blue Mountain State’, created by Eric Falconer and Chris Romano, establishing a portfolio spanning action and genre projects with effects-driven production.

Glen Powell

Glen Powell co-starred in ‘Top Gun: Maverick’, directed by Joseph Kosinski and produced by Jerry Bruckheimer and Tom Cruise, joining a cast that included Miles Teller and Jennifer Connelly. He has led the romantic comedy ‘Anyone But You’, directed by Will Gluck, and appeared in ‘Hidden Figures’, directed by Theodore Melfi, which chronicled NASA’s space program through the work of Katherine Johnson, Dorothy Vaughan, and Mary Jackson.

Powell co-wrote and starred in ‘Hit Man’, directed by Richard Linklater, blending crime elements with character-driven storytelling. He also headlined ‘Twisters’, directed by Lee Isaac Chung, part of a disaster-film lineage that demands large-scale coordination between visual effects teams, stunt departments, and principal cast.

John Cena

John Cena portrays Peacemaker in ‘The Suicide Squad’, written and directed by James Gunn, and in the spin-off series ‘Peacemaker’, created by Gunn for HBO Max, integrating the character into a wider DC on-screen continuity. His filmography includes ‘Bumblebee’, directed by Travis Knight, within the ‘Transformers’ franchise, and roles in ensemble productions like ‘F9’, directed by Justin Lin.

Cena’s screen career features action and comedy work across studio projects including ‘Blockers’, directed by Kay Cannon, and appearances in ‘Barbie’, directed by Greta Gerwig. His transition from WWE to film and television demonstrates collaboration with directors and writing teams in franchise storytelling and character world-building.

Chris Pratt

Chris Pratt leads Marvel Studios’ ‘Guardians of the Galaxy’ films as Peter Quill/Star-Lord under writer-director James Gunn, appearing across ensemble crossovers and trilogy entries. He also stars in Universal’s ‘Jurassic World’ series, launched by director Colin Trevorrow, which revived the dinosaur saga with large-scale effects and ensemble casts.

Pratt’s voice roles include Emmet in ‘The LEGO Movie’, directed by Phil Lord and Christopher Miller, and Mario in ‘The Super Mario Bros. Movie’, directed by Aaron Horvath and Michael Jelenic. His television breakthrough came with ‘Parks and Recreation’, created by Greg Daniels and Michael Schur, establishing range across comedy and adventure-driven productions.

Dacre Montgomery

Dacre Montgomery played Jason Scott/Red Ranger in ‘Power Rangers’, directed by Dean Israelite, a reboot that combined teen drama with superhero action through Saban and Lionsgate. He reached global audiences as Billy Hargrove in ‘Stranger Things’, created by the Duffer Brothers, joining a cast whose supernatural narrative integrates horror, coming-of-age, and period elements.

Montgomery’s film credits include ‘The Broken Hearts Gallery’, produced in part by Selena Gomez and directed by Natalie Krinsky, expanding his feature work into contemporary romance. His portfolio reflects collaboration with showrunners, directors, and production designers on projects that balance character arcs with spectacle.

Taron Egerton

Taron Egerton broke out as Eggsy in ‘Kingsman: The Secret Service’ and ‘Kingsman: The Golden Circle’, directed by Matthew Vaughn from the comic by Mark Millar and Dave Gibbons, combining stylized action with spy-movie conventions. He portrayed Elton John in ‘Rocketman’, directed by Dexter Fletcher, a biographical musical with songs integrated into narrative set pieces.

Egerton starred in ‘Black Bird’, a limited series created by Dennis Lehane, and led ‘Tetris’, directed by Jon S. Baird, dramatizing the game’s licensing saga during the Cold War. His filmography includes collaborations with writers and producers across action, drama, and music-driven storytelling.

Jensen Ackles

Jensen Ackles spent fifteen seasons on ‘Supernatural’, created by Eric Kripke, portraying Dean Winchester opposite Jared Padalecki, with episodes directed by recurring series directors and a writers’ room that developed long-form mythology. He later joined ‘The Boys’, developed by Kripke from the comic by Garth Ennis and Darick Robertson, as Soldier Boy in a satire of superhero tropes.

Ackles voiced Batman in the two-part animated adaptation ‘Batman: The Long Halloween’, directed by Chris Palmer, demonstrating experience with DC’s voice and animation teams. Additional credits include ‘Smallville’, where he appeared in a pre-Arrowverse DC television landscape that established cross-network superhero audiences.

Adam Brody

Adam Brody appears in ‘Shazam!’ and ‘Shazam! Fury of the Gods’ as the adult superhero form of Freddy Freeman, aligning with the Shazam Family ensemble under director David F. Sandberg. He is widely known for ‘The O.C.’, created by Josh Schwartz, a series that integrated music supervision and teen-drama storytelling with a recurring ensemble.

Brody’s feature work includes ‘Ready or Not’, directed by Matt Bettinelli-Olpin and Tyler Gillett, and ‘Promising Young Woman’, written and directed by Emerald Fennell, both notable for genre blending and distinctive narrative voice. His credits reflect collaboration with filmmakers across thriller, horror-comedy, and prestige drama.

Liam Hemsworth

Liam Hemsworth portrayed Gale Hawthorne in ‘The Hunger Games’ series based on Suzanne Collins’ novels, with the first film directed by Gary Ross and sequels by Francis Lawrence, forming a major YA franchise with ensemble casting. He starred in ‘Independence Day: Resurgence’, directed by Roland Emmerich, extending his experience in effects-heavy sci-fi blockbusters.

Hemsworth joined ‘The Witcher’ in later seasons as Geralt of Rivia in the series created by Lauren Schmidt Hissrich, adapted from Andrzej Sapkowski’s works, integrating fantasy world-building and stunt choreography. Additional credits include ‘Isn’t It Romantic’, directed by Todd Strauss-Schulson, and action thrillers produced across US and international locations.

Brandon Routh

Brandon Routh headlined ‘Superman Returns’, directed by Bryan Singer, continuing the cinematic legacy associated with the character through a production emphasizing classical iconography and orchestral scoring. He later portrayed Ray Palmer/The Atom in ‘DC’s Legends of Tomorrow’, developed by Greg Berlanti, Marc Guggenheim, Andrew Kreisberg, and Phil Klemmer, with crossover appearances across the Arrowverse.

Routh appeared in ‘Scott Pilgrim vs. the World’, directed by Edgar Wright from Bryan Lee O’Malley’s graphic novels, balancing stylized visuals with ensemble comedy. His career includes collaborations with television showrunners and comic-adaptation filmmakers working within interconnected narrative universes.

David Harbour

David Harbour plays Jim Hopper in ‘Stranger Things’, created by the Duffer Brothers, participating in a series that blends horror, adventure, and 1980s nostalgia across multiple seasons. He portrayed Alexei Shostakov/Red Guardian in ‘Black Widow’, directed by Cate Shortland for Marvel Studios, contributing to a shared continuity built through interlinked films.

Harbour headlined ‘Hellboy’ (2019), directed by Neil Marshall, taking on a role associated with practical makeup effects and extensive stunt coordination, and starred in ‘Violent Night’, directed by Tommy Wirkola. He also appeared in ‘Gran Turismo’, directed by Neill Blomkamp, a racing drama based on real events with a mix of practical and digital action.

Channing Tatum

Channing Tatum starred in ’21 Jump Street’ and ’22 Jump Street’, directed by Phil Lord and Christopher Miller, adapting the television property into action-comedy features with strong ensemble chemistry. He led ‘Magic Mike’ and ‘Magic Mike XXL’, with the first directed by Steven Soderbergh and the second directed by Gregory Jacobs, exploring character-driven drama against a dance-performance backdrop.

Tatum co-directed ‘Dog’ with Reid Carolin and appeared in ‘The Lost City’, directed by Adam and Aaron Nee, pairing adventure storytelling with comedic elements. Earlier franchise experience includes ‘G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra’, directed by Stephen Sommers, aligning action stunts with large-scale production design.

John Krasinski

John Krasinski directed and co-wrote ‘A Quiet Place’ and ‘A Quiet Place Part II’, films noted for sound-driven suspense and family-centered stakes, produced with Platinum Dunes and Paramount Pictures. He headlined the series ‘Jack Ryan’ for Prime Video, developed by Carlton Cuse and Graham Roland from Tom Clancy’s novels, placing the character in contemporary geopolitical narratives.

Krasinski appeared as Reed Richards in ‘Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness’, directed by Sam Raimi, connecting to Marvel’s multiverse storytelling. He wrote and directed ‘IF’, a family film featuring voice performances from an ensemble cast, continuing his work behind the camera with major studios.

Dev Patel

Dev Patel’s breakout came with ‘Slumdog Millionaire’, directed by Danny Boyle from a screenplay by Simon Beaufoy based on Vikas Swarup’s novel, earning multiple Academy Awards and international recognition. He starred in ‘Lion’, directed by Garth Davis and written by Luke Davies, portraying Saroo Brierley in a biographical drama produced with participation from See-Saw Films.

Patel led ‘The Green Knight’, directed by David Lowery and produced by A24, adapting the Arthurian legend with a distinctive visual approach, and wrote, directed, and starred in ‘Monkey Man’, an action thriller showcasing his work as a filmmaker. Television credits include ‘The Newsroom’, created by Aaron Sorkin, demonstrating range across prestige drama and action cinema.

We’d love to hear your picks too—share your ideal Shazam casting in the comments!