‘Shazam! Fury of the Gods’: Breaking Down the Easter Eggs, From ‘Fast and the Furious’ to ‘Annabelle’
SPOILER ALERT: This story contains spoilers for “Shazam! Fury of the Gods,” currently playing in theaters.
Zachary Levi returns as Billy Baston/Shazam in “Shazam! Fury of the Gods.” In the DC superhero sequel, a trio of vindictive sorceresses called the Daughters of Atlas — led by Helen Mirren as Hespera, Lucy Liu as Kalypso and Rachel Zegler as Anthea — want to avenge their father and take back the power of the gods they believe was stolen from Shazam and his crew.
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David F. Sandberg directs and, in true superhero style, peppers easter eggs throughout the film for the most eagle-eyed superhero fans.
Here are a few that we spotted.
“The Fast and the Furious”
In one scene, Shazam and Hespera are sitting down and he tells her, “Look, I might not have as much experience as you because I’m not super old like you, but I’ve seen all of the ‘Fast and Furious’ movies,” a nod to Mirren’s role as Queenie in the long-running racing franchise.
Shazam then jokes, “It’s all about family.”
Annabelle
This is not the first time Annabelle, that haunted raggedy doll, has appeared in the DC Extended Universe films.
Annabelle has previously been spotted in “Aquaman” and “Shazam.” This time, the creepy doll makes a guest appearance in the pediatrician’s office.
Sandberg directed 2017’s “Annabelle: Creation.”
Fulci a.k.a. Lucio Fulci
On the subject of horror… Sandberg pays homage to Italian horror director Lucio Fulci with a cleverly placed sign in the background. Nicknamed the “Godfather of Gore,” his films include “A Cat in the Brain,” “Don’t Torture a Duckling,” “The Black Cat” and “The Beyond,” which Sandberg revealed is his favorite Fulci movie.
Iconoclasts
Back in 2019, Sandberg’s older brother, video game developer Joakim ‘Konjak’ Sandberg, had a cameo in “Shazam!” In the sequel, Ian Chen’s character Eugene sports an “Iconoclasts” T-shirt, a reference to Joakim’s 2018 platforming game.
S for Starro
In the same scene that features the creepy doll Annabelle, Starro the Conqueror, the ginormous starfish-like creature from “The Suicide Squad,” appears on the alphabet wall next to the letter S.
Batman and Wonder Woman
There are plenty of nods throughout the film to the Caped Crusader. Billy has a mug with the Batman logo, as well as a sketch of the superhero on his bedroom wall.
He also appears (in plush form) in the pediatrician’s office, a treasure trove of easter eggs, behind Annabelle. Plus, there are two Wonder Woman toys.
A TV spot released ahead of the film’s opening revealed Gal Gadot’s cameo and appearance as Wonder Woman in “Fury of the Gods.”
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