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

The DC character known as Shazam originates from early Fawcett Publications stories created by artist C. C. Beck and writer Bill Parker, where the wizard Shazam grants Billy Batson the power to transform into an adult champion by speaking a magic word formed from the initials of mythic figures. In modern screen adaptations, Shazam has been presented with a power set that includes flight, super strength, and lightning manipulation, while narratives commonly center on themes of family, responsibility, and the contrast between a teenager’s perspective and an adult superhero’s presence. Film installments such as ‘Shazam!’ and ‘Shazam! Fury of the Gods’ feature Zachary Levi as the titular hero and Asher Angel as Billy Batson, were directed by David F. Sandberg, and written in part by Henry Gayden, with production through New Line Cinema and DC.

Within the DCU architecture overseen by James Gunn and Peter Safran, cross-franchise continuity typically aligns directors, writers, and ensembles across films and series to maintain tonal and narrative cohesion. Shazam as a character intersects naturally with magical and mythological corners of DC storytelling, putting him adjacent to figures who appear in projects like ‘Peacemaker’ and ‘The Suicide Squad’, properties connected to creators such as James Gunn, and allowing for potential collaborations with ensembles anchored by actors from series like ‘The Boys’ and ‘Reacher’ in broader action media. Below are 15 actors with notable work across action, comedy, and genre projects—along with factual highlights of their careers, collaborators, and storylines in which they’ve starred.

Alan Ritchson

Alan Ritchson portrays Jack Reacher in ‘Reacher’, a series developed by Nick Santora and adapted from Lee Child’s novels, where the lead character is a former military police investigator who uncovers criminal conspiracies while traveling the United States. Ritchson’s television credits also include ‘Titans’, developed by Akiva Goldsman, Geoff Johns, and Greg Berlanti, in which he plays Hank Hall, and ‘Blue Mountain State’, created by Chris Romano and Eric Falconer, where he appears as Thad Castle.

His film work spans action and franchise features, including ‘The Hunger Games: Catching Fire’, directed by Francis Lawrence, and motion-capture performances as Raphael in ‘Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles’ and ‘Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Out of the Shadows’, projects connected to producers such as Michael Bay and directors Jonathan Liebesman and Dave Green. Ritchson’s roles frequently involve combat-forward storytelling, ensemble coordination, and stunt-driven sequences under filmmakers with large-scale production experience.

Glen Powell

Glen Powell plays Lt. Jake “Hangman” Seresin in ‘Top Gun: Maverick’, directed by Joseph Kosinski, with a screenplay by Ehren Kruger, Eric Warren Singer, and Christopher McQuarrie, and an ensemble led by Tom Cruise and Miles Teller in a story that centers on elite aviator training and a high-risk mission. Powell also headlines ‘Anyone But You’, directed by Will Gluck, a romantic comedy featuring Sydney Sweeney in a plot that follows a contentious pair who stage a fake relationship during a destination wedding.

He co-wrote and stars in ‘Hit Man’, directed by Richard Linklater, based on a Texas Monthly article by Skip Hollandsworth, with a narrative about an undercover operative assuming multiple personas; the film features Adria Arjona and was scripted by Linklater and Powell. Additional credits include ‘Devotion’, a Korean War aviation drama directed by J. D. Dillard and starring Jonathan Majors, with a story that profiles naval aviator Jesse Brown and wingman Tom Hudner.

Zac Efron

Zac Efron’s dramatic work includes ‘The Iron Claw’, directed by Sean Durkin, where he portrays Kevin Von Erich in a biographical story about the Von Erich wrestling family, with co-stars Jeremy Allen White, Harris Dickinson, and Lily James. He led ‘Extremely Wicked, Shockingly Evil and Vile’, directed by Joe Berlinger, which examines the Ted Bundy case through the viewpoint of Liz Kendall, played by Lily Collins.

Efron’s musical and franchise credits feature ‘The Greatest Showman’, directed by Michael Gracey with songs by Benj Pasek and Justin Paul, in a cast including Hugh Jackman and Zendaya, and ‘Baywatch’, directed by Seth Gordon, with Dwayne Johnson and Priyanka Chopra Jonas in a beach rescue action-comedy narrative. His career includes a balance of comedic and dramatic roles across studio and independent productions under directors known for musical, thriller, and action storytelling.

John Cena

John Cena stars in ‘Peacemaker’, created by James Gunn, a series that follows a government black-ops program and a costumed antihero recruited for covert missions, featuring Danielle Brooks, Freddie Stroma, and Jennifer Holland. He appears in ‘The Suicide Squad’, directed by James Gunn, which assembles incarcerated supervillains for high-risk assignments under the supervision of Amanda Waller, with a cast including Margot Robbie, Idris Elba, and Viola Davis.

Cena’s filmography also includes ‘Bumblebee’, directed by Travis Knight, where the story centers on a young woman who discovers an Autobot in a California junkyard, and entries in the ‘Fast & Furious’ franchise led by directors Justin Lin and Louis Leterrier. He has hosted and appeared in numerous unscripted and family-oriented projects while maintaining roles in action narratives produced by major studios.

Taron Egerton

Taron Egerton leads ‘Kingsman: The Secret Service’ and its sequel, directed by Matthew Vaughn and adapted from the comic by Mark Millar and Dave Gibbons, portraying a streetwise recruit trained by a clandestine spy organization alongside Colin Firth and Sophie Cookson. He portrays Elton John in ‘Rocketman’, directed by Dexter Fletcher, a biographical musical drama that tracks the musician’s early career, featuring Richard Madden and Bryce Dallas Howard.

On television, Egerton headlines ‘Black Bird’, created by Dennis Lehane and based on the autobiographical account by James Keene with Hillel Levin, where he plays a convict offered a deal to elicit a confession from a suspected serial killer portrayed by Paul Walter Hauser. He also stars in ‘Tetris’, directed by Jon S. Baird, a historical drama about the legal and corporate battles around the famous video game, with Nikita Efremov and Toby Jones in supporting roles.

Dacre Montgomery

Dacre Montgomery portrays Billy Hargrove in ‘Stranger Things’, created by the Duffer Brothers, which follows the residents of Hawkins as they confront threats from an alternate dimension known as the Upside Down, with an ensemble including Millie Bobby Brown, David Harbour, and Winona Ryder. He leads ‘Power Rangers’, directed by Dean Israelite, playing Jason Scott in a story about teenagers who gain alien powers and pilot Zords to defend Earth.

Montgomery appears in ‘The Broken Hearts Gallery’, produced in part by Selena Gomez and directed by Natalie Krinsky, a romantic comedy about a gallery that displays items kept from past relationships, with Geraldine Viswanathan and Utkarsh Ambudkar. His career covers genre-spanning projects from science fiction to relationship-focused narratives led by creators known for youth-centered and ensemble storytelling.

Liam Hemsworth

Liam Hemsworth plays Gale Hawthorne in ‘The Hunger Games’ films, adapted from Suzanne Collins’s novels, with early entries directed by Gary Ross and subsequent installments by Francis Lawrence, where the plot follows a dystopian society that stages televised fights to the death involving adolescents. He stars in ‘Independence Day: Resurgence’, directed by Roland Emmerich, a science-fiction action sequel that depicts a renewed alien invasion countered by international defense forces.

Hemsworth appears in ‘Isn’t It Romantic’, directed by Todd Strauss-Schulson, a metafictional romantic comedy with Rebel Wilson that places a modern character inside the conventions of the genre. He joins ‘The Witcher’ series, developed by Lauren Schmidt Hissrich and adapted from Andrzej Sapkowski’s fantasy novels, a property centered on monster hunting, political intrigue, and magical factions.

Sam Heughan

Sam Heughan stars in ‘Outlander’, developed by Ronald D. Moore from Diana Gabaldon’s novels, portraying Jamie Fraser in a time-travel historical romance that interweaves Jacobite-era Scotland with twentieth-century storylines, with Caitríona Balfe leading the cast. He appears in ‘Bloodshot’, directed by David S. F. Wilson and adapted from Valiant Comics, featuring Vin Diesel as a resurrected soldier enhanced by nanotechnology.

Heughan headlines ‘SAS: Red Notice’, directed by Magnus Martens and adapted from Andy McNab’s novel, a thriller about a train hijacking and special-operations response, with Ruby Rose and Andy Serkis. Additional credits include ‘The Spy Who Dumped Me’, directed by Susanna Fogel, an action-comedy involving international espionage with Mila Kunis and Kate McKinnon.

Alexander Skarsgård

Alexander Skarsgård portrays Eric Northman in ‘True Blood’, created by Alan Ball from Charlaine Harris’s novels, which depicts a Louisiana community adjusting to the public emergence of vampires and other supernatural beings, with Anna Paquin and Stephen Moyer in principal roles. He appears in ‘The Northman’, directed by Robert Eggers, an epic that follows a Viking prince on a revenge quest, with Nicole Kidman, Anya Taylor-Joy, Ethan Hawke, and Willem Dafoe.

Skarsgård stars in ‘Succession’, created by Jesse Armstrong, as tech mogul Lukas Matsson amid a narrative focused on corporate power struggles within a media dynasty led by Brian Cox and Jeremy Strong. He is featured in ‘Godzilla vs. Kong’, directed by Adam Wingard, within the MonsterVerse franchise that places iconic kaiju in large-scale battles coordinated across shared-universe entries.

Matt Bomer

Matt Bomer leads ‘White Collar’, created by Jeff Eastin, as con artist and consultant Neal Caffrey assisting an FBI unit in cases involving forgery, theft, and fraud, with Tim DeKay and Tiffani Thiessen in the ensemble. He portrays Larry Trainor in ‘Doom Patrol’, developed by Jeremy Carver from DC Comics, a series about a group of misfit heroes coping with trauma and bizarre antagonists, with Diane Guerrero, April Bowlby, and Brendan Fraser.

Bomer starred in ‘The Normal Heart’, directed by Ryan Murphy and adapted from Larry Kramer’s play, a drama focusing on the early AIDS crisis in New York City with Mark Ruffalo and Julia Roberts. He appears in ‘Fellow Travelers’, created by Ron Nyswaner from Thomas Mallon’s novel, a historical romance and political thriller set against government-led persecution of LGBTQ individuals, with Jonathan Bailey co-starring.

David Harbour

David Harbour plays Jim Hopper in ‘Stranger Things’, created by the Duffer Brothers, a series that blends science fiction, horror, and coming-of-age storytelling centered on a group of kids and their families confronting threats from a parallel dimension. He appears as Alexei Shostakov, also known as Red Guardian, in ‘Black Widow’, directed by Cate Shortland, a Marvel film that explores Natasha Romanoff’s past alongside Florence Pugh and Rachel Weisz.

Harbour leads ‘Hellboy’, directed by Neil Marshall, based on Mike Mignola’s comic about a demon raised by humans who works for a paranormal defense agency. He headlines ‘Violent Night’, directed by Tommy Wirkola, an action film that depicts a Santa Claus figure intervening during a criminal home invasion, with a cast that includes John Leguizamo and Beverly D’Angelo.

Jensen Ackles

Jensen Ackles is known for ‘Supernatural’, created by Eric Kripke, where he portrays Dean Winchester, a hunter of ghosts, demons, and monsters, alongside Jared Padalecki’s Sam Winchester in a road-mystery format that blends folklore with serialized myth arcs. He joins ‘The Boys’, developed by Eric Kripke from the comic by Garth Ennis and Darick Robertson, as Soldier Boy, a character integrated into a satirical superhero-industrial complex involving corporate oversight and media manipulation.

Ackles has voice-acted Bruce Wayne in ‘Batman: The Long Halloween’, an animated adaptation of Jeph Loeb and Tim Sale’s graphic novel that follows a serial killer targeting Gotham’s underworld during holidays. Additional credits include ‘Smallville’, where he played Jason Teague during Clark Kent’s formative years, and the slasher remake ‘My Bloody Valentine 3D’, directed by Patrick Lussier.

Channing Tatum

Channing Tatum stars in ’21 Jump Street’ and its sequel, directed by Phil Lord and Christopher Miller and inspired by the television series created by Patrick Hasburgh and Stephen J. Cannell, partnering with Jonah Hill in undercover high school and college investigations. He appears in ‘Magic Mike’, directed by Steven Soderbergh, a drama about male entertainers navigating friendship and business, with a cast including Matthew McConaughey and Joe Manganiello.

Tatum plays Duke in ‘G.I. Joe: The Rise of Cobra’, directed by Stephen Sommers, a military science-fiction film that pits an elite team against the global organization Cobra. His dramatic credits include ‘Foxcatcher’, directed by Bennett Miller, which recounts events surrounding John du Pont and Olympic wrestlers, and ‘Hail, Caesar!’, directed by Joel and Ethan Coen, a Hollywood period comedy with an ensemble cast.

Richard Madden

Richard Madden stars in ‘Bodyguard’, created by Jed Mercurio, portraying Police Sergeant David Budd assigned to protect a prominent politician amid political conspiracies and security crises. He plays Robb Stark in ‘Game of Thrones’, created by David Benioff and D. B. Weiss from George R. R. Martin’s novels, a fantasy saga involving dynastic conflicts, magic, and large-scale warfare.

Madden appears as Ikaris in ‘Eternals’, directed by Chloé Zhao, depicting immortal beings who have guided human civilization while confronting Deviant threats, with a cast that includes Gemma Chan, Kumail Nanjiani, and Angelina Jolie. He co-leads ‘Citadel’, created by Josh Appelbaum, Bryan Oh, and David Weil, a spy series about a memory-wiped agent drawn back into a global espionage network, co-starring Priyanka Chopra Jonas, and he features in ‘Rocketman’ as music manager John Reid.

Zachary Levi

Zachary Levi portrays Shazam in ‘Shazam!’ and ‘Shazam! Fury of the Gods’, directed by David F. Sandberg and written in part by Henry Gayden, with a story centered on Billy Batson’s foster-family life and conflicts with adversaries connected to divine and mythological forces. He starred in ‘Chuck’, created by Josh Schwartz and Chris Fedak, an action-comedy series where a computer geek accidentally downloads government secrets into his brain and becomes an asset monitored by CIA and NSA handlers.

Levi’s voice work includes Flynn Rider in Disney’s ‘Tangled’, directed by Byron Howard and Nathan Greno, a musical adventure based on the Rapunzel fairy tale and featuring Mandy Moore and Donna Murphy. He also appeared as Fandral in ‘Thor: The Dark World’ and ‘Thor: Ragnarok’, Marvel films directed by Alan Taylor and Taika Waititi that integrate Asgardian storylines with ensemble superhero narratives.

Share your own picks for who should harness the wizard’s lightning in the DCU in the comments!