Easter Eggs And References You Missed In Shazam! Fury Of The Gods

In the movie's opening moments, Shazam unloads his existential problems on his doctor, and they are myriad. The events of the first film were a lot on his teenage mind (and enough that they bear recapping in this scene), and his current issues are arguably worse. Shazam simply doesn't know who he is, and that makes sense. He is, after all, both the adult superhero Shazam and the teenage high school student Billy Batson (Asher Angel). On top of the typical adolescent problems and the less-typical crime-fighting problems, Shazam also has an image problem, and it all stems from the Flash.

In one of the movie's first big shout-outs to its DC brethren, Shazam wonders aloud what he adds to the superhero community, given that the Flash already exists. "There's already a superhero with a red suit with a lightning bolt on it," he whines. "I'm fast, but he's faster." Clearly, the hero is talking about the Flash, a famed member of the Justice League and the fastest hero on Earth. 

The name-drop is fun, but it may imply something much more fun took place between movies. Shazam has his own speed of Mercury, so how can he be sure that the Flash is faster? He might have found out if the two had raced, something the childish heroes would both find amusing and something the Flash has already done before — in "Justice League," with Superman.

Billy may have the last name Batson, but there's at least a small chance that one of the "Shazam! Fury of the Gods" Easter eggs may reference another bat son — the son of Batman, Damien Wayne. The Easter egg can be seen in the Rock of Eternity, the erstwhile abandoned magical fortress that Shazam and the rest of his superpowered siblings have turned into their lair between movies. Amidst all the childlike decorations and clutter, one name has clearly been graffitied on one of the cave's statues: "Wayne."

The Wayne name may be the most famous in all of the DC Universe due, quite obviously, to Bruce Wayne, aka Batman. It's entirely possible that Shazam knows Batman — the ending of "Shazam!" showed that the hero knows Superman, at least — but even if the Dark Knight chose to hang out in the Shazamily lair, he is not much of a tagger. The more plausible solution is that Batson and his siblings had over another teenage superhero, one far more likely to engage in some adolescent graffiti — Damien Wayne. 

We know that this is a stretch, but there simply isn't another Wayne that fits the bill. Plus, the DCEU is overdue for a decent Robin.

As funky a name as it can be, Shazam works because it has a deeper meaning, as it's actually an acronym for the six mythological figures from which the hero draws his power. There's Solomon, Hercules, Atlas, Zeus, Achilles, and Mercury — although Shazam himself evidently believes it isn't Solomon but rather Saruman, the White Wizard from "The Lord of the Rings." The mistake is understandable, though, as another Easter egg demonstrates that Freeman — Batson's "superhero manager" — is a huge "The Lord of the Rings" fan himself.

At one point in the film, Freeman wears a "The Lord of the Rings" t-shirt, which may just be a nerdy shirt for a nerdy dude, but perhaps not — it's a fitting depiction. Specifically, the tee features the White Tree of Gondor and the Seven Stars, both of which are symbols of Elendil, one of the greatest heroes of all men. Elendil was pure of heart and famous for both height and handsomeness — both traits that Freeman repeatedly brags about upon assuming his hero form (Adam Brody). 

Likewise, Shazam name-dropping Saruman may also be an intentionally fitting Easter egg. The Wizard spent thousands of years safeguarding men until his resentment and lust for power caused him to turn on them and attempt to destroy them all — the exact arc of the new movie's three villains, Anthea (Rachel Zegler), Hespera (Helen Mirren), and Kalypso (Lucy Liu).

For anyone hoping for a Batman cameo in "Shazam! Fury of the Gods," we have good news and bad news. To get the bad news out of the way first: no, Ben Affleck's Batman never appears in the movie. However, the good news is that another recent Bat-actor shows up: none other than Diedrich Bader.

If you don't know the name, that's understandable, but Bader is actually a big Bat-deal. In recent years, he has voiced the Caped Crusader in shows such as "Batman: The Brave and the Bold," and "Harley Quinn," movies like "JLA Adventures: Trapped in Time," and video games like "Justice League: Cosmic Chaos," becoming a go-to Bat-voice for Warner Bros only overshadowed by Jason O'Mara and, arguably, Bruce Greenwood. Bader's take on the character has all the requisite gravel and depth, but the actor's comedic sensibilities (like those on display in "Office Space") harken back to Adam West's campy earnestness and charm.

Bader's inclusion is a fun Easter egg for fans of the wider DC franchise, especially its long-celebrated animated films and series. It's also a treat for fans of the on-again-off-again sitcom "Community," as one of the show's fan-favorite bits from "Modern Espionage" featured the main characters all assuming code names related to different Batman actors such as Bale and Keaton — the Dean, of course, chooses "voice of Diedrich Bader."

The Easter egg machine that is Freddy Freeman keeps running throughout the film, this time delivering a series of references to the most iconic fantasy role-playing game of all time, "Dungeons & Dragons." As Freeman says throughout both movies — even convincing Batson to begin saying it too — he's an expert in all things superhero and fantasy. Boasting that when your only competition is Batson makes sense, but in "Shazam! Fury of the Gods," Freeman even makes the claim to the Wizard (Djimon Hounsou), one of the oldest, most powerful, and most knowledgeable magic users in Earth's history. Embarrassingly, when it comes time for Freeman to drop his knowledge, it all comes straight from "The Player's Handbook."

While he and the Wizard are trapped in a magic prison on another plane, Freeman spouts out three ideas for escape. There is Giant Strength, a popular spell (usually in the form of a potion of magic belt) that predictably grants inhuman strength. There's Gaseous Form, an arcane spell that (if it were real in their world) would allow Freeman and the Wizard to become clouds and gas and slip through their bars. Lastly, Freeman asks if the Wizard at least has an Arcane Focus, an item that helps magic users channel their powers.

Some Easter eggs can come across as unintentional or only referential in a certain light, but some are as clear as if they were written across a series of giant, bright signs. In "Shazam! Fury of the Gods," there is a third option, as many of its Easter eggs are literally written across a series of giant, bright signs.

Some of the most glaring examples appear once the Daughters of Atlas have planted the Tree of Life in downtown Philadelphia. Aside from the word "park," which appears numerous times (thanks to the Philadelphia Phillies' stadium Citizens Bank Park), we also see the tree's roots spread through "Hedgerow Lane," "Spring Garden St.," and finally end up in front of a plant store. Its sign reads "plants give people" and then tantalizingly cuts off, though with the role of the Tree of Life in the movie, plants give people essentially the entire story.

There are a ton of other, non-plant examples, as well. After Shazam decides to sacrifice himself to defeat Kalypso and her dragon, a marquee behind him reads "the decision hurt." Even better is when Freeman and Anthea are trapped in a parking structure with Kalypso and the dragon, as a big sign labels the location the "ow center."

If you're a comic book reader, especially a longtime one, you might know Shazam by another name: Captain Marvel. For more casual fans, or those more familiar with Marvel characters, this may sound confusing, but it's true — Shazam only became the character's official name recently, and for the vast majority of his history, he went only by Captain Marvel. This other name never came up in "Shazam!" — but it finally has its day in "Shazam! Fury of the Gods," when a Philly citizen proudly proclaims, "You're the best, Captain Marvel!"

The history of the name is as convoluted as any in comic books, but if you rewind all the way to its beginning, it was the DC hero we now call Shazam that first used the moniker. The character was created back in the '30s and enjoyed a successful run in early comics throughout the '40s, though (in a move that will eventually become superhumanly ironic), the character's publisher, Fawcett Comics, was sued by DC for copyright infringement — they felt that Captain Marvel was too similar to Superman. 

Fast forward to the '70s and by then, legal maneuvering has allowed Marvel to create their own Captain Marvel and DC to incorporate that old Fawcett Comics Captain Marvel into their own universe — prompting a brand new legal conflict over the name. Regardless of the title's dubious history, this Easter egg in "Shazam! Fury of the Gods" finally gave Billy Batson the chance to be dubbed Captain Marvel on the big screen.

While Economos and Harcourt make the trek to their hidden meeting spot with Shazam, they go over their briefing for the mission (something you would expect seasoned agents to do before setting out, but movies are movies). They mention that Shazam is "as strong as they get" but also immature, and the hero doesn't do anything to prove the intel false. Among his many childish quips, he begins rattling off better names for the Justice Society, one of which is a delightful — and unexpected — Easter egg.

Pointing out (rather correctly) that the Justice Society is a confusing name for a superhero team when the Justice League is already a superhero team, Shazam brainstorms a few other ideas. Most, like the "Authority Society," are bland and, as Shazam himself even admits, reminiscent of a law office name, but one just works. Shazam suggests the "Avenger Society," adding, "I like that one for some reason!"  — in an apparent reference to Marvel, specifically their famous Justice League counterpart, the Avengers. 

As a few Avengers themselves have pointed out in the MCU, the Avengers isn't exactly a great team name itself, but that's irrelevant here. The faintest connection between the two dominant superhero franchises is enough to make for a satisfying Easter egg — just one of the many great surprises in "Shazam! Fury of the Gods."