Zachary Levi Reacts To Being Cast As Shazam

DC fans aren't the only ones excited about the recent Shazam! casting news. 

Following Friday night's announcement that Zachary Levi will take the lead in the David F. Sandberg-directed Shazam!, the actor took to Instagram to share his feelings about playing such a recognizable comic book character. 

"Honored and greatly humbled to be a part of the DC universe by bringing the original Captain Marvel to life. I am beside myself with gratitude, not only for this opportunity, but also the incredible outpouring of love and support from so many of you out there in the world," Levi wrote. "Now if you'll excuse me, I'll be in the gym for the rest of forever."

Levi's response was accompanied by a piece of fan art created by Australian artist Bosslogic, which imagines what the actor will look like suited up as Shazam. 

The upcoming Shazam! will center around Billy Batson, an everyday teen whose life is flipped upside down when he learns that he has the power to transform into a god-like (and adult-aged) superhero simply by saying a single word: "Shazam!" The adult Billy Batson pulls inspiration from the ancient gods and historical figures Solomon, Hercules, Atlas, Zeus, Achilles, and Mercury–which make up the Shazam acryonym. 

Director Sandberg recently opened up about the film's tone, explaining that the heart of the story is "very fun [and] lighthearted," and that he plans to do right by the comic book source material, as he became a fan of Shazam! later in life. "[Shazam!] is about a kid who becomes an adult superhero, so that's just gonna be so fun to explore." He also stated that the movie will be an origin story, so those who aren't familiar with the character shouldn't fret. "To be honest, it was not a superhero I grew up with either," he said. "When I grew up in Sweden, there wasn't a lot of Shazam around. So it's someone who I've learned to love later in life as well, so I can relate to [people who are] new to Shazam. I think [it] might be a good thing that I'm doing it, because I know what you need to learn."

We'll get to see Levi in all his superhero glory when Shazam! arrives in theaters on April 5, 2019.