Why did Shazam! take place in a real city?
The movie Shazam takes place in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. This is different than most DC movies and shows in which they all take place in fictional cities. Superman is in Metropolis. Batman is in Gotham. Flash is in Central City. The Green Arrow is in Star City. In the comics, Shazam (Captain Marvel) lives in Fawcett City.
Was there any official word from the writers or producers as to why they chose to use a real city over a fictional one?
Best Answer
From Andrew Dyce's January 2019 interview with director David F. Sandberg in screenrant:
Q: Was there a reason that you chose Philadelphia?
Sandberg: Well, we went with Geoff Johns' idea. I think he picked Philly because of Benjamin Franklin and all of that stuff. And the thing about Shazam, or Captain Marvel, is it's been different. It was Fawcett City at some point, but I think originally, it was New York. So it's not like, "Oh, it has to be Metropolis or something." It can be anything really.
Geoff Johns writes the Shazam! comic books ("vol. 3 #1-ongoing"), see also The New 52 relaunch and DC Rebirth and beyond.
Pictures about "Why did Shazam! take place in a real city?"
Why is Shazam set in a real city?
Star Zachary Levi, who plays the title character, flew in for a day in December to shoot some legitimate local stuff. The filmmakers, he said, wanted to anchor the Shazam! characters with a location that was indelibly Philadelphia. The Rocky steps, of course.What city is Shazam based in?
The original comic book was set in Fawcett City, but the film's setting is clearly Philadelphia (complete with Rocky jokes) though, apart from a few establishing shots, it was filmed around Toronto, Ontario.Is Shazam based in Philadelphia?
The film was set primarily in Philadelphia and is firmly established within the DCEU. Most of the production was shot at Pinewood Toronto Studios, and also several public locations around the city, including the University of Toronto, Woodbine Shopping Centre, and Hearn Generating Station.Where is Fawcett City?
Fawcett City's location had never been firmly established, though it was in the Midwest. Differing sources indicate: Indiana. Minnesota, at the location of Minneapolis.Did you catch this in SHAZAM!
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