Merely by uttering the magic word "Shazam", Billy Batson — a lucky teenager fictionalized in Hollywood's DC cinematic universe — transforms into a superpowered adult wrapped in a tight red bodysuit. With his white cape fluttering in the wind, he shoots straight up into the sky like a bullet.

▲The latest DC superhero movie Shazam! Fury of the Gods sees the hero back in the titular role (center) beside his foster siblings, as they face unprecedented danger to save the day. [Photo provided to China Daily]

Also known as Shazam, the protagonist, now turning 17 years old, has returned to the silver screen in the new Hollywood superhero blockbuster Shazam! Fury of the Gods. The movie opened simultaneously in China and North America on March 17.

The sequel picks up from the original, which grossed nearly 300 million yuan ($44 million) in China in 2019. Set three years later, it sees Billy Batson and his foster siblings learning to balance teenage life with their bestowed superpowers. However, the arrival of three formidable foes — an ancient god's daughters who plan to regain their stolen power — puts these teenage heroes in the greatest peril they have ever faced.

American actor Zachary Levi, who reprises his role as the magically transformed adult version of the title character, showed up with Chinese American actress Lucy Liu, who plays the second daughter of the god, in an online premiere which gathered a large audience in a downtown Beijing cinema last week.

Speaking of the changes to his character, Levi says that Billy, who has settled into his foster family since the first movie, is facing a fresh worry, as he will need to leave his foster parents and siblings after turning 18.

"The character is a little afraid of growing up. He also feels kind of like a failure because he is the leader of all the super children, but they are still not that good," says Levi.

▲Shazam and an ancient god's oldest daughter portrayed by Helen Mirren. [Photo provided to China Daily]

Despite having supernatural powers that allow them to perform incredible feats, such as rescuing people from a collapsing bridge, the heroes, with youngsters' hearts under their adult looks, are still childish in some ways.

For instance, the protagonist arranges a crucial meeting with the oldest goddess, which may decide the fate of humankind, but he chooses to hold it at a fast-food restaurant that serves burgers and fries, which he apparently believes is the best way to impress his supernatural foe.

One of the top draws of the movie is the thrilling fight the protagonist has with Liu's character, the most ruthless of the three sisters, in a scene that features the female villain riding a giant dragon and shooting blue bolts of magic.

"It's really cool. That's kind of a bucket list thing that has become a reality," says Levi of the scene.

For Liu, a renowned actress with a career spanning more than three decades, it has been a special experience to join the franchise, adapted from one of DC Comics' earliest superheroes.

"When I was younger, we didn't have all these incredible superhero movies. We just had the comic books," she says. "To feel like I was part of something that I grew up with was not just nostalgic, but very exciting and really a dream come true."

▲The god's second daughter, played by Lucy Liu, manipulates a dragon. [Photo provided to China Daily]

She also reveals some of the movie's new additions, including more villains and a variety of magical creatures. In the movie, these creatures, including several unicorns, are depicted as emerging from the fetal membrane-like wrappings of a magical tree's roots, giving them a unique appearance that resembles wood.

Despite high anticipation before its release, the movie's box office earnings and reviews have been underwhelming. Currently, it has a score of 6.1 out of 10 on the popular review aggregator Douban and has grossed only around 37 million yuan at the box office, ranking third behind Chinese films Post-Truth and Revival.

According to Beijing-based film critic Yuan Yun'er, the changing taste of domestic audiences in recent years has made them more interested in culturally relatable Chinese stories, rather than Hollywood blockbusters packed with visual effects and action.

▲American actor Zachary Levi stars as Shazam. [Photo provided to China Daily]

记者：徐帆