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Warning : This article contain SPOILERS for Shazam !
TheSuperman cameo inShazam!may be the most obvious DCEU connection fans will be talk about , but it ’s not the bountiful . Thanks to one tiny Easter Egg , Shazam!seems to confirm that Bruce Wayne has retired as Batman once already . AND the identity of his alternate .
In hindsight it ’s a shame that BOTHconnections to the DCEU ’s Batman and Supermanare bittersweet , since neither Henry Cavill nor Ben Affleck are likely to ever appear in the purpose post - Shazam . But as Warner Bros. pumps the brakes on flesh out their share movie universe , it ’s up to the fans to begin fill in the gaps . So even ifJustice Leaguegave Bruce Wayne a brand name new mission to preserve the world , Shazam!gives a terrific nod to the story that learn him abandon the theatrical role in DC ’s New 52 - -and to the rooter - dearie , shreddedGotham bull who took over as Batman in his home .
The Batman Easter Egg in Shazam’s Toy Store
There are honestly too manyDCEU Easter Eggs and reference inShazam!to count so far , and that ’s mostly thanks to Freddy Freeman ’s fixation with Batman , Wonder Woman , Superman , and the rest of DC ’s heroes . Whether it ’s the t - shirts worn by Freddy , the souvenir Batarang he has in his bedroom , or the newspapers reference theMan of Steelattack and Superman ’s subsequent headlines , it ’s clear-cut that these are directly connect to themovieversions of the heroes . And in a world where the Justice League are celebrities and not just fictitious characters , they are used to sell merchandise all the same . A point made perfectly absolved whenShazam!shows what a plaything store looks like in the DCEU post - Justice League .
The consultation may have some trouble study in all of the merchandise contained inside the toy store , since Billy Batson is running through it in terror , pursue by Dr. Sivana . A large miniature version of Batman is used to take up attention to the pop culture position of the world ’s actual heroes , but one other item is potential to be missed . The Batman figure of speech ? That just acknowledges Batman ’s existence . But this toy … acknowledge so much more .
The Batman: Superheavy Suit (in Toy Form)
After Billy toss away aside the Batman figure , and forthwith before he is tackled off of theBig - esque floor pianissimo , one toy dog can be seen in the grim proper corner of the frame . The yellow - accented Bat symbolic representation will be well-situated to espy , but the blue armor ( complete with berm - mounted , yellow - tipped arugula ) surrounding that symbol may be harder to place . After impart some research , we can confidently say that the toy in enquiry is the Fisher - Price Imaginext ® DC Super Friends ™ Batbot Xtreme .
So why should DC fans deal ? Because the miniature would n’t exist without the comic book Bat Armor that it ’s base on … and that armour would n’t exist if Bruce Wayne had n’t retire from Batman . The presence of the Batbot toy dog in the DCEU is all the boost we need to connect the dots , and also look at theBatmanstory it ’s establish on as mediocre biz . Not only confirmation of Bruce Wayne ’s retreat , but his refilling byDetective Jim Gordon , too .
Sir Frederick Handley Page 2 : When Bruce Retired , Jim Gordon Became Batman ( Yes , Really )
The Superheavy Batsuit Was Worn By Jim Gordon
On the off fortune that moviegoer never find the totally unexpected " Superheavy " discharge of Scott Snyder and Greg Capullo’sBatmanrun , we ’re more than happy to explain ( even now , it ’s hard to believe it ’s truly DC canyon ) . We ’ll spare the item that get Bruce Wayne to a near - death licking in fighting The Joker , and simply say that with Batman lose in action Gotham City needed a substitute . The solution came from Geri Powers , a billionaire mogul who absorb Wayne ’s functioning and immediately initiate " Project Batman . " The centerpiece of which wasthe Batman Exo - Suit , a " graphene armor exoskeleton " that could be piloted by anyone . But a job that only Jim Gordon – a smoke - free , buzzcutted , physically fit Jim Gordon – was correct for .
It ’s this blue and yellow , horn , skyrocket - firing Batsuit that the DC Super Friends ™ Batbot Xtreme is sit after , turning an incredible piece of Batman technology into a children ’s toy . But after director David F. Sandberg confirmed thatevery DC toy in the storage was approvedof for continuity purposes , the presence of the Batbot is an Easter Egg rooter should get excited about :
I mean , everything exists that we had in there . It ’s all these DC toys – they’re all actual DC toys that are in there . I mean , for some [ the studio / manufacturer ] were like , " Hey , you ca n’t have that character , because that fictional character ’s not in the universe yet . You have to gravel to these theatrical role . "
So if the " Superheavy"Batmanstory is being referenced in the DCEU by including a toy dog based directly on Bruce ’s retirement and Jim Gordon ’s switch , at leastsomebodyon the studio apartment side of things knew fans would point out its cellular inclusion , and come to the the most obvious conclusion . But the master reason we ’re accepting these cue as the new DCEU head teacher canon ? It finally explains why Zack Snyder contrive theridiculously muscularJ.K. Simmons to play his version of Gotham Police Commissioner Jim Gordon .
Batman’s First Retirement in The DCEU Confirmed?
Few will ever forget the first meter they got a glance ofJ.K. Simmons flexing his absurd muscleswhile preparation ahead ofJustice League . While telling , the actor eventually explained that his physique and his role were unrelated … but it always seemed like a miss opportunity . After all , Simmons ' part inJustice Leaguewas a minor one to begin with , even before the ill-famed reshoots sliced several type out of the film completely . So if fans were left like they could have had more of Jim Gordon in the DCEU , Shazam!is the movie to deliver . Not in actuallygetting to seea heavy role for Jim in theBatmanlegacy , but at least a playful proposition that he already did years in the past .
To be clear-cut , we ’re not hint that Snyder or then - Batmandirector Ben Affleck ever intended to make " Gym " Gordon a strong-arm threat in theJustice Leaguecontinuity . That said , Simmons himself allow he hoped to limn a"badass " version of Jim Gordon , and"a guy that can take aid of himself , a guy that ’s a real partner to Batman , not just a guy that turns on the squash racquet signal and goes ‘ Help ! Help , Batman ! ’ "
DoesShazam!prove beyond a shadow of a doubt that Jim Gordon got to make for exactly that , step into his own Batsuit during Bruce Wayne ’s irregular retreat – a Batsuit that would be adapted into miniature form along with every other DCEU superhero ? perhaps not . But now that all the musical composition are there for fans who wish to think it … justtryand order us it never happened .
MORE : Shazam Ignores Captain Marvel , But hold a Captain America Joke
