2019’sShazambrought a lot of levity to the DC Extended Universe. Usually regarded as the darker superhero movie franchise, it provided a breath of fresh air for the audience. It also provided a glimpse at an adaptation of a different mythology from DC comics as Billy Batson became imbued with an ancient power that includes helping a teenage boy appear as his ideal self while he flies, fights off bullies, and is virtually indestructible.Shazam: Fury Of The Godswas greenlit as a sequel pretty early on, but delays in production meant that fans felt like they were waiting forever for any information regarding the movie.
In 2020, a trio of casting announcements were made.Rachel Zegler, Lucy Liu, and Helen Mirren were all castin roles. While Liu was confirmed to be playing Kalypso and Mirren Hespera, Zegler’s role has been kept under wraps. Rumors have her playing sister to the other two as a trio of sisterly villains for the movie. Fans looking to the comics for clues, however, will have a hard time. Mirren’s Hespera is a creation for the DCEU, not adapted straight from the comic book pages. Enterprising fans still might be able to discern information from another source though.
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The Inspiration From Greek Mythology
Thecasting of Helen Mirren in the moviecame with the reveal that Hepera is the daughter of Atlas, which impliesShazam: Fury Of The Godswill be borrowing a bit from Greek mythology. This isn’t unusual for a DC property asWonder Womanborrows heavily from Greek myth as well. Diana is the daughter of the deity Zeus and sees herself at odds with the god of war, Ares.
In Greek myth, Atlas has many children with mortals, not unlike Zeus. Some of those children are Calypso, who traps Odysseus on an island in the epic story of adventure, the Hyades (nymphs who bring about rain showers), and the Hesperides (the nymphs of the evening and sunsets). Hespera will likely be drawing inspiration from the latter just as Liu’s Kalypso will likely be inspired by Calypso of Greek myth.
The function of the Hesperides changes depending on the myth being told. In most, they guard the tree of golden apples. In others, they are known for their beautiful singing voices. The sisters always tend a garden. They can also range from three to seven in number. One common note among them though is that their home is in the distant west and that they’re associated with the light of the setting sun.
Atlas In DC Comics
These particular children of Atlas don’t have a place in DC Comics, but Atlas himself does. In Greek myth, Atlas is punished by Zeus to literally hold the sky on his shoulders when he sides with the Titans instead of the residents of Mount Olympus in overthrowing them. He has a similar story in DC comic books, but it’s his stamina that makes up part ofthe powers of Shazam.
Atlas is not traditionally a villain, but he has been targeted by Shazam himself when the hero was angry with the gods after he had been driven to madness. Atlas has both fought heroes and sided with them depending on the story. Whether or not Atlas himself will be a part of the movie remains to be seen, but it’s unlikely his daughters get their villainy from him. It’s possible that his involvement in giving power to Shazam could be what leads his daughters to go after the young hero though.
What Hespera Could Mean For Shazam
Movies, books, and comics have all seen a common thread when it comes to demigods or other offspring of the gods: they are neglected by their parents. Some spend decades trying to gain the attention of their powerful parents, only to turn on them.If Hespera and her sistersbelieve that Billy Batson isn’t worthy of their father’s power, or perhaps want it for themselves, that would certainly put them at odds with the new hero.
The Hesperides don’t have any special abilities or powers in Greek myth. They simply guard the golden apples. If Hespera has been tasked with this duty for thousands of years, it’s no wonder she’d be jealous of a teenager having some of her own father’s power, though she is shown wielding fire inDC’s Fandome teaser for the movie. Maybe she just wants to use the power to get out of the garden. Until the audience knows her motivations, it’s hard to tell just what Hespera’s role in the movie will be.
Shazam: Fury Of The Godsis set to land in theaters on Jul 15, 2025.
