Shazam 2 Has Three New Villains: Who They Could Be

Here’s who the three new villains in Shazam! Fury of the Gods could be. One of the biggest questions the first Shazam! movie left unanswered is the identity of Shazam’s (Zachary Levi) next big baddie, who was once speculated to be Dwayne Johnson’s Black Adam. Shazam‘s post-credits scene introduced Mister Mind and teased a potential team-up with Dr. Thaddeus Sivana (Mark Strong), but recent casting information about the sequel suggests a new trio of villains will face off against the Shazam family.

Updates about the Shazam! sequel have been few and far between, mostly due to the constant delays major productions have had to face in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. While the most significant news since the announcement of the sequel was the delay of Black Adam, the cast listings for three mysterious sisters of varying ages as the villains of Shazam 2 has indicated a major step forward. Director David F. Sandberg’s statements at DC Fandom in September shed some light on who these three villains could be, with Sandberg teasing an “unexpected” choice for the characters.

If Shazam 2 proceeds with the concept of the three villainous sisters, their most likely identity would be a modern reimagining of The Three Faces of Evil, a three-headed dragon who represents Terror, Sin, and Wickedness. This nearly-omnipotent demonic entity remains one of the most powerful villains in the DC universe, only vulnerable to monumental sources of magic, such as the Rock of Eternity. The shapeshifting ability of the Three Faces of Evil could explain why Shazam 2 is looking for three actors. Splitting the villain into three different characters makes for a more balanced fight between them and the Shazam family.

More interestingly, the decision to cast each of the sisters in a different stage of life seems to fit perfectly with the typical characteristics of the Hecate Sisters, a narrative archetype that has been present in storytelling for eons – more specifically in mythology, an influential part of the DCEU. The maiden is commonly the youngest and most innocent one of the three, the mother is the most vigorous, and the elderly crone is the wisest. This archetype has appeared in DC comics, most notably in the Sandman universe, which plays with the concept in multiple ways.

The most notable example in the Sandman comics is The Kindly Ones (Cynthia, Mildred, and Mordred), a trio of witches that derive directly from the Three Faces of Hecate. Sandman also makes use of these archetypes with the mythical Fates, Furies, and Eves. However, as Sandman is part of DC’s Vertigo label, the addition of The Kindly Ones to Shazam 2 might be unlikely. Still, DC has used the same concept for Triplicate Girl, a member of Legion of Superheroes who’s divided into Triad-Orange (the shy one), Triad-Purple (the brash one), and Triad-Neutral (the wise one). Another trio could be more tied to the DCEU’s already established Greek mythology, with Gal Gadot’s Diana/Wonder Woman being the wise one, Artemis the bold one, and either Wonder Girl the inexperienced one.

As Sandberg suggested, fans should expect a surprising selection of villains, so any team-up is within the realm of possibility – even Karen Fukuhara’s Katana, Halo, and Looker from DC’s The Outsiders. The title “Shazam! Fury of the Gods” suggests that the deities who grant the champions their powers will either be represented by established characters or make their first appearance to retaliate against the release of pure evil into the world. Figures from Greco-Roman mythology could be as important to Shazam 2 as much as the Egyptian deities will be to Black Adam.

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