I think we can all agree that Zachary Levi has "Mr. Nice Guy" written all over him and it's hard imagining the Shazam! actor playing a villainous role in any project. To be fair, a lot of it has something to do with the fact that he's always played a protagonist on screen. However, you may be shocked to learn that the Thor: The Dark World actor actually once auditioned to become the live-action version of an iconic DC Comics baddie.
Yup, long before the inception of the DC Extended Universe, Levi actually auditioned for the role of Lex Luthor in 2001's Smallville. The part eventually went to Michael Rosenbaum but according to co-creators Miles Millar and Alfred Gough, Zachary came close to landing the role — well, sort of.
In a special The Hollywood Reporter feature commemorating 20 years of Smallville, Gough said that Levi did well during his first audition. However, things ended up being disastrous when they took him to Warner Bros. for the next level of screening. Gough recalls: "Zach Levi did an amazing audition for Lex. Incredible. We all went into The WB with Zach to be Lex. That audition was kind of a disaster. In leaving the audition, I remember thinking 'Oh, that was the biggest chance of his life.' And then he went on to incredible success. So you just never know."
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Obviously, fate had something different in store for the actor, and after years of trying to make a mark in the world of comic book franchises, he finally landed a role that suits him and that is, of course, Earth's Mightiest Mortal Shazam. Now, Levi is gearing up for the release of Shazam! Fury of the Gods which is currently in its post-production stage. Considering the first one was embraced by fans and critics, it'll be interesting to see if David F. Sandberg and crew will be able to keep the momentum rolling. I have zero doubts though.
Shazam! Fury of the Gods is scheduled to premiere on June 2, 2023.
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