Captain Marvel (DC Comics)

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Appearances in film and television

The first filmed adaptation of Captain Marvel was produced in 1941. The Adventures of Captain Marvel, starring Tom Tyler in the title role of Captain Marvel and Frank Coglan, Jr. as his alter ego, Billy Batson, was a twelve-part film serial produced by Republic Pictures in 1941. Often ranked among the finest examples of the form, its release made Captain Marvel the first superhero to be depicted in film.

Related Topics:
The Adventures of Captain Marvel - Tom Tyler - Film - Serial - Republic Pictures

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Over thirty years later, Filmation produced Shazam!, a live-action television show which ran from 1974 to 1977 on CBS. From 1975 until the end of its run, it aired as one-half of The Shazam!/Isis Hour. The Shazam! TV show was a more indirect approach to the character; it told of Billy Batson/Captain Marvel making road trips, instead of flying across the USA to combat evil. Michael Gray portrayed Billy Batson in the series, with both Jackson Bostwick (season 1) and John Davey (seasons 2 and 3) as Captain Marvel. Shortly after the Shazam! show ended its network run, Captain Marvel appeared as a character in the low-budgeted comedy special, Legends of the Superheroes, in 1978.

Related Topics:
Filmation - Shazam! - Television show - CBS - 1975 - The Shazam!/Isis Hour - 1978

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Three years later, Filmation revisited the character for an animated Shazam! cartoon, which ran on NBC from 1981 to 1982 as part of the Kid Superpower Hour with Shazam!. The rest of the Marvel Family joined Captain Marvel on his adventures in this series, which were more similar to his comic-book adventures than the 1970s TV show.

Related Topics:
NBC - 1981 - 1982 - Kid Superpower Hour with Shazam!

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In 2005, Captain Marvel guest starred in the Cartoon Network animated series Justice League Unlimited, in an episode entitled "Clash". Marvel was voiced by Jerry O'Connell, with Shane Haboucha as Billy Batson. In the episode, Marvel joins the Justice League, but soon finds himself at odds with Superman over the perception of Presidential candidate Lex Luthor's credibility. A fight sequence between Marvel and Superman, during which the dueling heroes level much of Luthor's prototypical Lexor City, contains references to the Kingdom Come miniseries. "Clash" aired in May 2005 in Canada and aired on June 11 2005 in the United States.

Related Topics:
2005 - Cartoon Network - Animated series - Justice League Unlimited - Jerry O'Connell - Shane Haboucha - Presidential candidate - Lex Luthor - Kingdom Come - Canada - June 11 - United States

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Currently, New Line Cinema has plans for a Shazam! live-action feature film, with Michael Uslan as producer and Stephen Sommers as writer and director, following screenplay drafts by both William Goldman and the team of Joel Cohen and Alec Sokolow. The film is scheduled for release in late 2006 or early 2007.

Related Topics:
New Line Cinema - Stephen Sommers - William Goldman - Joel Cohen - Alec Sokolow - 2006 - 2007

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