The DC film Shazam! implied that one of its superhero characters was gay. Now it’s been confirmed that this particular superhero is gay by the writers of Shazam! Fury of the Gods.
The gay character is none other than Pedro Peña. Fans will remember the character for having been played by Jovan Armand as a young child while actor DJ Cotrona plays the older version of the character. Now, as shared via the Dorkaholics podcast, the film’s writers, Henry Gayden and Chris Morgan, clarify that Pedro is indeed gay.
Here’s what co-writer Henry Gayden had to say:
“The only new addition for this movie is being a lot more forthright about Pedro being gay. And that was hinted at in the first movie very subtly. And I thought it was really important and really, really fought for us including that and bringing that to the fore in this movie.”
Fans may remember the subtle hint that the character Pedro was gay in the first Shazam! film. The moment occurs after the group finds themselves transported to a strip club. After they leave, Pedro has a quick line, saying that it’s “not my thing.” Now the sequel, Shazam! Fury of the Gods, appears to be elaborating on that line in a more meaningful way. The film is set to be released in only a few weeks. As such, it won’t be long before fans get to see Pedro and how he’s handled onscreen.
David F. Sandberg directed Shazam! Fury of the Gods. The screenplay for the film was penned by Henry Gayden and Chris Morgan.
The cast for the film includes Zachary Levi, Asher Angel, Jack Dylan Grazer, Rachel Zegler, Adam Brody, Ross Butler, Meagan Good, Lucy Liu, Djimon Hounsou, and Helen Mirren.
Fans will be able to see Shazam! Fury of the Gods in theaters on March 17, 2023. Stay tuned to ScreenGeek for additional updates as we have them.