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Zachary Levi always wanted to play a superhero. And he always dreamed of having a job that paid him to get in the best shape of his life.

Now, he gets to do both in DC’s Shazam! movie.

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“It’s weird how life works,” Levi said on the Toronto set last April. “I just thought, ‘One of these days, I’m going to get in the best shape of my life.’ That’s a difficult thing to do the older you get. You want to have that thought around 24,” he chuckles.

“But here I am at 38 in the best shape of my life.”

The latest entry in the DC extended universe of films that began with 2013’s Man of Steel, tells the story of orphaned 14-year-old Billy Batson (Disney star Asher Angel) who inherits powers from an ancient wizard (Djimon Hounsou) that turns him into the costumed Captain Marvel (no, not that one) whenever he says the magic word, “SHAZAM!”

It’s based on a character first published in 1939 by Fawcett Comics. DC acquired the hero and hung up his cape and tights. Then Marvel and Stan Lee came up with a character named … Captain Marvel in the 1960s.

“(DC) didn’t trademark the name Captain Marvel because, ‘Who would want to do that?’” Levi said trying to explain Captain Marvel’s many iterations.

Levi — who played Fandral in Marvel’s Thor series and has appeared on small-screen hits such as Amazon’s The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel and NBC’s Chuck — plays the adult hero, with Jack Dylan Grazer as his friend who helps him learn how to master his powers. Mark Strong (the Kingsman films) plays the villainous Dr. Thaddeus Sivana.

“At its core, the story is about this kid who gets to become an adult superhero,” director David F. Sandberg said before shooting a scene inside a mysterious chamber. “That’s the ultimate wish fulfilment. There’s so much fun to be had with that.”