The news that Chuck star Zachary Levi has been cast as DC Comics' Shazam sparked the same kind of explosive fan reaction that has plagued the DC Films Universe all along.

The biggest complaint fans has expressed is that Levi's lanky frame seems inadequate to fill out a proper superhero physique. However, Levi seems ready to thwart those criticisms, as he's already hitting the gym!

Apparently I’ll be getting ripped for Shazam! as well, since @ZacharyLevi is kicking my ass in the gym. I need protein. Now. pic.twitter.com/8GHk0uZnXz — Eric Blackmon (@EricBlackmon) October 31, 2017



That image was posted by Levi's friend, photographer Eric Blackmon, who will apparently be Levi's gym buddy / spotter, as the actor bulks up for Shazam.

Clearly this is pic didn't just accidentally happen to find its way online; if anything, it seems Blackmon is supporting his friend and combating the haters, who claim Levi isn't buff enough. Ironically, Wonder Woman star Gal Gadot faced similar criticism when she was first cast - and she fought against those criticisms with her own social media campaign, marking her progress in the gym.

While on the one hand it's nice to know that both sides of the gender line get equally hated on by DC movie fans, after Gadot's successful owning of the Wonder Woman (to great critical and box office acclaim), one would hope fans would've adopted a more level-headed "wait and see" approach to these castings.

Shazam will be in theaters on April 5, 2019.