Early Twitter Reactions to 'Shazam!' Critic Screenings Point to Another Big Win for DC

It looks like good news for the new character-focused direction of what used to be known as the DC Extended Universe, as early critical reactions to "Shazam!" have dropped and they are as filled with enthusiasm and excited exclamation points as the title itself.

The story of a young boy who becomes an adult superhero when he says the film's title -- in the comics he was the first hero to be dubbed Captain Marvel, making early 2019 the battle of Captain Marvels in the cineplexes -- has been an uncertain entry into the darker DC Universe of films with its much lighter and more childlike tone.

The original Captain Marvel comics from the 1940s were filled with talking tigers, villainous worms and an entire family of Marvels, including an overweight, middle-aged, balding Uncle Marvel. Could a modern film possibly capture that whimsy and still appeal to a wider audience raised on the Marvel Cinematic Universe?

And coming from DC, will it make sense alongside the far more serious likes of "Wonder Woman," "Justice League," "Suicide Squad" and the latest hit for the franchise, "Aquaman." Basically, this is the DC equivalent of dropping "Guardians of the Galaxy" into the middle of its burgeoning universe -- if you'll recall, that was a huge risk and gamble for Marvel at the time.

This film is still a month out, hitting theaters April 5, so it's a little unusual for it to get screened so early. But the likely strategy is that DC and Warner Bros. were hoping for some good word of mouth to build buzz for this unlikely film.

And then they set their embargo for social reactions to expire just as "Captain Marvel" was launching its preview screenings. That's bold confidence right there. And it looks like their faith in the quality of their product was well-founded.

Critics seem to have absolutely adored it, from its childlike wonder to its genuine emotional heart the film is looking to continue DC's much-needed winning streak. The most common reaction from critics seems to be a sense of joy that pours out of the screen and into the audience, which is exactly what the original Captain Marvel was all about.

Check out this early enthusiasm for DC's "Shazam!" as we await its official Rotten Tomatoes score. We're predicting a pretty high number.

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