Zachary Levi, David F. Sandberg start work on 'Shazam!'

Feb. 6 (UPI) -- Production is underway in Toronto on Shazam! -- the origin story starring Zachary Levi as the titular superhero.

"We all have a superhero inside us, it just takes a bit of magic to bring it out," a news release from New Line Cinema noted.

"In Billy Batson's case, by shouting out one word -- Shazam! -- this streetwise, 14-year-old foster kid can turn into the adult superhero Shazam, courtesy of an ancient wizard. Still a kid at heart -- inside a ripped, godlike body -- Shazam revels in this adult version of himself by doing what any teen would do with superpowers: have fun with them! Can he fly? Does he have X-ray vision? Can he shoot lightning out of his hands? Can he skip his social studies test? Shazam sets out to test the limits of his abilities with the joyful recklessness of a child. But he'll need to master these powers quickly in order to fight the deadly forces of evil controlled by Dr. Thaddeus Sivana."

David F. Sandberg -- whose credits include Annabelle: Creation and Lights Out -- is directing the Philadelphia-set movie, which co-stars Asher Angel as Billy, Jack Dylan Grazer as Billy's best friend Freddy and Mark Strong as Sivana.

Shazam! is set for release on April 5, 2019.