The “Elementary” and “Why Women Kill” star has joined the DC Comics adaptation “Shazam! Fury of the Gods” as the villain Kalypso, the sister of Helen Mirren’s villainous character Hespera.
Alongside Liu and Mirren, the core filmmaking team from 2019’s “Shazam!” is returning for the sequel, including Zachary Levi as the eponymous superhero Shazam!, and Asher Angel as his teenage alter ego Billy Batson. David F. Sandberg is returning to direct the film, from a screenplay by Henry Gayden. Peter Safran is producing with his shingle the Safran Company.
Like Mirren’s character Hespera, Liu’s Kalypso doesn’t have a obvious counterpart in DC Comics. The two characters, in any case, are the little girls of the Greek god Atlas, who is one of the wellsprings of Shazam’s powers: He holds the stamina of Atlas, just as the power of Zeus, the strength of Hercules, the wisdom of Solomon, the speed of Mercury and the courage of Achilles.
Liu is no stranger to major franchises. Subsequent to launching her vocation on “Ally McBeal,” Liu’s film career took off in 2000’s “Charlie’s Angels” and 2003’s “Charlie’s Angels: Full Throttle.” She’s also starred in Quentin Tarantino’s “Kill Bill” films, the Oscar-winning musical “Chicago” and was the voice of Viper in DreamWorks Animation’s “Kung Fu Panda” features. She’s also appeared on TNT’s “Southland” and in the Netflix romantic comedy “Set It Up.”
“Shazam! Fury of the Gods” is scheduled to open on June 2, 2023.
Liu is represented by Framework Entertainment, ICM Partners and Schreck Rose.