"Shazam" is intended to be the DC Comics answer to Marvel's 'Captain Marvel' release, and we mean that quite literally. The character 'Shazam', a teenager who can transform into an adult superhero by saying the word 'Shazam' out loud, was last seen on screen in the film serial 'The Adventures of Captain Marvel' way back in 1941. That's because the character 'Shazam' used to be called Captain Marvel. However, that Captain Marvel isn't the same Captain Marvel who appears in the Marvel film 'Captain Marvel'. Confused? Good, so are we.
Asher Angel stars as Billy Batson, the title character's human alter ego, but Zachary Levi will be the man in the costume after the transformation takes place. The movie has both a lesser known hero and a lesser known cast than other superhero epics, but those who have seen previews speak of its comical, zany tone, which may make it a hit with audiences. April 5th is the day it goes live.
When we think of inventors, the image that comes to mind is usually that of a frazzled scientist toiling away in a lab, not celebrities pulled from the pages of Us Weekly. However, a number of well-known public figures hold patents for various innovations. Some are related to the work that made them famous, while others are offshoots of hobbies or just a single great idea.
Part of guitar wizard Eddie Van Halen's signature sound was his two-handed tapping technique, but letting all ten fingers fly while simultaneously holding up the guitar's neck could get a bit tricky. Van Halen came up with a novel way to get around this problem, though; he invented a support (top) that could flip out of the back of his axe's body to raise and stabilize the fretboard so he could tap out searing songs like "Eruption." While Van Halen was obviously interested in improving his guitar work, the patent application he filed in 1985 notes that the device would work with any stringed instrument. Want to tap out a scorching mandolin solo? Find someone selling Eddie's device.
It’s probably not surprising that James Cameron—who designed a submersible to take him to the deepest known part of the ocean—will often invent technology to make his films if what he needs doesn’t exist. He holds a number of patents, including US Patent No. 4996938, “apparatus for propelling a user in an underwater environment,” that he and his brother, Michael, created to film The Abyss and patented in 1989. The device is basically an underwater dolly equipped with propellers that makes it easy for a camera operator to maneuver in the water—and allowed Cameron to capture the shots he wanted for the 1989 film, part of which was filmed in an abandoned nuclear reactor.
In 1987 Jamie Lee Curtis designed and patented a disposable diaper that included a waterproof pocket that held baby wipes. She hasn't profited from her idea yet, though, since she refuses to license the patent until diaper companies make biodegradable products.
You know him as a rock legend, but Neil Young also loves trains—so much that he owns a stake in a model train manufacturing company and has an extensive collection. He also holds seven patents related to model trains, including Patent No. US5441223, "Model train controller using electromagnetic field between track and ground."