Who are the Daughters of Atlas in Shazam 2? Hespera and Kalypso explained

Shazam 2 features new villains in the shape of Hespera and Kalypso. But who are these ‘Daughter of Atlas’? And why are they so furious?

The first Shazam! movie had a single villain in the shape of Dr. Thaddeus Sivana, a classic character form the comics, who was played by Mark Strong in the film.

Shazam! Fury of the Gods trebles that baddie count thanks to the Daughters of Atlas wreaking havoc on earth. We’ve already written about Athena, the youngest daughter, who is played by Rachel Zegler.

Now its time for the lowdown on her older siblings – Hespera and Kalypso.

Who is Hespera in Shazam 2?

Hespera is the eldest Daughter of Atlas, also referred to as the Hesperides in in Greek mythology, as well as the Daughters of Night.

Hespera has a very specific job as Guard of the Tree of Life, which plays a prominent role in the plot of Shazam! Fury of the Gods.

According to the film’s official production notes, “Hespera comes to Earth seeking retribution for the death of her father and fellow gods. With the Power of the Elements, Hespera uses her control over the natural world against mortals – including the Shazam Family – in her personal mission to restore balance.”

Who plays Hespera in Shazam! Fury of the Gods?

Hespera is played by Helen Mirren in Shazam! Fury of the Gods. Mirren won an Academy Award for her performance in The Queen, and is also known for her work in The Long Good Friday, Gosford Park, and the Fast & Furious movies.

Speaking of the character, Mirren says: “Hespera’s absolutely outraged that the power that her father wielded – and obviously she has major father issues, Hespera – has somehow, through the actions of these wizards, been taken away from her father and landed in the body of this child. This silly, over-enthusiastic, very good-hearted but completely out-of-control child.  She’s absolutely outraged that this could happen, and she’s trying to get the power back.”

The character also has trouble relating to Shazam, with Mirren explaining: “Hespera just can’t deal with the directness and the simplicity and the energy of this character, Shazam, which is so brilliantly played by Zac [Levi]. It was so fun to sit across the table and witness that performance in real life that I’d enjoyed so much on screen before.”

Who is Kalypso in Shazam 2?

Kaylpso is the middle Daughter of Atlas, and also the most dangerous. She also serves as Guardian of the Tree of Life.

According to Warner Bros: “Kalypso holds the Power of Chaos. She whispers terrible, maddening, mind-controlling utterances to mortals in her bid to take revenge on the humans who destroyed the gods. She will do everything she can to reclaim her full powers, even if it means destroying her own family.”

Who plays Kalypso in Shazam! Fury of the Gods?

Lucy Liu plays Kalypso in Shazam! Fury of the Gods. Liu is best-known for her work in Ally McBeal on TV, Kill Bill, and the Charlie’s Angels movies.

While the character is described as “deadly” in the production notes, Liu believes Kalypso is more misunderstood. “Maybe she has a little bit of a devilish streak, and yes, she’s a bit naughty,” explains Liu. “But that being said, she does have a destiny, a purpose. Instead of her being purely evil for evil’s sake, having something that she was working towards made her a much more powerful character to play. 

“She really has an emotional foundation behind everything she does, because it’s about avenging her father. That is a very strong place to put her roots down and then sort of branch out from there. And all of the unfortunate things that happen from there are, you know, to her, justice.”

As for her abilities, Liu says: “The power of chaos is exactly what it sounds like. It is something that creates an energy that is not smooth and not harmonious, and she has the ability to whisper words, and those words become magical and take effect. It’s beyond hypnosis, it’s an incredible infusion of chemistry that turns that person into somebody that is kind of a minion for her. 

“That chaos then spreads, and that person keeps whispering and the next person then keeps continuing down that path with everyone that they meet, until humans become their own worst enemies, just by one whisper from Kalypso.”

Shazam! Fury of the Gods is released on March 17, 2023. In the meantime, check out all our Shazam coverage below…

Shazam 2 Review | Zachary Levi interview | Easter Eggs | Daughters of Atlas explained | Post-credits scene | Does Wonder Woman appear? | Superman v Shazam | Rachel Zegler’s Anthea explained | Does Black Adam appear? | Shazam x Wonder Woman | Does Shazam die? | Streaming details | Shazam 3 |