Credit: DC StudiosJason Momoa’s Aquaman gets an unlikely prequel series months before his next major DC movie releases.
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At this point, fans have mixed feelings about DC and how things are going for the franchise. James Gunn’s DCU is still a few years away, and fans have just two movies before David Corenswet’s Superman: Legacy (2025) releases in theaters. Once the DCU is in full swing, DC fans will have a whole new franchise to enjoy, but until then, fans are dealing with the final scraps of the DCEU finally releasing.
Blue Beetle (2023) will tell a new origin story about one super hero who will be in the DCU. Jaime Reyes (Xolo Maridueña) is not planning to become a hero when a mysterious scarab changes his entire life. Like Aquaman, Blue Beetle’s future is unknown, but the character will return.
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Unfortunately, James Gunn has one major problem for the DCU. Fans don’t know who will stick around for his DC universe. Some actors like Gal Gadot have confirmed they are in talks with Gunn, while other actors from the DCU have no idea if they will return, leaving fans to wonder if Gunn will recast them or quietly bring them back later on.
For Aquaman, Jason Momoa believes he’s the only Aquaman for DC, but that doesn’t stop the company from making a prequel series without the actor. DC officially announced they would release in late October a one-shot comic book setting up the events for Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom (2023).
DC explains how Aquaman is handling affairs in Atlantis when his half brother Orm is plotting his revenge with none other than Black Manta:
“Discover the shocking events that connect the smash-hit Aquaman movie to the eagerly anticipated Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom! Aquaman balances his duties as king and as a member of the Justice League, all while planning a wedding! Black Manta is on the hunt for Atlantean tech to help rebuild his armor! Orm plots to escape his Atlantean prison! Three action-packed tales crammed into a single special!”
DC loves to create comics to set up their recent movies, and none of them have done much to help fans be more excited for the movie, unfortunately. The Flash (2023) and Dwayne Johnson’s Black Adam (2021) followed this trend, and it’s not working. Gunn’s advertisement of what comics he is basing his DCU stories on has generated bigger sales for DC comics than ever before. Fans might love to see the comic and know a little more before seeing Momoa on the big screen, but for most, Aquaman isn’t the same without its lead star.
Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom releases in theaters on December 20, 2023.
Do you think DC should continue making comics to set up their movies? Let Inside the Magic know what you think!