Credit: DC StudiosSince the regime change at now Warner Bros. Discovery, the sequel, Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom, has kept getting pushed back. Even though the studio has claimed it is due to standard reshoots, many have speculated its delay is due to a lack of cohesiveness as it attempts to fit into the new direction for DC Studios. The movie has been put through the wringer as it has gone through multiple revisions, an infamous court case scandal, and undisclosed creative differences.
Warner Bros. released an official synopsis with today’s teaser trailer. The footage showcases the return of Black Manta (Yahya Abdul-Matteen). The DC foe has been equated to being the Joker to Aquaman’s Batman. He is a major nemesis that keeps coming back to seek revenge on his rival.
The official synopsis details that Black Manta has discovered the mythical Black Trident, which he will use to set free a dormant, yet powerful malevolent force. Director, James Wan, has stated that the movie will be a “romance story at its heart between the two brothers, between Arthur and Orm.” Arthur will seek out his estranged brother’s help to prevent a bloodthirsty Black Manta from unleashing an ancient monstrosity.
The horror film visionary has not revealed anything specific about the storyline but divulged that he took inspiration from the cult-classic horror film, Planet of the Vampires (1965). The filmmaker will infuse some of his horror roots into the tone of the sequel, most likely centered around this ancestral evil that is set to be unleashed on the Atlanteans.
Most of the cast from the original film is set to return including the controversial Amber Heard, whose role had to be cut down as Mera, after the backlash from her well-publicized court battle with Johnny Depp. This has crucially changed the direction of the overall story since she was a major character.
However, most of the strife Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom has endured is due to Warner Bros.’ leadership reconstruction for the DC Universe. The movie was in the midst of production when James Gunn and Peter Safran were made co-CEOs of DC Studios. Their era led to the culling of multiple DC projects. Most notably was the end of the DC Extended Universe (DCEU), which led to the departure of prominent stars like Henry Cavill and Ben Affleck.
While the newly assembled DC Universe (DCU) has replaced the DCEU, the new Studio heads still wanted to try to keep some of its DCEU characters. Jason Mamoa as Aquaman was one of them since the first movie raked in over $1 billion. Unfortunately, the DCU has been off to a bumpy start. The Flash bombed terribly at the box office and Blue Beetle garnered critical acclaim, but has not generated Barbie-like numbers. Hopefully, the constant delays and the ever-growing “superhero fatigue” will not drown out the opportunity for the King of the Seven Seas to have a place in the new DC Universe.
The full trailer for Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom will debut this Thursday, September 14, 2023.
Are you excited for the new Aquaman? Do you think they should just recast the role altogether?