Credit: DC StudiosDirector James Wan’s upcoming DC outing, Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom (2023), is drowning in a sea of overwhelming negative press, largely thanks to the real-life controversy surrounding one of its leads, Amber Heard. As the movie inches closer to its release date, a new TV spot has hinted at her “parred down” role in the story and teased an unexpected main character death that could serve as Arthur Curry’s (Jason Momoa) driving motivation as he gears up for his rematch with Black Manta (Yahya Abdul-Mateen II).
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It’s been a long time coming for the sequel to DC Studios and Warner Bros. billion-dollar hit, Aquaman (2018) — and not just in a metaphorical sense. After suffering from pandemic-related delays, extensive reshoots, and the now-resolved SAG-AFTRA strike, Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom took a grand total of four years to complete, resulting in a year-long delay.
Now, however, things are finally looking up as Jason Momoa prepares to play the titular bombastic warrior-king in the final DCEU entry before James Gunn and Peter Safran take over at DC Studios with their rebooted “Chapter One: Gods and Monsters.” The Aquaman sequel arrives in theaters right before Christmas, giving it a fighting chance to succeed at the holiday box office. However, analysts still aren’t counting on it earning nearly as much as its predecessor.
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This time around, Arthur Curry, now the newly-crowned King of Atlantis, will see the return of a familiar adversary, who threatens to destroy everything he loves, including his and Mera’s son. Much of the original cast reprised their roles for the film, including Temuera Morrison, who plays Arthur’s father, Thomas “Tom” Curry, Nicole Kidman, who plays his mother, Atlanna, and Patrick Wilson, who plays Aquaman’s half-brother, Orm (AKA Ocean Master).
Check out the official trailer for Warner Bros. and DC Studios’ Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom below:
Of course, Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom hasn’t come without its fair share of controversy. For one, thousands of fans petitioned for Amber Heard to be cut from the movie following her highly-publicized legal battle with her ex-husband, Johnny Depp, in which the Pirates of the Caribbean star sued Heard for defamation last year. Depp ultimately won the case and was awarded more than $10 million in damages.
The whole incident is an irreversible stain on Heard’s career, with her public image all but destroyed in the ensuing aftermath of the trial. Still, before she and Depp ever took to the stand, there were already issues taking place during the Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom production, according to the actress, with Jason Momoa allegedly wanting her hired, “dressing up” like Johnny Depp to provoke her and “drunkenly” harassing her on set.
A DC spokesperson adamantly denied the accusations against Momoa, issuing a statement to People that read, “Jason Momoa conducted himself in a professional manner at all times on the set of Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom. We’re excited for audiences to see the film this December.”
Still, whether it was an intentional choice on Wan’s behalf in response to the backlash, or part of the plan all along, Heard will reportedly only have a little under 20 minutes of screen time in the upcoming superhero blockbuster, which adds up, considering she’s been virtually nonexistent in all marketing promotions thus far.
A leaked Korean TV spot for Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom might’ve just confirmed that, teasing some new footage that has yet to be released in the US. And just like the first trailer, Mera is nowhere to be seen. But eagle-eyed viewers also noticed something, well, fishy about the new teaser: the fact that it seems to allude to Tom Curry’s death.
In the new clip, which surfaced earlier this week on X (the platform formerly known as Twitter), it seems that tragedy awaits Arthur Curry, showcasing the aftermath of Black Manta’s attack on his childhood home. We see the Justice League member cradling someone he appears to have lost in the explosion, which, at first glance, suggests that Mera has met her maker. However, on closer inspection, the body looks an awful lot like his father, complete with the same hat seen in other promos.
Check out the full featurette via @FlashFilmNews below:
New Korean spot for #Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom has been released which includes some new footage.
New Korean spot for #Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom has been released which includes some new footage. pic.twitter.com/BJr3TTQWd0
— The Flash Film News (@FlashFilmNews) November 20, 2023
So, is it the end of the line for Temuera Morrison’s DCEU character? Well, it wouldn’t be completely surprising, considering Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom will mark the final installment in the Aquaman franchise. Plus, it would make sense for Black Manta to kill somebody close to Arthur, considering his whole revenge scheme seems to involve plucking off his family members one by one.
Initially, there were some online rumblings that Mera and their son would be murdered during Black Manta’s crusade, which could’ve conveniently explained why Arthur Curry’s wife was absent from previously-released trailers. However, based on this leaked footage, on top of Tom Curry’s ominous voiceover, it seems almost certain that he’ll be a victim of the war for Atlantis.
Ultimately, it does make sense for Tom Curry to be Aquaman and Orm’s primary motivation behind tracking down Black Manta and putting an end to his rein of terror, considering how close Arthur Curry was to his father. Surely, this incentive will give Aquaman the fire he needs to set things right — with a little help from his warrior mother, of course, who will surely be furious about her husband’s death. But who knows? Maybe he was just knocked unconscious. For now, only time will tell.
Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom swims into theaters on December 22, 2023.
Who do you think will make the ultimate sacrifice in the finale DCEU film? Let us know in the comments below!