Is Aquaman Really A "Bridge" Movie To The New DCEU?

Don't Expect Any DC Crossovers

"It's literally a standalone movie. Not because I wasn't open to the idea of potentially another character from the bigger universe, but it just so happens that the roads that these characters go on are not associated with any of the other superhero characters. I keep saying that it would be weird to see Batman in Atlantis, or even Superman for that matter. Wonder Woman might be the only one that feels like they can belong, that they're siblings of some kind. But no, and that's the best way. This way, I can tell my own story and not be affected by what they're doing over there and they're not affected by what I'm doing over here. But we all live in the same space."

James Wan's Ideas For The Sequel

It's way too soon to say whether or not we'll get an Aquaman sequel, especially as there's no way of knowing whether or not moviegoers will respond positively to the DC Comics adaptation. Despite that, director James Wan is understandably already mulling over some ideas for where things can go next for the King of Atlantis.

"There's definitely stories, even within the world we've created, that you can actually see other storylines [spinning off from] as well," he teases. "There's the Aquaman story, but then there's the stories of the seven different kingdoms as well. I think those would be very fun to explore." Chances are that means we'll only get a glimpse of them in this first chapter. 

Jason Momoa Has His Own Ideas About What Comes Next

"I definitely have an opinion," the actor confirmed when asked about Aquaman's future on the big screen. "Even when we were shooting Aquaman, I have the opening of Aquaman 2 ready. I went in and pitched it to Peter Safran, and I pitched it to Toby Emmerich. They loved it. It's awesome... But yeah, I have plans for Aquaman 2."

These ideas presumably line up with what Wan is planning as previous reports have pointed to them getting on well and it's hard to imagine creative differences leading to some sort of split, Deadpool 2 style (which reportedly saw Tim Miller and Ryan Reynolds clash over the direction the sequel should be taken in). 
 

Don't Expect To Spend Much Time On Dry Land

Bringing Atlantis to life was surely a difficult (and extremely costly) task but director James Wan has confirmed that the vast majority of the movie is going to take place away from the surface world.
 

"I didn't want it to take place in our world for very much. When it takes place in our world, I want it to be something you don't go to all the time. There's a big set-piece that takes place in a small fishing village off the coast of Sicily. It's not stuff that we see every day. So even that has a heightened romantic quality to it. I really wanted that magic and wonderment, with just that sense of nautical romance in there."

Black Manta's Motivations

Yahya Abdul-Mateen II will be taking on the role of Black Manta in Aquaman but the actor was quick to make it known that he doesn't believe moviegoers will necessarily hate the villain; instead, he's hoping that they'll be able to relate to his quest for revenge against Arthur Curry. 

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Amber Heard's Chemistry With Jason Momoa

Donning Black Manta's Costume

Much to the surprise of pretty much everyone, Aquaman's version of Black Manta is decked out in a comic accurate costume which homages to the source material in a way that most movies wouldn't dare. That's been well-received by fans but what was it like for Yahya Abdul-Mateen II to have to suit up in such a cumbersome looking costume?

What Drew James Wan To Aquaman

"[The] more I thought about it, the biggest thing that struck me at the time was the fact that we've seen incarnations of the Flash on TV and stuff like that, but we've never really seen an Aquaman movie at all. That part got me very excited. I feel like the landscape is quite littered with a lot of superhero movies, and the opportunities to do something that feels different and looks different, that one has really seen before - it felt like the freshest path into the superhero world."

Jason Momoa Sees Himself In Aquaman

"I think Aquaman definitely has a lot of me," the actor explained when asked about what he thinks he brings to a character like Arthur Curry. "I'm not that jaded, but he's definitely ornery and playful and likes beer! He's a bit of a smartass. We obviously have a lot of hair." So, it seems as if this version of the DC Comics superhero was very much written with Momoa in mind in many ways.
 

What Drew Amber Heard To The Role Of Mera

The Actors Weren't Allowed To Sweat

How Seeing The Movie Made Jason Momoa Feel

Vulko's Role In The Story

"He's an advisor to King Orm, and he's also a mentor to Aquaman. You could look at a monitor that was filming in a greenscreen room, with all these elements covered with green fabric and all these reference points, and then you could go to the monitor and see the completed set, but in a rendering that was laid over the live scene. So that was sometimes very helpful. So when you're on this big object that's moving around on the gimbal that's supposed to be a shark - you could actually go to the monitor and see the size of the shark you're on."

What To Expect From The Villainous Orm

In the comics, Orm is a character who has been portrayed in both heroic and villainous lights, with his darker impulses often leading to him going head to head with Aquaman. In this movie, it sounds like he'll be a full-on bad guy but Patrick Wilson was quick to point out that we should be able to relate to his motivations here.

"[Orm's] got a chip on his shoulder but it's very easy for me to look at a guy defending his world that's been polluted and destroyed, and he can't do anything about it... You definitely want people to understand where he's coming from. It doesn't matter if you like him. I don't care if you like him. But you'll understand."

That Armour Is As Uncomfortable As It Looks

It's Jason Momoa's Time To Shine

We first caught a glimpse of Jason Momoa as Arthur Curry in Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice and after appearing in Justice League, Aquaman marks the first solo adventure in which he'll finally receive the spotlight to himself. 

Asked how it feels to be suiting up as the DC Comics character in this adventure, Momoa responded: "Just completely stoked. It's been six years since Zack called me into his office... Now I'm finally here and it's all mine, and it's phenomenal." 

Oh, and if you're thinking that director James Wan is intimidated by directing the formidable looking actor, guess again!"I've directed The Rock and Vin Diesel, so Jason is a piece of cake. He's easy."
 

Working With James Wan