Home
Superhero Store
Members Area
Learn How
Media
Community
Classifieds
CBM Master List
NotaComicfan Home : News : Videos : Pictures : Polls : Contact

How to approach Aquaman the Movie

My thoughts on how to approach a character that’s not taken seriously.

Follow toilntrouble:
View CBM Profile
By toilntrouble - 12/29/2010
Forewarning, I have never read a comic book in my life, I do however enjoy comic book movies.

I was watching the Big Bang Theory the other day and Raj was dressed up as Aquaman and spent much of the time riffing on the character. This is not the first time I’ve seen the character made fun of on TV. To be honest, I think the character is rarely taken seriously outside of the comicbook community. So how then do you approach making an Aquaman movie?

Now DC seems to be lately making each of their movies upon different themes. I’ve seen Nolan’s Batman movies, particularly the Dark Knight, described as a crime saga. Green Lantern has been compared to Star Wars as a DC space opera. Marc Guggenheim has talked about the thriller/forensic aspect of the planned Flash movie. The Superman reboot will no doubt have a different approach; previous films have had a sort of worldly-epic tone. What different style best fits Aquaman?

I think the approach that will provide Aquaman with the best chances of financial and box office success is to target the movie at kids. Hear me out, I realise that it’s probably not a very popular suggestion. The key to this suggestion is that movies that include young people in their demographic are more often than not financially successful. Look at the top 10 earners for this year, most of these are targeted at children. This is likely due to the fact that when children go to see movies, there’s most of the time an adult with them, thus increasing sales.

It is also important to identify what Aquaman’s strong suits are. Other DC characters either have more interesting powers, villains or iconic moments to draw on. From what I’ve read, Aquaman not so much. I think there are two elements of Aquaman that should be played upon. First is the world from which he comes. Atlantis and the world under the sea could provide a sense of wonder, especially visually. Something akin to Avatar’s numerous shots of the fantastical world, would I think play well with a young audience. The other element is his origin story which I think is quite sympathetic and not a story that has been told often in the context of comic book movies. I really don’t think that a popularly known villain or exaggerated superpowers would be necessary to carry the movie, if the story properly plays up the themes of rejection and isolation that run through the modern age origin story.

Less of a superhero story and more of a character story, plotted properly with a sense of wonder would play well with kids and be taken far more seriously than an attempt at a more mature and serious take on the character. Just my opinion on how I think Aquaman should be brought to the silver screen.
DISCLAIMER: This article was submitted by a volunteer contributor who has agreed to our code of conduct. ComicBookMovie.com is protected from liability under "safe harbor" provisions and will disable users who knowingly commit plagiarism, piracy, trademark or copyright infringement. For expeditious removal, contact us HERE.
0
LIKE!
8 Comments
NightAvenger - 12/29/2010, 7:13 PM
Aquaman deserves a good movie. It has lots of potential.

Also what Xenix said.
CorndogBurglar - 12/30/2010, 5:30 AM
Maybe you should start reading comics, then comment on how to make them cool. If you don't read comics, then how do you know Aquaman sucks? because everyone says so? thats weak
SuperDude001 - 12/30/2010, 12:51 PM
Aquaman should just be introduced in a Justice League movie and it should be more focused on developing him, than others like Superman, Batman, who will already have been developed.

Though I must say good job on the Editorial, nice work, though it went in a bit of an odd direction.
ComicsOricle1969 - 12/30/2010, 1:31 PM
As rare as it is for me to say it I have to agree with CorndogBurglar on this. Superdude001 is way off base, due to the fact that Aquaman is a Founding Member of the JLA. If you have questions, post a comment on my article concerning WW and we can discuss the finer points of what your hinting at. Till next time comfans.
Suzanne - 12/30/2010, 2:39 PM
If a Animated one came out and was successful that would show Hollywood a blueprint how to do it.
toilntrouble - 12/30/2010, 5:40 PM
@CorndogBurglar The point of this editorial was to provide an outsider's perspective. I don't think I said anywhere that Aquaman sucks, I’d actually like to see an Aquaman movie made, but I just don’t think it would do well financially. What I was trying to say was that I don't think many people outside the comicbook-reading community would go to see a mature Aquaman movie because I think their general impression of the character is unfavourable.
NickKaseAKAthePieEATERxGETIT - 12/31/2010, 1:35 PM
to make aquaman a good movie is to NOT MAKE ONE!
bonti247 - 1/21/2011, 8:52 PM
Not kid oriented. No way. The best way to go: Environmentally themed. No, it wouldn't be another Avatar, but my story uses a hybrid of Charybdis/Black Manta as a terrorist/whaler that wants to... actually, stuff it. I just read what I wrote, and I realised how boring it sounded.

Please log in to post comments.

Don't have an account?
Please Register.

.