Aquaman & The Lost Kingdom sees Jason Momoa’s Arthur Curry return to the big screen. Here are all the details we know so far about the DCU sequel.
Aquaman & The Lost Kingdom is set to arrive in 2023, and here are all the updates on the upcoming DCU movie so far. Jason Momoa had the misfortune of making his DCU debut in the much-maligned theatrical cut of Justice League, but while Aquaman’s 2017 debut sank, a 2018 solo movie swam. Directed by James Wan, Aquaman attained huge box office success and critical acclaim in a DCU landscape renowned for choppy waters. Whereas Justice League merely gave an early sprinkling of Arthur Curry, Aquaman explored his backstory and claim to the throne of Atlantis in full, fascinating detail. Momoa would later appear in 2021’s Zack Snyder’s Justice League, but the true continuation of his Aquaman story lies ahead.
Aquaman & The Lost Kingdom has been beset by DCU upheaval, release delays, and a lawsuit involving one of its stars. With solo movies for Superman, Batfleck, and Cyborg non-existent, Wonder Woman 3 canceled, and The Flash‘s Ezra Miller embroiled in controversy, Jason Momoa’s Aquaman was long considered the default linchpin of the DCU’s future. Post-production remains ongoing at the time of writing, but crucial Aquaman & The Lost Kingdom news and details are beginning to slip through the net thanks to cast, crew, and other official sources. However, successive delays and DCU shake-ups from parent company WB Discovery mean the question of when is Aquaman 2 coming out is still being asked. Here are the most important updates as the DCU prepares to focus on Arthur Curry once again, from the Aquaman 2 cast to story beats.
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The Latest Aquaman 2 News
The most recent Aquaman 2 news hasn’t been positive. It’s been widely reported that initial audience test screenings for Aquaman & The Lost Kingdom were received abysmally. According to The Direct, a trusted DCU is quoted as revealing “I’ll be honest, we’re half a dozen test screenings in and it’s not looking great. I’ve consistently heard over the last half year or so that it’s boring, not as good as the first, and potentially one of the worst DCEU movies.”
This analysis has been further corroborated elsewhere online — although any doubts of its authenticity were soon quashed when it was revealed WB had indeed ordered a reshoot and several story adjustments for Aquaman 2 in February (via The International News). The current state of the DCU where The Flash is eagerly anticipated following the new trailer, while Aquaman 2 appears to be hanging by a thread, is certainly a world away from how the upcoming DC movie slate looked even in late 2022.
This might not be entirely bad news for the DCU or James Gunn, however. It’s been widely reported on social media that Jason Momoa has been eyeing the role of Lobo in the rebooted DCU — an idea that neither James Gunn not Peter Safran has dismissed. They have, however, been clear that he cannot play two characters, and that Jason Momoa’s DCU future will be hashed out after Aquaman 2 (via comicbook.com). Depending on how Aquaman 2 test screenings fare after the reshoots, it might be that dropping Aquaman & The Lost Kingdom so the DCU, and Jason Momoa, can get a cleaner break from the old DCEU is exactly what’s needed.
When Is Aquaman 2 Coming Out? (Theaters & Streaming)
As with most movies in production around the time of the 2020 Covid-19 pandemic, Aquaman & The Lost Kingdom‘s release date has ebbed and flowed. Arthur Curry’s second coming was initially slated for December 2022, but a wholesale DCU reshuffle saw Aquaman 2 drift to a new current calendar position of March 17, 2023. It was then announced in August 2022 that it had been pushed back once more, and the new confirmed Aquaman 2 release date is December 25th 2023.
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The most recent Aquaman 2 delay was reportedly due to the need for more post-production VFX processing time. It wasn’t the only DCU movie to experience yet another delay, as Shazam! Fury of the Gods was also pushed back from its impending Xmas 2022 release. As for whether Aquaman & The Lost Kingdom and other upcoming DC movies will have a dual big and small screen release, at present Warner Bros. movies become available for streaming on HBO Max after a 45-day exclusivity window in theaters. That strategy could change for 2023 but, under the current model, Aquaman & The Lost Kingdom would hit HBO Max sometime in mid-January or early February 2024.
Aquaman’s Main Cast Members Are Returning For The Lost Kingdom
The vast majority of 2018’s cast are returning for Aquaman & The Lost Kingdom. Jason Momoa is obviously back leading the Aquaman 2 cast as Arthur Curry himself, but he’ll be joined by Patrick Wilson as Orm, Yahya Abdul-Mateen II as Black Manta, Amber Heard as Mera, Dolph Lundgren as King Nereus, Randall Park as Dr. Shin, and Temuera Morrison as Thomas Curry. Willem Dafoe’s Vulko and Nicole Kidman’s Atlanna are both anticipated to feature also. One notable exception — Vincent Regan will assume the role of King Atlan in Aquaman & The Lost Kingdom, previously held by Graham McTavish. Ben Affleck is also returning as Batman. The fact Batman is in Aquaman 2 was revealed by Jason Momoa in mid-2022, and much excitement is afoot about Batfleck’s return.
Aquaman & The Lost Kingdom isn’t just a reunion for familiar faces — new names will be making a splash too. Indya Moore has been cast as the human-shark hybrid known as Karshon. Dubbed “The Shark” before adopting his more familiar moniker, Karshon tormented Green Lantern in his 1960s DC debut, before attaining greater renown as Aquaman’s foe. Once a regular tiger shark, Karshon evolved into a highly-intelligent supervillain after being hit by a radioactive blast. This accident resulted in awesome physical and psychic powers, but Karshon doesn’t always work alone, and has previously teamed with Black Manta in DC comic stories. Their shared history could prove significant for Aquaman & The Lost Kingdom.
Alongside Aquaman’s new shark villain Karshon, a second addition to Aquaman & The Lost Kingdom is Jani Zhao, who will play a character called Stingray. Not a figure derived from existing DC lore, Aquaman 2 marks Zhao’s Hollywood blockbuster debut. Lastly, Pilou Asbaek (Euron Greyjoy from Game of Thrones) has been cast in an undisclosed part (let’s face it, probably a villain).
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Aquaman & The Lost Kingdom Story Details
James Wan’s initial working title for Aquaman 2 was “Necrus” – a name fans of the soaking superhero’s comic adventures will be deeply familiar with. Essentially a darker Atlantis, Necrus is a domed underwater city ruled by a militaristic tyrant who seeks domination over the surface world, but the kingdom is unstable and only flickers into existence thanks to the positioning of an alien satellite. Necrus could be the “lost kingdom” of Aquaman 2‘s title and the “ancient power” mentioned in the synopsis for Aquaman & The Lost Kingdom provided in December 2021:
When an ancient power is unleashed, Aquaman must forge an uneasy alliance with an unlikely ally to protect Atlantis, and the world, from irreversible devastation.
An “uneasy alliance” refers to Jason Momoa’s Arthur Curry and Patrick Wilson’s Orm finding themselves in the same boat. According to DC film president Walter Hamada, Aquaman 2 focuses on the relationship between these former rivals, almost like a “buddy comedy.” Bringing these hints together, we can deduce Aquaman and Orm are reluctantly forced to cooperate in the face of a much larger threat.
In a key Aquaman & The Lost Kingdom update, CinemaCon footage confirmed the sequel would dive deeper into Black Manta’s origin as the villain seeks revenge against Arthur Curry. Sure enough, Yahya Abdul Mateen II has promised added personality from his character in Aquaman 2, and we know from a behind-the-scenes trailer that in Aquaman 2, Black Manta gets a fresh, comic-accurate costume, as well as followers to do his bidding.
In terms of tone, Wan has repeatedly promised a more mature story arc compared to 2018’s Aquaman, suggesting Aquaman & The Lost Kingdom will fall more in line with Zack Snyder’s DCU vision. Thanks to the behind-the-scenes reel shown at DC FanDome 2021, we also know Aquaman 2 will directly tackle issues of environmentalism and the climate crisis. It’s not all doom and gloom, of course — Wan and Jason Momoa have both championed the humor of their script, so don’t expect any “do you bleed?” moments here.
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When Will Aquaman 2’s Trailer Release?
DC has already shown brief snippets of Aquaman & The Lost Kingdom footage behind closed doors at CinemaCon, and given eager fans a behind-the-scenes trailer incorporating concept art and interviews, so one would imagine the first proper teaser isn’t far away. On the other hand, the subsequent delays, from delaying Aquaman 2 from December 2022 to March 2023 to the updated December 25th 2023 release date, suggest more time is required to nail the visual effects in a film that relies so heavily on convincing CGI. Warner Bros. won’t want a trailer with half-baked visual effects getting cannoned online, so expect more Aquaman & The Lost Kingdom footage sometime around Fall 2023.
Amber Heard’s Mera May Have A Reduced Role In Aquaman 2
Johnny Depp and Amber Heard spent the early Summer months of 2022 locked in a courtroom libel battle, as both sides hurled allegations of domestic abuse against the other. During her testimony, Heard claimed the ongoing Johnny Depp controversy had pushed Warner Bros. to dramatically reduce Mera’s part in Aquaman & The Lost Kingdom, even admitting she was unsure Mera would make the final cut at all.
DC’s Walter Hamada responded by confirming Mera’s lack of prominence in the sequel, but cited creative reasons as the motivation (via EW). Hamada also admitted Warner Bros. considered recasting Mera due to chemistry concerns, but Amber Heard remains the DCU Mera for now. The libel case has since been settled in Johnny Depp’s favor, and the true extent of Amber Heard’s presence in Aquaman 2 likely won’t become clear until the movie actually premieres.
Arthur Curry Has A New Costume In Aquaman 2
Jason Momoa will don two suits in Aquaman & The Lost Kingdom. The first is Arthur Curry’s traditional, comic-inspired gold and green ensemble, variations of which have been used in Aquaman’s past DCU outings. The second outfit is a brand new metallic blue “stealth” suit. This latter costume is based on Aquaman’s 1986 Neal Pozner comic run and, as the name implies, is designed to offer better underwater camouflage than Arthur’s traditional bright and glittery gear ever could. Its inclusion in Aquaman 2 points toward some
kind of infiltration mission, but the sleeker design also exemplifies the more mature tone teased by James Wan.
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Aquaman 2 Uses New Underwater Filming Technology
Aquaman‘s underwater scenes are a given, with characters required to interact, converse and emote within a watery environment. In 2018’s Aquaman, this effect was largely achieved by harnessing actors to a wire rig that simulates floating, before adding CGI water in post-production. Alas, Jason Momoa described that process as extremely uncomfortable, and Aquaman & The Lost Kingdom uses a different approach entirely. According to James Wan (via Cinemablend), the sequel replaced physical harness rigs with a performance capture technique, filming actors using multiple cameras and then digitally transferring these movements onto a 3-D model. The finished effect will be fascinating to see — especially with the aquatic Avatar: Way of the Water making land in theaters first.
