The next chapter in the ongoing story of the DCEU, James Wan's Aquaman promises to be a unique, visually distinctive film that sees Jason Momoa's Aquaman battle for the throne of Atlantis. It features an all-star cast, including Amber Heard as Mera, Nicole Kidman as Aquaman's mother Atlanna, Patrick Wilson as the main villain Ocean Master, and Yahya Abdul-Mateen II as the secondary villain, Black Manta.

  • Release Date: December 21, 2018
  • Cast: Jason Momoa, Amber Heard, Patrick Wilson, Temuera Morrison, Willem Dafoe, Yahya Abdul-Mateen II, Dolph Lundgren, Nicole Kidman, Ludi Lin, Michael Beach
  • Director: James Wan
  • Writer: Will Beall

Last Update: July 18, 2018

The Aquaman Movie Stars Jason Momoa as Arthur Curry

Jason Momoa as Aquaman

Viewers were introduced to Jason Momoa's Aquaman back in 2016, when he made an unexpected cameo in Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice. The character returned in last year's Justice League, with the production crew careful to leave major reveals - such as a first glimpse of Atlantis - for James Wan's film. Aquaman will serve as his origin story, with flashbacks exploring his background. There'll even be an amusing scene showing how he learned he can talk to fish. By the end of the film, Jason Momoa and James Wan have both teased that Aquaman will have donned his famous comic book costume.

Read More: James Wan Says Aquaman Movie Will Make Arthur the Hero Fans Know

The Aquaman Movie Villains are Ocean Master and Black Manta

Patrick Wilson is the main villain, playing the part of Aquaman's half-brother Orm - better known as Ocean Master. Embittered by humanity's pollution of the seas, Orm seeks to declare war on the surface world for the sake of Atlantis. He's supported by Yahya Abdul-Mateen II's Black Manta, a vengeful pirate who's desperate to kill Aquaman. The actor is actually signed up on a multi-picture deal.

Read More: Aquaman: Black Manta Actor Promises Costume & Voice Will Please Comic Fans

Other Cast and Characters in The Aquaman Movie

Mera in her green outfit in Aquaman

The most exciting member of the secondary cast is Amber Heard's Mera, who promises to be an equal partner to Arthur Curry, not just his lover. A powerful hydrokinetic, Mera's knowledge of Atlantean society and civilization will be crucial to defeating Orm and Black Manta. Other members of the secondary cast include Nicole Kidman as Aquaman's mother Atlanna, Temuera Morrison as Arthur's father, and Dolph Lundgren as King Nereus of Xebel.

Read More: Mera Will Be Her Own Superhero NOT Aquawoman in the Aquaman Movie

The Aquaman Movie Story

Aquaman-King-of-Atlantis-Throne

The plot of Aquaman was revealed after the embargo was lifted on recent set visits. It seems Ocean Master will rise to a position of power in Atlantis, and seek to unite the seven tribes under his rule. Mera will seek out Arthur Curry for help, and the two will launch a desperate quest to secure King Atlan's trident. They'll be pursued by Ocean Master and Black Manta, who know the power this trident can unlock. The basic plot will sound familiar to any fans of Geoff Johns's "New 52" run in the comics. Johns was one of the writers of the Aquaman script, and as such his run is a major touchstone for this film.

Read More: Everything The Aquaman Set Visit Reports Tell Us About The Movie

Where the Aquaman Movie Exists in the DCEU Timeline

Justice League - Aquaman, Wonder Woman, and Cyborg - Cropped

Aquaman begins in the '80s, with Tom Curry rescuing the Atlantean Atlanna when he finds her washed up, injured, on a beach. It will then cut to the present day, with the bulk of the film set shortly after the events of Justice League.

Read More: Warner Bros. Should Announce a New DCEU Slate at Comic-Con 2018

The Aquaman Trailer Will Release at SDCC 2018

James Wan has confirmed that the first trailer will be released at the Warner Bros. panel on Saturday July 21, at San Diego Comic-Con. Warner Bros. is beginning the marketing push for SDCC by lifting the embargo on set visits for the film, ensuring it makes headlines ahead of San Diego.

Read More: SDCC 2018: The Most Important Panels (And What to Expect From Them)

The Aquaman Posters

Ahead of SDCC, Warner Bros. dropped the first Aquaman poster - a stunning image showing Jason Momoa's titular hero responding to a summons from home.

Read More: Aquaman Movie Poster Reveals Arthur Curry’s Underwater Army

The Aquaman Movie Is Inspired by Geoff Johns's "New 52" Run

Justice League Part 1 Rumor Introduce Mera Aquaman

Although Aquaman will be a lot more than just a comic-to-screen adaptation, aspects of the film seem to have been remarkably comic-book-accurate - most notably the design of Amber Heard's Mera. It seems the "touchstone" for the film is Geoff Johns's popular "New 52" run, with aspects of the plot lifted liberally from those fan-favorite comics.

Read More: Will the Aquaman Movie Change this Comic Romance?

Aquaman's Director is James Wan

After kicking off the Saw, Conjuring, and Insidious horror franchises, Wan jumped to big budget action filmmaking with Furious 7. Thanks to his varied background and career as a director, producer, and writer, Wan is certainly a unique get for WB. There’s no telling how his skills will translate to an aquatic superhero film, but we can certainly expect plenty of sinister characters and lots of action. Wan will also rely as much as he can on practical effects, while using CGI for the film’s extensive underwater sequences. Handled correctly, Aquaman could be quite an intriguing entry into the DCEU.

Read More: Aquaman Director Using as Many Practical Effects as Possible

The Aquaman Movie Writer is Will Beall

Gangster Squad Cast

A relative newcomer, Will Beall wrote the screenplay for Aquaman based on a story by DC head Geoff Johns and director James Wan. After writing and serving as story editor for a number of years on Castle, Beall scripted 2013’s Gangster Squad. From there, he went quiet until this year when his adaptation of Training Day arrived on TV. While his lack of experience makes it difficult to judge the work he’ll do on Aquaman, the involvement of Johns and Wan will likely have a big impact on the finished product.

Read More: Geoff Johns Explains What Makes Aquaman Special

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