DC's upcoming underwater epic Aquaman reportedly has a budget of $160 million. That puts it in line with other recent superhero films featuring lesser known heroes, and decidedly cheaper than some of DC's other recent output.

Aquaman tells the story of Arthur Curry (played by Game of Thrones' Jason Momoa) a man of two worlds. The son of a human fisherman and an Atlantean queen, Aquaman is the rightful ruler of Atlantis, but faces scrutiny from other Atlanteans due to his human genetics, and is generally met by violent political pushback. Directed by James Wan (The Conjuring, Fast 7), the film is said to be breaking new ground in special effects, as the majority of the action will take place underwater.

The film's reported budget seems to back up the producers' promises of visual spectacle. In an article in Redland City Bulletin that notes the positive impact the production is having on the economy of filming location North Stradbroke Island, Aquaman's budget is said to be $160 million. That's about in line with other recent movies starring slightly lesser known characters such as Doctor Strange and the original Guardians of the Galaxy. It's decidedly less than the $250 million budget of DC's Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, and is actually a bit more than what was spent on the DCEU's biggest domestic hit to date, Wonder Woman.

Justice League (2017) - Jason Momoa as Aquaman

Aquaman is in an interesting position. Due to production delays on the solo films for Batman and The Flash, Aquaman is currently the only DC movie slated for 2018, and will be DC's first solo outing after the critical and financial triumph of Wonder Woman. DC clearly wants to keep the Wonder Woman momentum going. They're reportedly spending millions of dollars on reshoots for November's Justice League in an effort to fine tune that movie's tone and plot (whether it's a cosmetic polish or a total overhaul is a point of much debate).

Aquaman boasts a great cast, with Momoa in the titular role, Amber Heard as Aquaman's love interest Mera, and a supporting cast filled out by heavy hitters like Nicole Kidman, Patrick Wilson, and Willem Dafoe, and Wan is a proven hit maker. The movie will have to overcome decades of Aquaman being the butt of jokes revolving around "the guy who talks to fish." And while we're yet to see any footage from the film, it's good to know DC is properly supporting the movie financially and are clearly counting on it being another smashing success for their burgeoning shared universe.

MORE: Every Aquaman Movie Update You Need To Know

Source: Redland City Bulletin

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