With Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom set to release on March 17th, 2023, many fans are intrigued to see what will come of Aquaman’s story since he is now the newly crowned king of Atlantis. Supposedly, this film is a buddy comedy featuring Jason Momoa as Aquaman and Patrick Wilson as his half-brother, Orm as they cross paths with Yahya Abdul-Mateen II’s Black Manta.
There are also rumors that Abdul Manteen II's character is about to get several new allies too, with Indya Moore joining as Karshon and possibly Jani Zhao's ominous, new character, Stingray. If the movie does plan to be a success then there's a possibility that the producers of the DCEU might expand upon this franchise further and add several more dynamic characters in the future to come.
Aqualad
Many fans are theorizing that some important figures in the DCEU are getting replaced by successors – as in the case of Batman with Batgirl and Superman with Supergirl. While it does look like Jason Momoa’s Aquaman might be here to stay, this doesn’t mean a protégé couldn’t feature in Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom or elsewhere in the DCEU.
Jackson Hyde aka Aqualad was introduced in 2010, taking over for the previous Aqualad, Garth. He is actually the son of Black Manta and like his predecessor, he joins the Teen Titans (though he might be more recognized as his Young Justice version, Kaldur). He eventually succeeds his mentor to become the second Aquaman. Aqualad could be arriving sooner than expected as an HBO Max series is being developed by Charlize Theron supposedly - though it is still not known if this is part of the DCEU (via Screen Rant).
Tempest
Similar to Nightwing, the first Aqualad eventually chose to forge his own path as a hero and took the name, Tempest. Garth was an orphan and outcast from an Atlantean colony who Aquaman took in, practically as his own son. He served as Aqualad for nearly forty years before renaming himself, Tempest.
Garth differs from Aquaman and Jackson Hyde in his talent as a sorcerer. He was a founder of the Teen Titans and has also served as an ambassador for Atlantis. While it might be a better choice to go with Jackson Hyde as Aquaman, like in this fan-casting of the Teen Titans, Garth could certainly still and should figure into the DCEU in other ways.
Charybdis
Some of Aquaman’s villains are more vicious than others, yet still quite kitschy, and thus could fit in well with the DCEU’s tone. One such character is Charybdis. He is a relatively low-level villain, yet he could still figure into the DCEU. He was driven to darkness' by the death of his wife, which drove him to seek vengeance against Aquaman.
While he is not as well-known as Black Manta or Ocean Master, Charybdis still played an important role in Aquaman's history. He briefly stole Aquaman’s powers to control sea life, and he is responsible for Aquaman losing his hand (thus leading to his use of a hook). Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom looks like it could be featuring numerous antagonistic characters, and Charybdis could be incorporated too sometime.
Aquagirl
In the late 1960s, the Aquaman family expanded again following the introduction of Garth as Aqualad with the creation of Tula (aka Aquagirl). Like her male counterpart, Aquagirl joins the Teen Titans, but she never becomes the formal protégé of Aquaman. She is actually the half-sister of Ocean Master, sharing a father, and becomes the captain of the Drift, the Atlantean Black Ops team.
As her origins are not that complex, she could easily be introduced into the DCEU as an Atlantean soldier who then grows to become Aquagirl. Alternatively, she could be featured in the HBO Max Aqualad series.
Corum Rath
Much of Aquaman’s history in comics is him fighting to maintain control and authority over Atlantis as King. He’s not always been able to hold onto that title, such as when terrorist, Corum Rath usurped him. Corum is the leader of the Deluge, an eco-terrorist group that spouts anti-surface sentiments.
He was a xenophobic ruler, who was consumed by darkness as his power slipped further and further from his grasp. He eventually transforms into a giant sea monster. As Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom would need to see Aquaman struggle with his authority as King, Corum Rath could play a role, perhaps even played by Pilou Asbæk, who was cast in an undisclosed role.
Lagoon Boy
Taking inspiration from the classic horror film Creature from the Black Lagoon, Aquaman gained a new ally in 1998 with Lagoon Boy. He is an amphibious hero that can puff up like a pufferfish, becoming more powerful and difficult to beat. Like his fellow Aquaman supporting characters, he also joins the Teen Titans – in their East Coast division – and the Young Justice.
His inclusion in the DCEU could further expand on his still ambiguous origins. While he might be a choice father down the list when compared to both Aqualads and Aquagirl, he would definitely add another missing element to the DCEU as a non-human hero.
Fisherman
Some of Aquaman’s villains aren’t the coolest, including one of his most classic adversaries, the Fisherman. Nevertheless, this might be all the more reason to include such a character. It would be a great way to revitalize him into one of Aquaman's best villains. As his name implies, he relies on fishing gear to take down his enemy, though it is highly advanced.
Interestingly, his true identity is still unknown to this day so this could allow filmmakers to really make anyone take up that role. Outside of the Aquaman-specific section of the DCEU, Fisherman could also feature in any future Suicide Squad film or project since he also serves as a member of Task Force X.
Dolphin
As Charybdis looked primed to defeat Aquaman, having just forced piranhas to eat his hand, a young and unknown hero named Dolphin came to the rescue. She was a pacifist, but in order to save the hero, she decided to shoot Charybdis. She’s remained an ally to Aquaman ever since, also serving a key role in overthrowing Corum Rath.
Although she becomes Garth’s wife following Tula’s death, and they have a son, she has also been in a romantic relationship with Aquaman. Given this and her unique powerset, there is a real possibility she could be featured in the DCEU soon, even in Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom.
Aquawoman
With The Flash supposedly set to break open the Multiverse, numerous possible Aquaman-related characters from different universes and across different timelines could end up coming into the DCEU. One exciting option could be Aquaman’s own daughter, Andy Curry aka Aquawoman. She is a recent creation in comics, having only been introduced in 2021.
She originally served as the teenage sidekick to Jackson Hyde’s Aquaman as Aqualass. She grows into becoming Aquawoman and even joins the Justice League. Alternatively, Aquawoman could come into the DCEU in the form of Ariel Curry, a direct variant of Arthur Curry’s Aquaman from Earth-11. Regardless, bringing in such a character would only allow audiences to see another exciting facet of Aquaman.