It's no secret that Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom had a tumultuous journey to the screen, but after numerous re-writes, re-shoots, and (supposedly) disastrous test-screenings, James Wan's DC Comics will be swimming into theaters later this year.
While chatting to EW, Wan addressed some of the reports/rumors relating to the movie that have been doing the rounds, including Batman's involvement, and comments made by Mera actress Amber Heard back when filming was still underway.
The trades had claimed that, at different points, both Ben Affleck and Michael Keaton were set to make appearances in Aquaman 2 before their scenes were cut to make the film more standalone in nature.
“The tricky thing early on was not knowing whether Aquaman would come out first or come out after [The Flash]. So, we just had to be prepared,” Wan said. “At the end of the day, the best thing I would say about this movie is that it is not connected in any way to any of those films. That’s the bottom line.”
Star Jason Momoa basically confirmed that Ben Affleck's take on Bruce Wayne/Batman would - or was going to - appear in an Instagram post, but to this, Wan would only offer a "no comment," before adding: "You’re going to have to wait for the movie to come out.”
As for Heard, following her highly-publicized court case with ex-husband Johnny Depp, the actress stated that Warner Bros. “didn’t want to include me” in the sequel due to the fallout of her divorce, claiming that her role had been “pared down” and her action scenes “taken away.”
Wan counters by claiming that Mera was never going to be a big part of the story, with Aquaman's relationship with his estranged half-brother Orm being the main focus.
“I always pitched this to everyone from the get-go. The first Aquaman was Arthur and Mera’s journey. The second movie was always going to be Arthur and Orm. So, the first was a romance action-adventure movie, the second one is a bromance action-adventure movie. We’ll leave it at that.”
The filmmaker did not dispute reports that James Gunn had some input on the movie, however. “I’ve known James since way back, right? We’re horror guys, and so I’m definitely open to ideas. But, at the end of the day, this is my movie.”
The first trailer for Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom will be online tomorrow.
"Having failed to defeat Aquaman the first time, Black Manta, still driven by the need to avenge his father’s death, will stop at nothing to take Aquaman down once and for all. This time Black Manta is more formidable than ever before, wielding the power of the mythic Black Trident, which unleashes an ancient and malevolent force. To defeat him, Aquaman will turn to his imprisoned brother Orm, the former King of Atlantis, to forge an unlikely alliance. Together, they must set aside their differences in order to protect their kingdom and save Aquaman’s family, and the world, from irreversible destruction.
All returning to the roles they originated, Jason Momoa plays Arthur Curry/Aquaman, now balancing his duties as both the King of Atlantis and a new father; Patrick Wilson is Orm, Aquaman’s half-brother and his nemesis, who must now step into a new role as his brother’s reluctant ally; Amber Heard is Mera, Atlantis’ Queen and mother of the heir to the throne; Yahya Abdul-Mateen II is Black Manta, committed more than ever to avenge his father’s death by destroying Aquaman, his family and Atlantis; and Nicole Kidman as Atlanna, a fierce leader and mother with the heart of a warrior. Also reprising their roles are Dolph Lundgren as King Nereus and Randall Park as Dr. Stephen Shin."