The first trailer for Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom splashed down yesterday and it's fair to say the movie looks considerably better than expected. If nothing else, we're sure fans of 2018's Aquaman will have a good time and it would be nice to see the DCEU end on a positive note.
It was in that sneak peek we met Arthur Curry and Mera's baby; he's presumably called Arthur Curry Jr., better known to comic book fans as "Aquababy." However, if you've read the King of Atlantis' adventures on the page, then you'll know how things go for him.
If you haven't, then we'd advise turning away now as we're about to get into major spoiler territory.
According to one reliable scooper, the baby is going to be killed in Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom, just like his comic book counterpart. In the comics, Black Manta kidnaps the child and slowly tortures and kills him by forcing the boy to breathe air.
That's way too dark for a PG-13 superhero movie and even the fact he'll die - presumably alongside Tom Curry when Black Manta destroys Arthur's home on the surface - is pretty extreme. It is, however, comic book accurate and likely explains why Mera takes a backseat in this adventure (in the source material, the death of their child pushed Aquaman and Mera apart).
It's also said that both Ben Affleck and Michael Keaton's respective Batman cameos have been scrapped. The latter was the first to shoot a role in the movie before being replaced by Affleck due to release date changes. Now, we'll see neither of them as DC Studios doesn't want to tease a future story which will never happen.
How do you feel about this shocking Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom development?
Director James Wan and Aquaman himself, Jason Momoa - along with Patrick Wilson, Amber Heard, Yahya Abdul-Mateen II and Nicole Kidman - return in the sequel to the highest-grossing DC film of all time: Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom.
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.
The screenplay is by David Leslie Johnson-McGoldrick, from a story by James Wan & David Leslie Johnson-McGoldrick and Jason Momoa & Thomas Pa'a Sibbett.
Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom will be released on December 20.