Aquaman made over $1.1 billion in 2018, prompting Warner Bros. to quickly enlist filmmaker James Wan to take the helm of a sequel and even a possible spin-off revolving around The Trench.
Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom finally splashed down into theaters at the end of 2023. Fans and moviegoers alike had largely lost interest in the DCEU by then, but despite largely unfavourable reviews, the sequel still managed to make a so-so $440 million worldwide.
Wan has reunited with Ocean Master actor Patrick Wilson as a producer on The Conjuring: Last Rites, and in a recent interview with ComicBook.com, both of them were asked about possibly working with DC Studios in the new DCU.
"No, never met him," Wilson, no stranger to comic book fare after previously starring in Watchmen, said of James Gunn. "So I have no relationship there. Obviously, Peter, his partner, is our producer, so I’ve known Peter forever. I mean, we said what we needed to say with Orm, so yeah, I love the guy, love the character."
Wan, meanwhile, also doesn't appear to be eyeing up a DC return. "I haven’t really. Peter and I have just chatted briefly on the surface, but I’ve actually just taken a bit of a hiatus from directing and just taking a break for my mental health because directing just takes so much out of you physically and mentally and emotionally."
"And so, who knows? Never say never. But for now, I’m slowly getting back in there. I tell you what I would be keen to do is, I love the idea of maybe getting back into horror," Wan concluded, hinting at wanting to return to his roots or possibly showing interest in a horror-themed comic book movie.
For what it's worth, DC Studios appears to have fully moved on from the Aquaman franchise in its previous form. Last month, Gunn said, "I don’t think Aquaman is canon. It’s unlikely that Aquaman is a famous hero in the DCU as Superman and Peacemaker Season 2 is happening."
The filmmaker and studio executive has also cast Jason Momoa as a different character: Supergirl's Lobo. If and when the King of Atlantis does return, he'll likely be much different, and hopefully, more in line with his comic book counterpart.
However, based on how Gunn relentlessly mocked Arthur Curry in Peacemaker season 1, we wouldn't bank on Aquaman being that high up on his list of priorities for the new DCU.