AQUAMAN: Everything The Latest Issue Of Entertainment Weekly Tells Us About The Movie - SPOILERS
We've delved into the latest issue of EW to bring you huge new details on Ocean Master, Black Manta, shooting "underwater," the big screen debut of The Trench, what to expect from Atlantis, and much more.
Source: Entertainment Weekly
There's been a lot of excitement surrounding Aquaman but with only a couple of official images, it's been hard to get a read on whether or not director James Wan has managed to pull off another Wonder Woman or...another Suicide Squad? Either way, the DCEU's spotty track record has got fans talking but this new info dump from EW points to the movie being nothing short of spectacular.
We've already brought you some new images and details from the site but having delved into the magazine itself, we now have a wealth of new information about what you should expect from it.
Did you know that Ocean Master views himself as an "eco-warrior"? How about how the cast pulled off those tricky underwater scenes...by not being underwater? Oh, and let's not forget the fact that Black Manta will shoot plasma beams and which characters ride around on prehistoric sharks! So, to take a look at this full list of reveals, all you guys have to do is click on the "View List" down button.
The Trench Are Coming
The magazine mentions that director James Wan was able to return to his horror roots by introducing some "subterranean cannibals." If you're at all familiar with the comic books, you'll know that's a reference to The Trench, a monstrous species introduced during Geoff Johns' New 52 run. Seeing as he helped pen the screenplay, it's no great surprise that they'll appear in the DC Comics adaptation.
Jason Momoa Wasn't Happy About One Justice League Line
According to Jason Momoa, he's concerned that his Arthur Curry in Justice League came across as "too grumpy" (he did) and there was one line, in particular, he wasn't happy about and that's when Bruce Wayne made that crack about the future King of Atlantis being able to talk to fish. "I'm like, 'Don't put this line in there, because that's all people are going to say. Do you want me to make him look cool or not?'" Needless to say, we can probably forget about any more references to that moving forward!
"Unite The Seven"
Remember that teaser poster for Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice featuring Aquaman and a tag reading "Unite the Seven"? At the time, there was a lot of speculation about whether it was referring to the team of heroes or the seven seas and it now appears to be the latter as the magazine reveals that when Atlantis sank into the ocean, it ended up being split into seven different kingdoms.
How The Movie Begins...
Aquaman kicks off with Arthur Curry living in a small coastal town in Maine. Despite the events of Justice League, he still prefers hanging out in bars over being a superhero and it's only when Mera appears with a warning that his half-brother Orm is looking to declare war on the surface world that he returns to action. It sounds like a great set up and one which definitely has a lot of potential.
The Council Of Kings
A key sequence in the DC Comics movie takes place at a location known as the Council of Kings, an ancient meeting place on the outskirts of Atlantis which has fallen into ruin. It has a lot of historical importance to Orm which is why the villain decides to bring together the various undersea kings there.
There's Plenty Of Humour
Wan considers Aquaman more of a "fantasy" movie than a superhero one and promises a more upbeat tone than the one we got in Justice League. According to the magazine, that means plenty of humour and Jason Momoa was even given the opportunity to ad-lib on set, most of which made it into the film.
Mera Is No Damsel In Distress
Zack Snyder was the one who cast Amber Heard as Mera and it appears as if the filmmaker was the one who convinced her that she'll have the opportunity to play more than your typical superhero movie love interest. "I'm allergic to being the damsel, the two-dimensional archetype of what women are often limited to in this industry, especially in the superhero world," she explains.
"Zack got me at 'warrior queen.' He said, 'You get a sword and a crown,' and I'm like, 'Okay."
Xebel Riders
King Nereus rules over the kingdom of Xebel and his men ride on the back of sea dragons. That's right, sea dragons! Apparently, director James Wan decided to include these creatures in order to subvert the comical image of Arthur Curry riding on the back of a cartoonish seahorse. These beasts are fierce!
Why James Wan Wanted To Direct Aquaman
Wan obviously made the leap from low budget horror movies to blockbuster filmmaking with Furious 7 but what led to him choosing Aquaman as his next project? After all, he surely had lots of offers! Ultimately, it boiled down to wanting to tell the character's story. "Seeing how it was for Jason growing up, being not quite sure how to fit in," he explains, "that was the story I wanted to tell."
Ocean Master's Badass Ride
Patrick Wilson getting to play a villain in Aquaman is an exciting prospect and seeing him suit up as Orm/Ocean Master promises to be a lot of fun. The magazine reveals that he'll ride on the back of a massive, alligator-like tylosaur, while Vulko (Willem Dafoe) mounts a black hammerhead shark.
What To Expect From Black Manta
The magazine reveals that Black Manta uses Atlantean technology to create his suit and that he will be able to shoot red plasma beams from his eyes as a result. Asked what fans should expect from him, Yahya Abdul-Mateen II replied: "He's very intelligent, he's annoying tenacious, and has a lot of emotional depth as well. He doesn't have superpowers which is fun to play with - everything is real and tangible - and it makes him vulnerable, so he always has to be on top of his game."
Ocean Master's Motivations
While Ocean Master may want to invade the surface world so he can rule, well, everything, it turns out that he also has some altruistic motives. "He's kind of an eco-warrior," Patrick Wilson explains. "He's got a very clear gripe with the surface world, which has been polluting his oceans for centuries."
The Challenges Of Shooting "Underwater"
Wan has already confirmed that the characters will just speak underwater - no bubbles! - but what challenges came with making the cast look like they were actually submerged? "It's trying to pretend you're under the ocean in an epic battle while attached to wires, sopping wet after being hosed down on a cold soundstage for 16 hours a day while holding a plank," Heard reveals. "It was a fantastic core workout." That doesn't sound like fun but there's reportedly a lot of wire work.
How Atlanteans Get From A To B
As you've probably figured out by now, great white sharks are the "vehicle" of choice for the Atlanteans. According to producer Peter Safran, "When you see the Atlantean army riding these sharks, it's so photo-real it blows you away." So, this movie's CGI will look quite a bit better than in Justice League then which is a relief considering the fact that Atlantis looked pretty underwhelming.
Will We See Aquaman's Iconic Costume?
When the magazine pushed Wan for details on whether or not Arthur Curry dons his iconic green and yellow costume, the filmmaker played coy, saying only that Aquaman will indeed get a "suit."
However, he then elaborated on that and it turns out he means Momoa's birthday suit! "His birthday suit - he's shirtless a lot," Wan laughs. "Why would I want to put him in any costumes when he looks incredible without costumes?" So, there you have it Jason fans - you're going to love this movie!
Why Aquaman Is Important To Warner Bros.
"It's important that Aquaman works," confesses Warner Bros. film group chairman Toby Emmerich. "And the movies work better. You can't hide the back anymore. You think of how much superhero content there is in theaters and television, it's hard to go someplace you haven't been before - but the underwater world is fresh and different. I think Aquaman worked as a gag in Entourage, but I know it works as a movie." So, there you have it...there's a lot riding on this movie for the studio.
Black Manta's Classic Helmet
The image above confirms that Black Manta will don his iconic comic book helmet but it definitely sounds like he'll serve as a secondary villain in this movie based on these comments from Wan.
"He’s part mercenary but full-time pirate who in his suit will look like some crazy alien from outer space," the filmmaker teases. However, he won't be Aquaman's main antagonist; that honour goes to Patrick Wilson's King Orm. "Black Manta is a really interesting character who is somehow factored into this story but our main story is about Jason and Patrick," Wan explains to the site.
It's Not Like Other DC Movies
"The water world my movie takes place in is so separate and so far apart from previous DC movies it’s like I’m making my own sci-fi fantasy film," director James Wan reveals. "This is a whole new underwater world nobody has seen before in live action." At this point, that's far from a bad thing and getting to see a completely different, not quite so dark, side of the DCEU has tonnes of potential.