AQUAMAN Is About Finding King Atlan's Trident And More Huge Reveals From The Movie's Cast - SPOILERS

AQUAMAN Is About Finding King Atlan's Trident And More Huge Reveals From The Movie's Cast - SPOILERS

The curtain is finally being pulled back on Aquaman and we've rounded up quotes from James Wan, Jason Momoa, Yahya Abdul-Mateen II, and more to bring you another wave of huge new details about the film...

Feature Opinion
By JoshWilding - Jul 17, 2018 05:07 AM EST
Filed Under: Aquaman
The first trailer for Aquaman will be released this Saturday and to get fans excited about that, Warner Bros. has lifted the embargo on set visits. We brought you a breakdown from those yesterday but we're now delving into the interviews which took place with director James Wan and stars Jason Momoa (Arthur Curry/Aquaman), Amber Heard (Mera), and Yahya Abdul-Mateen II (Black Manta).

They've all revealed some pretty huge details about what's to come in Aquaman, including the roles the villains will play, how this solo outing connects to Justice League, whether Arthur Curry really does talk to fish, and a whole lot more. Needless to say, that does mean we touch on some spoilers! 

However, there's nothing that will ruin Aquaman for you here. If anything, it's just going to get you even more excited for the DC Comics adaptation and it's fair to say that both the trailer and this December can't get here soon enough. So, to see these new details, click on the "View List" button.

Black Manta's Origin Story



Yahya Abdul-Mateen II: "We meet Black Manta at a time where, it’s just him and his dad, and he’s riding on high, you know. He’s just come off of his win, and there’s a changing of the guards, so to speak. And then, this guy, Aquaman, comes in, and crashes the party. So, for Black Manta, it’s not necessarily a bad thing. It’s an opportunity, 'I just got this promotion, let me go prove myself, and step myself up and, you know, step it up once more.' So, in that first confrontation, you know, I’d like to think that Black Manta’s very excited about, 'Okay, what it’s going to be like? This is that guy from around the way, who I’ve been hearing all these things about. And he’s supposed to be a badass, and now is my time to go show him who the real badass is around these parts.'

"And he’s riding on high, and at the climax, he loses his father. And so, we meet him at a time when he’s just, he’s on top and then, bam, immediately, an event happens, and he’s at the bottom. And he’s lost the only person who he’s ever loved, and cared for, and been able to show any type of, you know, expression, or those types of characteristics to. And then, from then on, you know, “It’s Aquaman’s fault!” He has very little else to live for, and so it becomes that revenge story. You have the relationship between fathers and sons, and the revenge that happens when a son loses his father, and then you have Aquaman, who is the heir to the throne, who doesn’t want to be king, so it’s an epic story."
 

Aquaman's Relationship With His Brother Orm



Jason Momoa: "I think a lot of my scenes [with him] are really heavy and I love-we really get to get into it-he’s just a great actor, he can just sink into it and we can go at each other. Where me and [Black] Manta are, it’s more physical. I mean, not that me and Orm aren’t gonna be physical, but a lot of our scenes are brother scenes. And I think James’ view of how we get together they’re sentimental moments. I always knew I had a brother and there’s moments that aren’t always just like ‘I hate you, you were never there for me’. There’s just these moments where these guys could get along, but they can’t, because it’s from two different worlds. It’s kind of interesting."
 

How Aquaman Relates To Justice League



James Wan: "It’s pretty much … it picks up after Justice League. I don’t want to give too much away, but it picks up after Justice League. But it is its own stand-alone movie and ultimately, it’s a movie … I don’t know how to talk about it without kind of giving too much of it away.  I would never give anything too big away. So even though Arthur, Aquaman’s already established and set up in Justice League and a bit in BvS, right, but more definitely in Justice League. But we now pick up after Justice League and he goes on his journey, he goes on his own story in the stand-alone movie. And he goes on this journey and he ultimately becomes the Aquaman as we know him."
 

Bringing Black Manta's Iconic Costume To The Big Screen



James Wan: "Yeah, I mean, like most fans, I love a really strange design of Black Manta. And I love … I see this guy and I think what we love about him is he’s kind of scary, he’s really bad ass to look at. But there’s just something kind of slightly off, right, that big, giant elbow, his big, two red glowing eyes. And so I didn’t want to shy away from that. I wanted to take what was best about the design and kind of bring my sensibility to it and ultimately, he’s a human character and he has to go up against someone like Arthur, Aquaman, who is a superhero. And so I have to tweak the outfit slightly to kind of give him the power that he needs to take on … to fight Aquaman. But in terms of what he looks like, he’s very much in the same spirit."
 

Will The Justice League Return In Aquaman?



Jason Momoa: "I think it would cost a lot of money, probably. [laughs] I don’t think we got it in the budget. But, I think it would be great. At some point, I’m pretty sure, if this does well and if that does well…Probably, the same thing that happened with Marvel, you know what I mean?"
 

Why Nicole Kidman Is Playing Atlanna



James Wan: "I think Nicole has such a beautiful vibe about her and just very classic and classical about her. And so much of the backstory of where they come from, Atlantis, before it sank and all that stuff, right, has that very classic, Greek backstory. And Nicole just seems like she would be beautiful Greek goddess, princess. And so she just fit it perfectly as someone who could potentially spawn the offspring of someone like Momoa.

"It’s not a massive, massive role, but her character is very integral to the emotional arc of our movie. The relationship of Arthur’s mom and dad is the reason who he is today. And the way they teach him what it means to … that he sees himself as a half-breed and he sees being a half-breed as a negative thing and his parents, his mom’s teaching, that’s not a bad thing. What you have is you have the best of both worlds."
 

Making Sure Aquaman Isn't A Joke Here



Jason Momoa: "Yeah, I think James [Wan] has taken all those fish puns and, really, kind of let me do ‘em. I think he has an interesting look on what all those fish puns are. The more you look at it, I think it’s really-it’s not so much that he can talk to fish, but I think when you get to see what he can really do and how powerful the ocean is, I mean…I guess we’ll see who’s laughing then [laughs]."
 

The Difference Between Zack Snyder And James Wan



Amber Heard: "It’s a very small role in Justice League, Mera is just merely introduced, so I had a very limited role there. And James Wan is very different from Zack Snyder — their way of telling the story, approaching the characters, shooting — so different, you’d be hard pressed to find more different approaches. James is very much doing so much to honor the original integrity of the comic book characters that it’s just a whole other experience working with James."
 

Black Manta's Accent



Yahya Abdul-Mateen II: "Well, I didn’t place him in a particular region. But I think you would notice some different things about my own character in my vocal carriage and things like that, that would be different from what I would sound like in an interview, or what I would sound like on some of the other things that I’ve done, things like that, and that’s been fun. That’s been a challenge too, because, “How do I want this guy to sound?” you know, where do I want him to lie on the age spectrum, how cool is he, how in-touch is he with himself, and what does he care about, all that informs how he sounds to me, and that’s all. I’m excited about it."
 

Mera Isn't "Aquawoman"



Amber Heard: "Mera’s her own woman. She’s her own superhero. She’s not Aquawoman. She’s Mera. Part of what got me, you know…when I first talked to Zack [Snyder] on the phone about the prospect of doing this film, he said, ‘She’s a warrior queen.’ Basically, you get a sword and a crown. And I was like, ‘OK, you know how to pitch to your audience.’ Alright, I’m listening now. ‘Cause at first, I don’t want to be a damsel, I’ve played a range of characters, as diverse as I’ve been able to. Being a woman, especially a bit of a young woman in this industry, raising myself in this industry, it’s been limited, but I’ve done the most with what I can, especially considering that. The one thing, the one element they all have in common is that they’re driven or powerful in their own right. I’ve not been interested in playing reactionary women or weak female characters."
 

Black Manta's Future In The DCEU



Yahya Abdul-Mateen II: "Well, yeah, I mean, this character, he’s all over the canon. He’s in Suicide Squad, we see him in the cartoons, we see him in Young Justice, we see him in… he’s all over the place, in way that he can get to his means to an end. Right, if you see Aquaman in Justice League, then, you know, it’ll make sense for Black Manta to say, “Hey! What you doing?” Pop his head in, wherever he is, he can justify making it his business. I’m looking forward to living long within the DC world, and create a little bit of chaos."
 

What James Wan Brings To The DCEU



Jason Momoa: "He’s just a total visionary, man. I mean, just his films alone. But, his worlds, what he’s built, like, the layouts, I’m sure you went to the war room and saw-I mean, when you see us go against the Trench people, that’s gonna be insane. Just his visual-same thing like Zack [Snyder], he’s just amazing that way. I’m really excited because he comes from a lot of horror. And that is through-you really have to tell a story without saying a lot, you know what I mean, you can build the intensity and the suspense. So, that’s one thing that’s gonna be really, really cool."
 

Aquaman Isn't A Horror Movie



James Wan: "I didn’t set out to make a horror movie. I mean, that’s not what this is about. It just so happens that you’re dealing with … you’re dealing in a world that is beautiful, magical, but at the same time, scary as well, right? People are terrified of the ocean because they don’t know what’s down there. There are all these creatures that live down in the ocean that are dangerous to humans.
 
"I want to capture the fear that we have of the ocean, the scariness, but at the same time, the magical and wonder that comes with it as well. The ocean’s such a beautiful place and so just naturally built into the story … my story for this film. Our heroes goes on this rite of passage journey, this quest, and on the way, they meet all sorts of fun creatures of the deep, let’s say. Creatures of the deep that love craft wood beer."
 

Why Aquaman Isn't Your Traditional Love Story



Amber Heard: "[The] thing I really like about this is I feel it has a more modern approach, I think, to what would otherwise be a more classic superhero formula. This is very much a story where they are equal partners. Because they come from different worlds, their strengths are very different. Where one excels in one world, the other is a fish out of water. Pun intended. [Laughs] I guess I’ll be saying that a whole lot. Just gonna get used to owning it!

"But it’s true. Mera, when she’s on the surface world, it’s very much an alien world to her.Same way that when Arthur is in Atlantis, he’s completely out of his element. But we both excel at being in our own worlds, and because we have our own identities and because our identities are tied up in who we are in our respective worlds, we share equal responsibility in the journey."
 

Justice League's Arthur Curry Vs. Aquaman's Arthur Curry



Jason Momoa: "James has a really, really different vision and it’s a very spectacular, different view of what, originally, when I was with Zack, so it’s fun to go, like, “All right, well we haven’t really reviewed these finer aspects of the character, ‘cause now it’s my origin, so we’re connected to all those pieces.’ So, it’s left open to go, like, ‘All right, we didn’t need to develop that for Justice League. Now…’

"That definitely was one of the hard things was going like, ‘Okay, here’s Aquaman’s life and here’s Justice League.’ So, I made up a whole bunch of different scenarios of what it was like beforehand, then he comes and he joins the team and then he goes back to his life. So, that was really important to all the forward stuff, because afterwards that was up for James [Wan] to go, ‘Hey, the future is yours. You’ve already done Justice League. I need everything pre.’ And, uh, building all that stuff on your own is building a character."
 

Why Aquaman Clashes With Orm



Jason Momoa: "I think the biggest conflict is with himself and that’s my big arc. Obviously, the world’s gonna-if I don’t step in and intervene, Orm’s just gonna take over the land. It’s really cool, what-you think about all the harm we’ve done to the oceans-and are still doing-and if you lived under there, you would absolutely despise and hate these people that lived up there and why wouldn’t you send a tsunami and just wreck the whole place. Why wouldn’t you? You burn up your cars and take the fossil fuels and put acid rain in the ocean and-why wouldn’t you?

"It’s just interesting, because Orm’s not coming from this-I’m this bad man; He’s just going, ‘This is what they do to our people’ and so the treaty is over with. It’s interesting. And, I’m the guy coming from it going like, ‘I get it, but you can’t and you gotta find this place.’ But, who’s obviously gonna be king. It’s gonna have to be a person between two worlds. But, he didn’t believe in himself nor does he give a shit [laughs] He’s kind of the reluctant king and that’s what’s great about him. He doesn’t want the responsibility. And, I think even probably when he gets it-he’s always had it-he’s still a reluctant king in a way."
 

Making The World Of Aquaman Look Cool



James Wan: "We have to factor the practicality of what it means for our stunt person and actor to wear this outfit but yet retain what we love about their designs. And that was one of the things I love about the aesthetic of the Aquaman world, the Geoff Johns, you know, your ’52 sort of look, right? They definitely … the chance to make Aquaman just [frick]ing cool. You know what I mean? And so really embracing that and just not shy from it. "But still, not just doing the outfit cool for the sake of being cool, but I want to try and find story point. Like Black Manta’s outfit is the way it is for a reason. King Orm’s outfit is basically his military outfit as ocean master. And so there’s story point to all of that and when you guys see where … for example, Black Manta, why he has these two glowing red eyes the way he is in his helmet, you know, I have a back story for that as well. And so I want to try and not just come up with cool shit, but just try and find reasons for them, too."
 

Aquaman's MacGuffin



JoBlo: "We watched on monitors and on set as he acted in a scene with Amber Heard's Mera on the Temple of the Dead King set, where he sat in a chair and strummed his guitar between takes, no one bothering him with the exception of a trainer/nutritionist bringing him a small tupperware of food. In the scene, both he and Mera are using an artifact to access a message from the Dead King (King Atlan), who gives them the quest to seek out his trident, his voice saying inside the ruined chamber, amongst other things, "The time has come to pass on my legacy" and "If you seek my power, you must prove your worth." The Dead King's message is initiated by an artifact, which Mera breaks upon hearing the whole message so that Orm cannot find it. It's here that we get a taste for their back-and-forth and the lighter, comedic elements at work."
 

How Arthur Learns He Can Talk To Fish



JoBlo: "There’s a flashback scene where Arthur visits the Boston Aquarium on a field trip and is being bullied when he suddenly finds the fish in the aquarium rallying to him. This is where he begins to discover that he can 'talk to fish'."
 

What Exactly Orm Will Be Getting Up To In The Movie



JoBlo: "Orm, Aquaman’s half brother, wants to destroy the surface dwellers, as the Atlanteans blame them for ruining and polluting the oceans. He does this by attacking coastal cities, while searching for Atlan’s trident, which would give him the full power he needs to completely wipe them out and take over. Orm will be shown to be a brutal villain that will do whatever he must to get the other kingdoms in line with his vision, from threats to executions. Orm supplies the technology for Black Manta’s costume and weapons, allowing him to track down and attempt to kill Aquaman. Once in Atlantis, Orm and Arthur will battle in a gladiatorial match in front of an active volcano, as part of their ritualistic combat to declare a victor between the two for the crown of Atlantis."
 
 
 
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CaptainElrond
CaptainElrond - 7/17/2018, 5:19 AM
Black manta gonna steal the sho.
MarvelDCAllDay
MarvelDCAllDay - 7/17/2018, 5:24 AM
@AngryCipher - He’s gonna be like "secondary villain my ass" lol
GreedoSarducci
GreedoSarducci - 7/17/2018, 9:17 AM
@AngryCipher - looks like he's trying to psychotically land an airplane.
Kumkani
Kumkani - 7/17/2018, 5:23 AM
And Nicole just seems like she would be beautiful Greek goddess, princess. And so she just fit it perfectly as someone who could potentially spawn the offspring of someone like Momoa.

Not really.
MarvelDCAllDay
MarvelDCAllDay - 7/17/2018, 5:27 AM
@BlindWedjat - As a heterosexual male I’m not gonna front like homeboy ain’t pretty
IronGenesis
IronGenesis - 7/17/2018, 5:26 AM
I just keep thinking Manta joInning SS2 is a formality at this point. Not that this is the reason he is in AM, but like they say...just makes too much sense of the WB has a good relationship with actor and Manta is going to be as cool as he already looks.
DillonEnnis
DillonEnnis - 7/17/2018, 5:28 AM
I don't necessarily love Momoa, but the more and more I hear about this movie the more and more I'm liking what I'm hearing. The trailer is going to have to do some heavy lifting but if I had never seen Justice League I would be pretty much 100% on board and excited for this.
Kumkani
Kumkani - 7/17/2018, 5:38 AM
@DillonEnnis - It annoys me a little that Arthur Curry is the least exciting element for me in this film, which largely has to do with Momoa. It's his movie. Hopefully though he delivers because I'm excited about everything else.
DillonEnnis
DillonEnnis - 7/17/2018, 5:52 AM
@BlindWedjat - Yeah, my favorite Aquaman is the 90s long hair/hook hand version honestly so all I need from him (the writers) is less Aquabro and more of a characterization of a well respected warrior king, a swashbuckling T'Challa with maybe 25% more levity. I'm sure that's the goal of this film though
Kumkani
Kumkani - 7/17/2018, 5:34 AM
I really like the stuff about Black Manta's origin, and Orm's relationship with Arthur.

I was half expecting them to blow over the whole storyline of Arthur killing Manta's dad in a flashback, but it seems like it will be happening in the film which is interesting.

Also, I'm hoping Momoa can at least pull off the scenes with Patrick Wilson. Their relationship sounds interesting and pretty in line with the New 52 storyline. The brothers thing has been done with Thor but I still think this film has an opportunity to do something special regardless.
SisterSunday52
SisterSunday52 - 7/17/2018, 10:47 AM
@BlindWedjat - This doesn't sound like Loki and Thor, though. It sounds like Ocean Master wants to be king so he has the authority to war against the surface world for their irresponsible handling of the oceans. Loki just wanted what his brother had. There may be attempts to paint "Aquaman" as a rip-off of "Thor" or "Black Panther", like what was done with "Wonder Woman" and "Captain America: The First Avenger", (even those films were nothing alike either) but it seems like "Aquaman" is completely its own thing.
Pantherpool
Pantherpool - 7/17/2018, 5:36 AM
This movie better be good.
ScarletWarlock
ScarletWarlock - 7/17/2018, 5:38 AM
This movie sounds really inspired, and i honestly think it will be my favourite DCEU film at the time of its release. Shazam could dethrone it possibly because that looks promising as well, but I think their movie division could be the up and up if they shift around their movie schedule just a bit more, lean into what works after Shazam and Aquaman, and get your main franchises back on track and into production(Man of Steel 2, The Batman, for example).
LordHarryLatts
LordHarryLatts - 7/17/2018, 5:41 AM
I truly believe that because so many people are unfamiliar with the characters...and may not expect as much...this may really blow people away.
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