Speaking to ScreenCrush to promote his upcoming role as Ryuk in Netflix's Death Note adaptation, Willem Dafoe also touched on his role as Vulko in the DCEU's Justice League and Aquaman. Dafoe confirmed that Vulko won't really look like he does in the comics simply because Dafoe isn't the same burly body-type. However, Vulko will have his usual relationship with Arthur Curry in the film as both an "advisor" and a "mentor".
Dafoe went on to add that his appearance in Justice League is very brief but he's enjoying filming on Aquaman and even detailed the technical process of how Wan is solving the underwater breathing issue.
"Most of my scenes are underwater. Some are not. So much of it, because we’re talking, and shooting underwater is a lot of ways impractical because you’re limited to what you can do with sets. It’s more about shooting them dry for wet, and then the effects do certain things to give the water feel.
But we aren’t doing the scenes underwater, but we are in harnesses and on wires. There is movement. It’s not like were all sitting around pretending were underwater like this [stands up still], we’re swimming around, we’re moving. So that should be really beautiful."
It sounds like Wan is shooting on a green screen stage, with the actors in harnesses and wires that sway, replicating the movements of someone that's under water. It will certainly be interesting to see how this footage is then transformed in post to replicate someone talking and floating beneath the ocean.
Aquaman hits theaters December 21, 2018.