AQUAMAN and the Lost Kingdom may look like typical superhero fare, but director James Wan is going for an entirely different vibe beneath its watery costumed appearance.
In a recent interview with Entertainment Weekly (EW), Wan explained that the film was pitched as a sort of “bromance” action-adventure film with Jason Momoa’s Arthur Curry and Patrick Wilson’s Orm.
“The first Aquaman was Arthur and Mera’s journey. The second movie was always going to be Arthur and Orm,” he revealed, attempting to clear the air over rumours that Lost Kingdom would be centred on Arthur and Amber Heard’s Mera.
EW’s lengthy article with Wan also provided a synopsis for the film’s plot, which was shrouded in secrecy due to the film’s production, which saw multiple delays, along with the highly publicised, controversial court case involving Heard and Johnny Depp.
In Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom, Arthur forms a reluctant partnership with his half-brother Orm after Black Manta (Yahya Abdul-Mateen II) obtains the Black Trident, an ancient relic that powers up the supervillain and gives him control over an ancient evil.
Wan also attempted to clear the air over the rumours that the film’s production had filmed two different versions of footage of Ben Affleck and Michael Keaton in their respective roles as Batman.
“The tricky thing early on was not knowing whether Aquaman would come out first or after The Flash. So, we just had to be prepared. At the end of the day, the best thing I would say about this movie is that it is not connected in any way to any of those films,” Wan said, despite Momoa’s Aquaman and Affleck and Keaton’s Batman all appearing in The Flash.
The second film also has elements that could be expanded in a third film.
“If and when there is a third one, that’s what it should be; it should be growing these characters, because I think we have set up certain things in a good place in the second movie that you can definitely draw upon in a third,” he told EW.
However, a third Aquaman film is not what Wan has in mind at the moment.
“This film has taken up so much of my life and so much of my time. All I can think about now is taking a long break”
Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom will be released in theatres on Dec 20.
