James Wan Reveals ‘Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom’ Continues the Standalone Legacy

James Wan, the director of ‘Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom,’ revealed plans for taking the franchise to the next level, expanding the universe, and showing the long-awaited work to fans who love the character of Aquaman and the villain Black Manta.

Recent box-office disappointments like ‘The Flash’ and DC’s reboot have had a slight impact on the upcoming films ‘Blue Beetle‘ and ‘Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom.’ According to a report, ‘Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom’ underwent nearly six test screenings, but the feedback wasn’t positive overall.

Speaking to Comicbook.com, Wan said, “Well, Aquaman—even the first film—has always been a very standalone film. That was always our approach: that it kind of lives in its own world, and that’s kind of how we’ve approached The Lost Kingdom as well.” Wan added, “You know, people love Jason Momoa; people love him playing this role; and people love the action visuals of this space and this world. And that’s what we’re doing: we’re taking it to the next level, and we are still expanding. For just about any fans of Aquaman the character that loves Black Manta, this is the next level, and I’m very excited to finally put it out there to show them what we’ve been working on all these years.”

Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom is directed by James Wan. The first film grossed $1.149 billion worldwide, making it one of the most successful DCEU films. However, in the sequel, Wan tried something new that didn’t work for the film.

The film stars Jason Momoa as Arthur Curry / Aquaman alongside Amber Heard, Willem Dafoe, Patrick Wilson, Dolph Lundgren, Yahya Abdul-Mateen II, Temuera Morrison, and Nicole Kidman.

According to the film’s plot: When an ancient power is unleashed, Aquaman must forge an uneasy alliance with an unlikely ally to protect Atlantis, and the world, from irreversible devastation.

‘Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom’ will hit theaters on December 25, 2023.

Source: Comicbook.com

RELATED: Ben Affleck’s Batman Scenes Were Removed From Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom