When you think about it, it’s pretty surprising that well before we get a true sequel to last year’s $1.15 billion-grossing “Aquaman,” Warner Bros. will actually release its first spin-off, “The Trench.” But yet, that’s the plan, with the true sequel, “Aquaman 2” still years away. And considering James Wan, the director of the superhero film, is one of the creative forces behind “The Trench,” it’s actually not surprising that the film is said to be more horror-focused than its superhero big brother.
Speaking to Comicbook.com, Wan was asked about that status of “The Trench.” And in describing the current state of the film, the filmmaker was able to give a better idea of what type of film WB is looking to release.
“We, you know, we’re still deep in sort of crafting the script, crafting the story right now so I don’t want to get into that too much, but definitely it’s one that I really want to lean into the horror of it, so it’s going to play more as a monster horror movie then it will as a superhero film, but it’s still definitely part of the ‘Aquaman’ world,” Wan said.
For those that don’t remember, “The Trench” is set to feature the creatures that dwell in the titular area of the ocean. In “Aquaman,” audiences were briefly introduced to the monsters, as they chased our hero through the ocean. The scene, which featured Jason Momoa’s Aquaman using a flare to attract the horde of creatures as he swam through the ocean.
Ultimately, there’s not much else we know about those that inhabit The Trench. But considering it’s James Wan involved and the brief glimpse we got in “Aquaman,” going in a more horror-focused direction makes the most sense.
We still don’t have word on a release date, but previously, it was said that “The Trench” would arrive “significantly” sooner than “Aquaman 2.” And the latter isn’t expected to hit theaters until the end of 2022. So, it’s more likely we’ll see this horror film sometime in the late-2020 thru 2021 time-frame.