In the DCEU, “Wonder Woman” charmed critics, and “Zack Snyder’s Justice League” rallied the fans. However, it was “Aquaman” that won big at the box office. James Wan‘s 2018 film is the highest-grossing DCEU film to date, bringing in over $1 billion worldwide. Say what you want about the movie’s tone and bloated runtime, but a payout like that means a lot more Aquaman is inevitable.
It also means James Wan will likely do whatever he wants for the upcoming sequel, “Aquaman And The Lost Kingdom.” If the director’s most recent film “Malignant” is any indication, then Arthur Curry’s life is about to go gonzo. Unfortunately, plot details are hard to come by so far for the new film. However, Wan has already promised a more serious tone and a deeper dive into the ocean’s other underwater kingdoms.
READ MORE: ‘Aquaman 2’: James Wan & Patrick Wilson Tease A “More Serious” Sequel
Wan also recently told Total Film that the film takes inspiration from Mario Bava‘s “Planet Of The Vampires.” Admittedly, that’s not quite Giallo-inspired like “Malignant,” but if Wan cribs Bava’s atmosphere in that film, then “Lost Kingdom” will be one lurid-looking movie. Expect this sequel to be heavy with horror influence.
To no one’s surprise, Jason Mamoa returns to star as Arthur Curry/Aquaman. The rest of the main cast from the 2018 film returns, too, including Patrick Wilson, Dolph Lundgren, Yahya Abdul-Mateen II, Temuera Morrison, and Randall Park. To almost everyone’s surprise, Amber Heard is back too, fresh off her high-profile court drama with ex-husband Johnny Depp.
New faces in “Lost Kingdom” include Vincent Regan as King Atlan, Jani Zhao as Stingray, Indya Moore as Karshon. Pilou Asbæk, best known as Euron Greyjoy in HBO‘s “Game Of Thrones,” has an undisclosed role in the film, too.
Screenwriter David Leslie Johnson-McGoldrick is back for the sequel. Rupert Gregson-Williams, who composed the score for the first film, is back too. Dan Burgess also returns as director of photography; it’s his third time working with Wan since 2016’s “The Conjuring 2.”
READ MORE: ‘Aquaman 2’ Adds Jani Zhao, Indya Moore, Vincent Regan & Randall Park
Speaking of “The Conjuring” franchise, does James Wan have similar plans in store for Arthur Curry and Atlantis? An underwater-set, horror-tinged superhero franchise would be a weird one, but Wan is definitely the man for the job. “Aquaman And The Lost Kingdom” currently aims to hit theaters on December 16, 2022. Take a look behind the scenes below.”