Highlights
- Despite facing criticism and negative expectations, director James Wan remains optimistic about Aquaman 2, emphasizing the fun and filtering out the negativity.
- Leading man Jason Momoa’s involvement in promoting the film could have been a significant boost, but his participation was limited due to external factors.
- Wan’s dedication to the franchise and character is evident, as he has expressed his willingness to return for a potential Aquaman 3, showcasing his love for the project.
As the Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom premiere slowly draws upon theaters, director James Wan has some sage words about his experiences dealing with the hate that comes with helming such a massive project in the wake of the DCEU’s dissolution.
Aquaman 2 has the peculiar honor of being the last film left over from the DC Extended Universe franchise built under the auspice of Zack Snyder. Since it was set to serve as a sequel to the wildly successful Aquaman film from 2018 that had hit more than $1 billion at the box office and effectively became the most successful DC film, the production already had a dark cloud hanging over it from implied expectations. Then, the film was beset with issues stemming from the change in leadership at DC Studios and the fallout from the subsequent announcement of a reboot, causing many people to condemn the film, with the consensus being that the Aquaman sequel was being set up to fail.
Despite the Shazam sequel being seen as a bad omen for Aquaman 2, the man behind the project stands firm. While speaking to Empire about the upcoming sequel, Wan expressed his feelings about the process and what he’s learned from it. “I’ve been on this movie for four years now, and I’m so happy for it to come out,” Wan pointed out. “In many ways, I think it’s even more fun than the first one. But it’s been a long, exhausting process. It is definitely the noisiest movie I’ve ever worked on…. That’s the biggest thing I’ve learned from this experience. To filter out the negativity and focus on the film. Because that’s what will live on — in 20 years, no one will remember the noise. Only the movie.”
Wan isn’t the only one who’s optimistic about the otherwise bleak situation the sequel finds itself in. Leading man Jason Momoa hyped Aquaman 2 post-Gunn reboot announcement, only really stopping when SAG-AFTRA put the gag on in service of the recently concluded strike. Momoa’s involvement in promoting the sequel would have been a major help to its prospects earlier on, as he was one of the main attractions of the first film, which did insane numbers despite being an untested adaptation featuring the (objectively) least popular of DC’s upper echelon of characters. Less popular is co-star Amber Heard, who suffered an onslaught of fan ire after her publicly followed trial against Johnny Depp.
Wan’s attitude is admirable and might influence some otherwise undecided viewers into giving the film a chance. The director has even previously stated that he’d return for Aquaman 3 conditionally, showing his love and dedication to the franchise and the character. Whether or not the film can justify this confidence by garnering some theatrical success remains to be seen.
Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom is set for theatrical release on December 22, 2023.
Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom
Aquaman balances his duties as king and as a member of the Justice League, all while planning a wedding. Black Manta is on the hunt for Atlantean tech to help rebuild his armor. Orm plots to escape his Atlantean prison.
Source: Empire
