So Black Manta Will Be The Main Antagonist Of The Sequel?
Black Manta’s a fan favorite villain with a long history in DC lore. So it might come as a disappointment to some that the character plays only a secondary role in Aquaman. Yahya Abdul-Mateen II’s great in the part though and the costume design’s spot-on, perfectly replicating Manta’s enlarged helmet from the comics.
At least the post-credits sequence seems to promise that there’ll be more to come from David Hyde in the future of the DC franchise. Once upon a time, we might have seen him as part of Lex Luthor’s Legion of Doom, but reports have said that the studio’s no longer working towards this, despite what Justice League‘s own credits scene hinted at.
So, it looks like it’s Aquaman 2 or nothing for Black Manta. But will he be the main antagonist of the piece next time around? In terms of status in Aquaman’s rogues gallery, it would make sense, but the sequel might risk repeating itself if it follows Black Manta on yet another mission to kill Arthur as vengeance for his father’s life. If the story works, though, we’re definitely up for more of him.
Will There Even Be An Aquaman 2?
We may have a lot of questions about what might happen in the sequel, but the biggest question we have is whether there’ll be a sequel at all. As the Worlds of DC is still finding its feet, it’s hard to tell which films are going to come out next from Warner Bros. However, all the signs for Aquaman 2 are very positive, so we’re pretty confident that it could materialize in the next few years.
Earlier this month, THR reported that WB chairman Toby Emmerich was confident enough in the movie to begin talks about a follow-up, though no writer has been attached to the project as yet. Whoever they are, though, Jason Momoa might be able to help them out, as the star has also said that he pitched his idea for the opening sequence for Aquaman 2 to Emmerich and producer Peter Safran. And according to him, the duo “loved it.”
This pre-release enthusiasm seems to have been well-founded, too, as Aquaman is making big waves (sorry, not sorry) in the overseas box office. For instance, the movie beat out Justice League‘s entire gross in China in just its first four days in theaters. It’s also expected to make an impact in the domestic market on its opening weekend. All in all, Aquaman is easily one of the most successful DC movies of the decade, so WB would be smart to capitalize on that by fast-tracking a follow-up.