‘Aquaman’ Star Jason Momoa ‘Baffled’ At The Film’s Reception

'Aquaman is probably the hardest character in comic-book history'.

Aquaman Jason Momoa King Orm Patrick Wilson

Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom brings fans back to the world of Atlantis following the events of the first film in 2018. While the movie was well-liked among fans, the film’s star Jason Momoa was shocked at how much people enjoyed their trip under the sea.

Aquaman was the first DC movie to release following the 2017 Justice League film and served as the only DC film the year it was released. Despite his team-up debut not being well-liked by fans and critics, Momoa’s solo adventure served as a cold splash of water that awakened people to the potential of DC films. Though according to Momoa, he had no idea people would see it that way:

“Well, to be perfectly honest, I was absolutely baffled that ‘Aquaman’ was received so well,” he told Variety. “I’ve done things that are amazing that no one sees and no one gives a shit about. You just don’t know in this business. I don’t go do things and think, ‘Oh, I’m gonna get $1 billion on this one.’ I go in and do my best job.”

The film definitely had a steep hill to climb with general audiences. For decades Aquaman was viewed as the punching bag of the Justice League. In the words of Ben Affleck’s Batman, many people thought all he did was “talk to fish”. This reputation was something Momoa was acutely aware of when filming:

“It’s not that I don’t care about Aquaman; it’s a wonderful character,” Momoa continued. “Aquaman is probably the hardest character in comic-book history. He’s made fun of and ridiculed, but I tried to give it heart and soul, and I’m proud of it in certain ways. Do I feel pressure for [the sequel] to do well? No. All I can do is give it my all. But it’s in a lot of other people’s hands.”

The pressure is growing 20,000 leagues under the sea. The Shazam! series also had a smash debut with their first film, reviewing even better than the first Aquaman film, but its own sequel has largely been considered a failure. If the first film had a steep hill to climb, its sequel has to conquer Everest to succeed.

The future of the DC Universe

James Gunn and Peter Safran told journalists that their vision for the DC Universe includes locked scripts, wiggle room and a unified storyline across film, television, animation and video game projects. The two explained that the DC Universe could bring back elements from previous DC regimes, meaning that their eight-to-year plan is not a full reboot.

Shazam! Fury of the GodsThe FlashBlue Beetle and Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom are currently in various stages of post-production at Warner Bros. Discovery, with all four DC Universe movies slated to hit theaters in 2023. Will the characters from those movies make appearances in the new DCU? Only Gunn and Safran know.

Stay tuned for the latest news regarding the future of the DC Universe and make sure to subscribe to our YouTube channel for more content!

Anthony Singletary

Anthony Singletary

Anthony has always had a love for stories. An aspiring screenwriter and video editor, he takes pride in connecting fans with the latest heroic news!