Could Derek Theler replace Jason Momoa as Aquaman? A gorgeous piece of concept art for James Gunn and Peter Safran’s DC Universe gives fans a look at a potential future!
While Jason Momoa was far from the perfect Aquaman, DC fans thoroughly enjoyed his incarnation of the character, even pushing his first outing up to the billion-dollar mark at the box office. This left many fans disappointed when news broke that Momoa was out as the defender of the deep in James Gunn’s DCU reboot.
With James Gunn knee-deep in developing the first projects for his new DCU, no details about a potential Aquaman recast have found their way online. This has left fans to pick up the torch and speculate who can take up the mantle from Jason Momoa.
Topping the list of potential replacements in the DCU online is Derek Theler. Not only does the actor look more like a traditional version of the character than Jason Momoa, but he even has experience in the water thanks to 2015’s Shark Killer.
This fantastic was brought to life by the account “21XFOUR” on Instagram, who posted their own concept art for Derek Theler as the King of Atlantis in James Gunn’s new DCU. The suit even takes a few cues from the armored design of Momoa’s take on the character, appealing to both sides of the aisle at once!
Sadly, it’s not likely Derek Theler (or anyone else) will be cast as Aquaman anytime soon. James Gunn is clearly taking steps to make sure his DCU is distinguished from the old universe. This includes giving fans projects they’ve been begging for online for years such as Booster Gold and ditching a lot of the old actors.
It’s also likely that Derek Theler is a bit too old for James Gunn’s take on Aquaman. David Corenswet, who’s playing Superman in the DCU, is only 30, a full 7 years younger than Theler. While not the biggest difference in age, it may be enough to keep the casting from happening.
However, this doesn’t mean none of the actors have a home in James Gunn’s DCU. It’s been all but confirmed that Jason Momoa will be playing Lobo in the new universe, a character he’s rumored to be playing for months now.