Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom director James Wan teased a "more serious" tone for the DC Universe series' upcoming sequel.
Wan discussed the process of making the film with The Hollywood Reporter, noting the lengthy post time for the Aquaman sequel. According to Wan, the massive scope of the movie, coupled with its intensive visual effects, mean an extended time working on it in post. In addition, the serious tone compared to the previous film, with more emphasis on the environmental crisis, also added to it. "I think people are going to be excited to see that this movie is quite different from the first movie in terms of tone. It's a little bit more serious, and we're dealing with issues like climate change," Wan said.
The director continued, "We're not afraid to lean into that in a big way, because the Aquaman comic book, even way back when, has always been environmentally conscious. He's always been someone who's fought to keep the ocean clean, and it feels more relevant in the world that we're living in today. So this movie has something to talk about, but it's still a fun action-fantasy movie."
Despite Wan's contention that Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom is grimmer than the first film, star Jason Momoa recently highlighted the humor of the sequel. "I hope people are excited to see the new one. It's fun. I really enjoy doing comedy," he said. "There's some really funny stuff with Patrick Wilson. I really adore him. We had a great time working together. It's like we're brothers. There's a lot of cool stuff happening in this one."
Jason Momoa Didn't Expect Aquaman's Success
The first Aquaman became a surprising success story. It went on to become the highest-grossing film for the DC Extended Universe with $1.148 billion at the global box office despite less-than-stellar reviews from critics. The massive box office take, despite its lukewarm critical reception, left Momoa surprised at Aquaman's success.
"Well, to be perfectly honest, I was absolutely baffled that Aquaman was received so well," Momoa said. "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." Momoa later added, "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."
Aquaman: The Lost Kingdom opens in theaters on Dec. 20.
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