With his half-brother Orm, played by Wilson, defeated and sentenced to prison, Aquaman now reigns as the king of the seas. He also has a baby son, which makes his life more hectic than it already is. In addition, the threat of Black Manta is back, with Yahya Abdul-Mateen II reprising his role, and the villain is hellbent on eliminating Arthur thanks to the power of the Black Trident. Arthur will have to break Orm out of prison, team up with him, and try to stop Black Manta from destroying the world.

Momoa brings back his charm as Arthur, and you can tell he’s having a good time on this new adventure. He makes us feel at home as he navigates the politics of Atlantis while taking care of his baby son, Arthur Jr. The allure of the film is the relationship between Arthur and Orm, former rivals who now have to work together. Now it becomes a playful adventure where Arthur tries to bond with Orm, but Orm is disgusted with everything about Arthur.

The rest of Arthur’s crew includes Topo, the comic relief octopus; Nicole Kidman as Atlanna, Arthur’s mother; Temuera Morrison as Tom Curry, Arthur’s father; John Rhys-Davis as Brine King; and Dolph Lundgren as King Nereus. Together, they are a fun-loving team who help support Aquaman. Amber Heard is back as Mera, and although she does have quite a bit of scenes, her role does feel diminished.

The story is pretty straightforward where Arthur and Orm are teaming up together to figure out a way to stop Black Manta and his newfound weapon, the Black Trident. As the superhuman brothers continue their journey, the main villain is focused on collecting the powerful material known as the orichalcum to help him become an unstoppable force. We get to see how Black Manta becomes powerful, but he isn’t a captivating villain because he’s being corrupted by the Black Trident during most of the movie.

There’s also this whole mystery with the Lost Kingdom, but once it’s all explained, it devolves into the typical third act of good vs evil.

Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom delivers an entertaining cinematic experience. There’s plenty of action and adventure with Jason Momoa having a blast as Arthur Curry. Seeing Momoa and Patrick Wilson teaming up was something I didn’t know I needed, but I want more of their adventures. Yahya Abdul-Mateen II is back as Black Manta, and he’s now a formidable villain against the likes of both Aquaman and Orm. However, he’s a one-note character who simply wants revenge against Arthur, but that’s pretty much capturing his comic book counterpart.

Rating: 3.5/5 Atoms

Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom releases in theaters on December 22, 2023.

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The first Aquaman film was a huge success, grossing over $1 billion globally at the box office, making it the highest-grossing film based on a DC Comics character. A sequel was a no-brainer, with Jason Momoa reprising his role as the King of the Seven Seas. In the interview, Wan takes us behind the scenes and discusses the dynamics between Aquaman and his allies and the return of Patrick Wilson’s character. Of course, we had to ask him about the future of the Gargoyles series on Disney+.

The interview has been edited for length and clarity.

Nerd Reactor: Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom continues the story with Black Manta. What was that like in trying to come up with a story where Black Manta can go toe to toe with Aquaman with the black trident?

James Wan: Yeah, the Black Manta story, obviously, is a pretty straightforward story. And we knew that we wanted to tell that story, right? In the comic book world, Black Manta is Aquaman’s number one arch nemesis. He blames Arthur for the death of his father. You know, that’s a very simple story to tell. And we felt like the classic revenge story is one that we’re all familiar with. And I’m a big fan of the revenge story. And so we knew that the second movie was ultimately going to be about that. The question is how far Black Manta would go to achieve that. As we see in the trailer, he is willing to potentially make a deal with the devil to make that happen. So he’s going to do it. He’s going to come across something that will imbue him with a lot of power, but at the same time, he’s probably giving up a lot of his own humanity as well.

Nerd Reactor: Were you inspired by the New 52, let’s say the Dead King’s different weapons?

James Wan: A little bit, but I would say the biggest inspiration for us was from the Silver Age of the comic book. So like from the ’50s and the ’60s. That’s why Topo is in it. That’s why Storm the Sea Horse is in this as well. We’re definitely not afraid to lean into the quirkier side of the Aquaman world. We felt like people having seen the first movie and really responded to it in a positive way gave us permission to go into the goofy side a bit more and not be afraid to lean to that. Because that’s the stuff that makes it very fun for me as a filmmaker.

Nerd Reactor: And with this story, you’re going to have Aquaman and Orm continuing on this different relationship. Patrick Wilson is in a lot of your movies, so what was that like this time?

James Wan: Yeah, there’s a reason why I hired Patrick. A: He’s a great person and B: He’s super talented. We had a rough idea that Orm’s character in the first movie was going to be the main antagonist, but ultimately, we see a redemptive arc to his character that we wanted to show in the second movie. That’s why it was important to cast an actor that was capable of showing those two shades. Someone who can be villainous, but at the same time, you can also see him being an antihero as well. And that’s really the fun part, which is seeing Jason and Patrick’s chemistry together and how Jason plays a lot more loose; he makes things up as he goes. Patrick’s character is very rigid and very structured; he’s definitely more disciplined than Arthur is. And that sort of contrast between the two is what makes it fun to see them come together.

Nerd Reactor: I have to ask you about Gargoyles. I recently interviewed Jonathan Frakes, who voiced Xanatos in Gargoyles. He said he was down and he was interested. He was just sad about hearing rumors after rumors of Gargoyles as a project. Any take on that?

James Wan: Well, I mean, all I can say is we’ve definitely been having conversations with Disney about this. And, I’m a big fan of Gary Dauberman, who’s kind of overseeing that. We are big fans of the property. But you know, it’s still obviously very early development still. And so our goal is to make it, and we want to make it. We’ll see. We’ll get to a point and then we’ll kind of see where Disney is as well.

About Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom

Director James Wan and Aquaman himself, Jason Momoa—along with Patrick Wilson, Amber Heard, Yahya Abdul-Mateen II and Nicole Kidman—return in the sequel to the highest-grossing DC film of all time: “Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom.”

Having failed to defeat Aquaman the first time, Black Manta, still driven by the need to avenge his father’s death, will stop at nothing to take Aquaman down once and for all. This time Black Manta is more formidable than ever before, wielding the power of the mythic Black Trident, which unleashes an ancient and malevolent force. To defeat him, Aquaman will turn to his imprisoned brother Orm, the former King of Atlantis, to forge an unlikely alliance. Together, they must set aside their differences in order to protect their kingdom and save Aquaman’s family, and the world, from irreversible destruction.

All returning to the roles they originated, Jason Momoa plays Arthur Curry/Aquaman, now balancing his duties as both the King of Atlantis and a new father; Patrick Wilson is Orm, Aquaman’s half-brother and his nemesis, who must now step into a new role as his brother’s reluctant ally; Amber Heard is Mera, Atlantis’ Queen and mother of the heir to the throne; Yahya Abdul-Mateen II is Black Manta, committed more than ever to avenge his father’s death by destroying Aquaman, his family and Atlantis; and Nicole Kidman as Atlanna, a fierce leader and mother with the heart of a warrior. Also reprising their roles are Dolph Lundgren as King Nereus and Randall Park as Dr. Stephen Shin.

Directed by Wan, “Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom” is produced by Peter Safran, Wan and Rob Cowan. The executive producers are Galen Vaisman and Walter Hamada.

The screenplay is by David Leslie Johnson-McGoldrick, from a story by James Wan & David Leslie Johnson-McGoldrick and Jason Momoa & Thomas Pa’a Sibbett, based on characters from DC, Aquaman created by Paul Norris and Mort Weisinger.

Joining Wan behind-the-camera is his sterling team of “Aquaman” artisans: director of photography Don Burgess (“The Conjuring 2”), production designer Bill Brzeski (“Jumanji: The Next Level”), editor Kirk Morri (“Furious 7”), composer Rupert Gregson-Williams (“Wonder Woman”) and music supervisor is Michelle Silverman (“Malignant”). Visual effects supervisor Nick Davis (“The Clash of the Titans” films, “The Dark Knight”) and costume designer Richard Sale (“Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness,” “Ready Player One”) also join.

Warner Bros. Pictures Presents An Atomic Monster / A Peter Safran Production of A James Wan Film, “Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom,” set to open in theaters internationally beginning 20 December 2023 and in North America on December 20, 2023; it will be distributed worldwide by Warner Bros. Pictures.

Featured image by Christian Black / DC Comics

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Villain #1: Yahya Abdul-Mateen II as The Black Manta

From Candyman to Ambulance; Yahya Abdul-Mateen II takes our number one spot as DC’s villain on the scene. Yahya portrayed The Black Manta in the first Aquaman film, and he’ll be reprising his role as the main villain in the newest sequel, Aquaman and The Lost Kingdom. Kicking ass and taking names – Black Manta is back for revenge and will stop at nothing to take Aquaman down once and for all. This time Black Manta is more formidable than ever before, wielding the power of the mythic Black Trident, which unleashes an ancient and malevolent force.

Director James Wan and Aquaman himself, Jason Momoa, along with Patrick Wilson, Amber Heard, Yahya Abdul-Mateen II and Nicole Kidman return in the sequel to the highest-grossing DC film of all time. Aquaman and The Lost Kingdom will be released in theaters on December 22, 2023.

Villain #2: Michael B. Jordan as Killmonger

Erik Killmonger will go down in history as one of the most notable, badass villains in the Marvel universe. With infamous one-liners such as “Bury me in the ocean with my ancestors who jumped from the ships, because they knew death was better than bondage” and unformidable powers, he was not one to be reckoned with. Both profound and easy on the eyes, Michael B. Jordan masterfully embodied his inner villain while captivating our attention with his unrelenting drive to take T’Challa’s throne.

Villain #3: Jamie Foxx as Electro

Jamie Foxx’s electric performance as Spider-Man’s evil nemesis, Electro, was one for the books. Known for his multi-award-winning roles whose screen credits range from smooth-talking attorney, Willie E. Gary, in the film, The Burial to Ray Charles in the biopic Ray, Fox’s talent knows no bounds. His antagonist character, Electro, has been an indelible part of the Spider-Verse ever since his first appearance in 1964’s The Amazing Spider-Man #9. His tactical brilliance, electromagnetic charisma and electrifying abilities undoubtedly make him Spider-Man’s deadliest foe.

Villain #4: Jonathan Majors as Kang

Jonathan Majors’ new Kang variant debuted in Loki Season 2 as Victor Timely! From He Who Remains to Kang the Conqueror to Victor Timely, Major returns as the dimension-hopping villain who sees himself as the rightful master of the world and uses the power of time travel to seek to rewrite history to his own whims and ensure his rise to power. Major’s nefarious supervillain will inevitably wreak havoc over the Multiverse!

Loki Season 2 is currently airing on Disney+.

Villain #5: Mahershala Ali as Prowler

We first caught a glimpse of Prowler in cinema in the first Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse. The Prowler gets our number #5 spot for his awesome use of gauntlets and gadgets. A technological genius and skilled hand-to-hand combatant, the Prowler is a ruthless and efficient killer who you don’t want to go toe to toe with.

Mahershala Ali voiced Aaron Davis, aka Prowler, in Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse. The actor reprised his voice role at the end of Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse. Fans will expect to see more of Davis in the third film, Spider-Man: Beyond the Spider-Verse.

Villain #6: Chukwudi Iwuji as High Evolutionary

Chukwudi Iwuji portrayed the arch-villain, The High Evolutionary, in Guardians of the Galaxy Vol.3. He is a mad scientist with a penchant for genetic manipulation and an interest in elevating animals to intelligent self-awareness, and even once de-evolved himself into a pile or primordial ooze on purpose. As a veteran of the Royal Shakespeare Company, Chukwudi’s stellar performance gave this supervillain a menacing seriousness and a bombastic presence in the film.

The post 6 Best Black Supervillains in DC and Marvel Films appeared first on Nerd Reactor.

In the last film, Arthur defeats Orm and saves the day with Black Manta in the background looking for revenge. The new trailer updates audiences on what Arthur has been up to. Years have passed, and he has more responsibilities than ever. Not only is he the King of Atlantis, but he’s also a father. However, that’s not going to stop Black Manta, who has been upgraded to the main villain. The antagonist is able to level the playing field against the powers of Aquaman thanks to the Black Trident.

The trailer heavily focuses on Arthur needing Orm’s help to stop Black Manta and his schemes, and we can see them bicker back and forth.

“Like Romancing the Stone with a romance between Arthur and Mera, in the second one, the plan was always going to be that Patrick’s character was going to switch,” James Wan tells a room full of journalists including Nerd Reactor during the special trailer presentation held in Los Angeles. “I knew that from the get-go in the first film. That’s why I didn’t want to kill him at the end of the first movie. That he was going to ultimately be somewhat of a pseudo-antihero in this one. And I wanted to see just the relationship between Jason and Patrick. These two are really great in the film. They got such great camaraderie, good chemistry, that I describe the second one as a bromance movie.”

The trailer also features some creepy beings, and with the Black Trident and the Lost Kingdom, we’re going to see some otherworldly action.

“It is a little bit darker than the first movie as second movies tend to be,” Wan continued. “And it just felt like the correct progression for this film. Yes, I don’t know how to stay away from horror, you guys. So The Lost Kingdom will be introduced to a lot of creepy, scary Lovecraftian-looking characters. And ultimately, that’s what our heroes have to work together to stop this Lovecraftian universe from breaking through into our main world.”

About Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom

Synopsis: Having failed to defeat Aquaman the first time, Black Manta, still driven by the need to avenge his father’s death, will stop at nothing to take Aquaman down once and for all. This time Black Manta is more formidable than ever before, wielding the power of the mythic Black Trident, which unleashes an ancient and malevolent force. To defeat him, Aquaman will turn to his imprisoned brother Orm, the former King of Atlantis, to forge an unlikely alliance. Together, they must set aside their differences in order to protect their kingdom and save Aquaman’s family, and the world, from irreversible destruction.

All returning to the roles they originated, Jason Momoa plays Arthur Curry/Aquaman, now balancing his duties as both the King of Atlantis and a new father; Patrick Wilson is Orm, Aquaman’s half-brother and his nemesis, who must now step into a new role as his brother’s reluctant ally; Amber Heard is Mera, Atlantis’ Queen and mother of the heir to the throne; Yahya Abdul-Mateen II is Black Manta, committed more than ever to avenge his father’s death by destroying Aquaman, his family and Atlantis; and Nicole Kidman as Atlanna, a fierce leader and mother with the heart of a warrior. Also reprising their roles are Dolph Lundgren as King Nereus and Randall Park as Dr. Stephen Shin.

Directed by Wan, Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom is produced by Peter Safran, Wan and Rob Cowan. The executive producers are Galen Vaisman and Walter Hamada.

The screenplay is by David Leslie Johnson-McGoldrick, from a story by James Wan & David Leslie Johnson-McGoldrick and Jason Momoa & Thomas Pa’a Sibbett, based on characters from DC, Aquaman created by Paul Norris and Mort Weisinger.

The team is also comprised of director of photography by Don Burgess (“The Conjuring 2”), production designer Bill Brzeski (“Jumanji: The Next Level”), editor Kirk Morri (“Furious 7”), composer Rupert Gregson-Williams (“Wonder Woman”) and music supervisor is Michelle Silverman (“Malignant”). Visual effects supervisor Nick Davis (“The Clash of the Titans” films, “The Dark Knight”) and costume designer Richard Sale (“Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness,” “Ready Player One”) also join.

Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom releases internationally starting on 20 December 2023 and in North America on December 20, 2023.

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