‘Aquaman’ isn’t set to swim solo until 2018 but the character, played by Jason Momoa, is reported to debut next year in ‘Batman V Superman: Dawn of Justice.’ ‘Aquaman’ director James Wan is currently hard at work on ‘The Conjuring 2: The Enfield Poltergeist’ which is being rewritten by David Leslie Johnson.  Their relationship must be clicking, as Warner Brothers just hired Johnson to pen the script for ‘Aquaman’.  Previously, it was reported that WB had requested two separate scripts (one reportedly by Kurt Johnstad) but now it seems that those have been discarded in favor of this new treatment to which Wan is expected to make contributions.

But even without a completed script, it seems there are a few factors that will transfer to the final story once filming begins.  We previously reported that Mera would be making her big screen debut in ‘Justice League – Part One’ and it’s no surprise that she will factor heavily in ‘Aquaman’ considering she is his mate and partner.  In our earlier report, it was stated that the film Mera would be akin to an underwater Khaleesi, comparing her to the character on ‘Game of Thrones’ that was married to Momoa’s character.

Now, new descriptions compare her to yet another butt-kicking female:

“Mera will be a force to be reckoned with and will share the screen with Aquaman in very much the same way that Max and Furiosa did in MAD MAX: FURY ROAD, making her every bit a hero of the film (and the DCEU) as the titular character.”

By most accounts, Furiosa was the main attraction in ‘Fury Road’, upstaging the title hero.  It will be interesting to see if the same thing happens with Mera in ‘Aquaman’.

One last interesting bit of Mera news: WB is reportedly looking for a non-white actress to portray the character who, in the comics, is Caucasian with red hair.  But since Momoa is Polynesian, perhaps they are seeking a similarly exotic female to star opposite him.

But who will the two underwater titans be teaming up against?  Well, the Sea King will have a connection to his film foe that is thicker than water.  Yes, the film’s antagonist is Aquaman’s half-brother Orm, better known as Ocean Master.

Ocean Master doesn’t have a set-in-stone origin. Originally, he was Aquaman’s fully human half-brother who resented him for his aquatic powers and became a garishly-clad pirate of sorts.  In later tales, he was revealed to have been the son of an ancient Atlantean wizard.

In the New 52, Orm is once again Aquaman’s half-brother, but on the Atlantean side.  They share the same mother, Atlanna who was forced  to marry Orm’s father, an Atlantean soldier.  Orm’s father died in the line of duty, but Atlantean advisor Orm accused Orm of killing Atlanna in order to assume her throne.  In the animated movie, ‘Justice League: Throne of Atlantis’, this was not so vague as he is actually shown murdering his mother.

Originally, Ocean Master didn’t posses any super powers, but later developed mystical abilities which were then enhanced by the demon Neron, but in exchange for these increased powers, Orm could never release his trident weapon.  The modern version still has mystical powers, mainly shown as being able to manipulate water on a grand scale, such as creating tsunamis.  He can also use his weapon to summon lightning.

Presumably, the movie will borrow more heavily from the more recent depictions.

As far as casting, Karl Urban (Dr. McCoy in the ‘Star Trek’ movies) is said to be in the running, but one can’t help but notice that Caucasian Urban doesn’t look like he could pass as Momoa’s brother.

Keep in mind, the movie Aquaman is a brand new take and will have ties to the Polynesian gods.  One would assume that the rest of his people will reflect this lineage.  Perhaps the Urban rumors were just… er Urban Legends?

One has to wonder how a super hero with a largely non-white cast will fare.  Previous films with African American antagonists, like ‘Steel’ and ‘Catwoman’, didn’t do well, but then again, they were crappy movies.  Well, Marvel’s ‘Black Panther’ is slated to arrive first, so maybe that film will break the ice.

Are you excited to take the plunge with ‘Aquaman’?  Is Ocean Master a suitable foe for the movie hero?  What do you think of a powerful Mera sharing the spotlight?  Comment below!

‘Aquaman’ is scheduled to surface on July 23, 2018.

Sources: Screen Rant, Cinema Blend