At long last, due to the lengthy post-production needed to perfectly capture an entire undersea world, we are just getting the first trailer for ‘Aquaman’, James Wan’s picture which is the next step in building Warner Brothers’ DC Comics-based film franchise. While Jason Momoa‘s portrayal of Aquaman in ‘Justice League’ was a bright spot, he had the luxury of having four (or five) other superheroes to play off of. In this one, Aquaman has to shoulder the entire film. Luckily he is supported by Mera, played by Amber Heard, and a dazzling array of CGI underwater wonders.
The trailer gives an abridged account of Aquaman’s origins– his mother Atlanna (Nicole Kidman) is saved by lighthouse keeper Tom Curry (Temuera Morrison) and they have a son– the son of two worlds. Young Arthur Curry has trouble fitting in as a kid and doesn’t seem to have a much easier time as an adult, especially when Mera informs him that he must stop the entire undersea kingdom from declaring war on the surface world.
Momoa, Heard, and Kidman are heavily featured in the trailer but we only get a brief glimpse of Patrick Wilson as Orm. And while there is just barely more seen, the shots of Yahya Abdul-Mateen II as Black Manta steal the show!
Check it out for yourself below:
Compared to the ‘Shazam!’ trailer, ‘Aquaman’ is more of a return to the sweeping action of ‘Wonder Woman.’ There is a little of Momoa’s sense of humor in display, but the real appeal are the sweeping Atlantean seascapes and the CGI creatures. We even get a brief look at The Trench, the cannibalistic undersea horrors from Aquaman’s New 52 comic books.
With huge fantastic creatures, old fashioned “butt whoopings,” and world-spanning action, there’s something for everyone!
‘Aquaman’ is the next picture in the DC Comics film franchise and washes ashore on December 21, 2018.
