Like any superhero with a publication history that spans nearly eighty years, there have been a lot of different takes on Aquaman, from the Golden Age version (who counted an octopus as his sidekick) to his bearded, harpoon-handed nineties counterpart. And that’s just in the comics! Every new iteration brings something different to the table, whether it’s a characterization or the particular quirks of a given actor’s performance.
Aquaman’s latest incarnation is the one played on the silver screen by Jason Momoa. Upon his introduction in ‘Justice League‘, this version made waves – and not necessarily in a bad way – for just how much of a departure it was from Aquaman’s traditional portrayal. With much of the cinematic Aquaman’s success to date owing to Jason Momoa’s performance and undeniable charisma, it’s fair to ask just what he hopes to achieve with the character. Based on remarks he made when speaking with CinemaBlend, his aspirations could perhaps best be summed up in the words of John Lennon:
“I think I wanted to make [the guy you can have a beer with]. I think that’s why the y kind of hired me to play the role. I mean, he’s serious, but he’s just jaded. He’s just seen so much, and he doesn’t really trust anyone. I think it’s all about building the trust, and that’s the whole ‘Justice League’ thing – just being the team. You can’t sit down and have a beer with Superman, you know what I mean? You can’t. I wanted Aquaman definitely to be that guy – that he’s blue collar. I mean the whole thing about him, I wanted him blue collar: he’s raised with his dad, worked on bikes, worked on old cars with his father, and at a certain age he’s given this gift. He doesn’t know how to deal with it.”
The next installment in the DC Extended Universe, ‘Aquaman’ has been helmed by director James Wan and stars Jason Momoa, Amber Heard, Willem Dafoe, Temuera Morrison, Dolph Lundgren, Yahya Abdul-Mateen II, Patrick Wilson, and Nicole Kidman. The film is scheduled to arrive in theaters on December 21, 2018.
