When it was announced that Guardians of the Galaxy trilogy director James Gunn would be co-responsible for relaunching the DC universe on the big screen, everyone had one big question: “How will this affect existing DC projects?” Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom director James Wan said in an interview with: The Hollywood Reporter That these drastic changes had only a small impact on the story of this film.
Now releasing on December 20, 2023 (after being delayed a year), Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom follows Aquaman/Arthur Curry as he strives to protect Atlantis from a new threat. And while Wan admitted it was “difficult” to keep track of the many versions of the DCU universe, he also spoke about the independent nature of Aquaman’s journey.
“I’ve had to make adjustments along the way,” he said. “The DCU has gone through so many different versions, and one of the things that’s been difficult about this movie is keeping track of what’s going on. Luckily the world of Aquaman is very far from the rest of the world. We’re going to a lot of different kingdoms under Water, which is not necessarily related to what happens with other films and characters, so we are independent in that regard.”
“So I can tell my story independently without being too affected, but at the same time I have to be aware of what’s going on.”
Wan also talked more about what audiences can expect from the sequel, and hinted that he will have a unique style and a more mature message.
Fortunately, the world of Aquaman is far from the rest of the world.
He said, “It’s a little more serious, and we’re dealing with issues like climate change. We’re not afraid to focus on that in a big way because in the Aquaman comics, even the very old ones,[Aquaman]was always environmentally conscious. He was always a person.” He fights to keep the ocean clean, and that seems more relevant to the world we live in today. So this movie has something to talk about, but it’s still a fun action fantasy movie.”
Gunn and Peter Safran have announced that their ten-year plan for the DC Universe will be released in phases, with Phase One titled: Gods and Monsters. The Flash will relaunch the DCU universe, and Superman: Legacy will be the official launch of the Gods and Monsters phase, which is set for a 2025 release.
