Aquaman (film)
Sixth film in the DC Extended Universe.
Wikipedia / Wikimedia Commons
Aquaman, released in 2018, is an American superhero film centered on the DC Comics character Arthur Curry, also known as Aquaman. It serves as the sixth installment in the DC Extended Universe (DCEU) and was produced by DC Films, Warner Bros. Pictures, and The Safran Company. James Wan directed the film, with a screenplay by David Leslie Johnson-McGoldrick and Will Beall. Jason Momoa portrays the title character, who aims to take control of the underwater realm of Atlantis and prevent his half-brother, King Orm (played by Patrick Wilson), from rallying the seven underwater kingdoms to attack the surface world. The supporting cast includes Amber Heard, Willem Dafoe, Dolph Lundgren, Yahya Abdul-Mateen II, and Nicole Kidman.
The project first entered development in 2004 but stalled until the 2013 release of *Man of Steel*. In August 2014, Warner Bros. hired both Beall and Kurt Johnstad to write separate scripts. Wan signed on as director in April 2015, and by July 2016, the film moved forward using Beall’s script. The main cast was finalized throughout 2016 and early 2017. Principal photography started in Australia in May 2017, primarily at Village Roadshow Studios on the Gold Coast, Queensland, with additional filming in Canada, Italy, and Morocco, wrapping up that October. Visual effects and animation were handled by multiple vendors, covering tasks from detailed hair simulations to creating CGI animals and environments.
The plot begins in 1985, when lighthouse keeper Thomas Curry rescues Atlanna, queen of Atlantis, during a storm. They fall in love and have a son, Arthur, who can communicate with sea life. When Atlantean soldiers arrive to retrieve Atlanna—who fled an arranged marriage—she leaves her family to protect them, promising to return. She entrusts Arthur’s training to her advisor, Nuidis Vulko. Arthur becomes a skilled warrior but rejects Atlantis after learning that King Orvax executed Atlanna for loving a human and bearing a half-breed son. In the present, Arthur is known publicly as the metahuman “Aquaman.” After a confrontation with pirates hijacking a Russian submarine, the pirate leader Jesse Kane dies, and his son David vows revenge against Arthur. Meanwhile, Orm, now king of Atlantis, persuades King Nereus of Xebel to unite the kingdoms and destroy the surface world for polluting the oceans. Orm secretly orchestrated the pirate attack to
- Release year
- 2018
- Director
- James Wan
- Lead actor
- Jason Momoa
- Box office
- $1.152 billion worldwide
- Genre
- Superhero
- Studio
- DC Films, Warner Bros. Pictures, The Safran Company
- Based on
- DC Comics character Arthur Curry / Aquaman
Lore & Background
Development began in 2004 but did not gain traction until Man of Steel was released in 2013. In August 2014, Beall and Kurt Johnstad were hired to write competing scripts. Wan signed on as director in April 2015, and in July 2016, the film moved forward with Beall's screenplay. The main cast was confirmed through 2016 and early 2017. Principal photography began in Australia in May 2017, taking place at Village Roadshow Studios on the Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia, with additional production teams in Canada, Italy, and Morocco. Filming concluded the following October. Several vendors provided visual effects and animation, ranging from high-detail hair simulations to the creation of CGI animals and locations.
The plot follows Arthur Curry, a half-Atlantean, half-human who rejects Atlantis after learning his mother was executed. He is drawn into conflict when his half-brother Orm, king of Atlantis, plots to unite the underwater kingdoms and wage war on the surface world. With the help of Mera, Arthur seeks the Trident of Atlan to claim his rightful place as king. The film features a mid-credits scene where David Kane, now calling himself Black Manta, agrees to lead Dr. Stephen Shin to Atlantis in exchange for help in his revenge on Arthur.
Reader's Guide
Aquaman is significant as the sixth film in the DC Extended Universe and the highest-grossing DCEU film, earning $1.152 billion worldwide. It was also the highest-grossing film based on a DC Comics character and the fifth-highest-grossing film of 2018. At the time of its release, it was the 20th highest-grossing film of all time. The film received mixed to positive reviews from critics. Its success led to a sequel, Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom, released on December 22, 2023, and a non-canonical animated miniseries, Aquaman: King of Atlantis, set after the events of this film and released in October 2021. The film expanded the DCEU's underwater mythology and introduced characters such as Black Manta and Ocean Master.
Did You Know?
- The film premiered in London on November 26, 2018, and was released in the United States on December 21.
- Jason Momoa stars as Aquaman, with Patrick Wilson playing his half-brother King Orm.
- Principal photography began in Australia in May 2017 and concluded the following October.
- Julie Andrews provides the voice of Karathen, a mythical sea monster and keeper of the Trident of Atlan.
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