For decades, Aquaman was among the most disregarded superheroes out there, as many struggled to take the nature of the character seriously. That was all until Jason Mamoa reinvented the hero for the DCEU, having made his debut in Justice League before going on to star in James Wan's Aquaman, which now sits in the ten highest-grossing comic book movies of all time.
Aquaman's solo debut took saw him face off against his power-hungry brother Orm, the King of Atlantis who seeks to conquer the surface world. The DC flick took Aquaman on a quest to find the ancient Trident of Atlan, allowing him to take his place on the throne of Atlantis and save the surface world from his brother's wrath.
Mercenary Black Manta - played by Yahya Abdul-Mateen II - allied himself with Orm as he sought revenge against Aquaman for refusing to save his father. Donning a powerful suit made from experimental Atlantean technology, the mercenary was defeated by Mamoa's hero before being rescued by an Atlantis-obsessed scientist.
With Aquaman now sitting on the throne of Atlantis and Black Manta on the warpath for revenge, anticipation is high for the 2023 sequel - but there continues to be controversy surrounding the return of Amber Heard's love interest Mera.
Aquaman 2 Footage Reveals Sequel Plot Details
During the Warner Bros. CinemaCon presentation, director James Wan showcased a new featurette for Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom which debuted the main plot of the 2023 DC sequel.
Fandango's Erik Davis revealed Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom showcased will see Jason Mamoa's hero forced to reluctantly team up with his brother, King Orm to take down Black Manta - who has grown stronger and more dangerous since the first film.
Collider's Steven Weintraub also noted that the sequel looks to be much bigger than the original due to its new characters and locations. He also noted how Black Manta will have a new ship in the film and may have been taken over by some dark energy that could explain his increase in power.
Mamoa shared his belief that Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom will be the biggest film of its release year, and only time will tell if that is the case, with the DC blockbuster set to hit theaters on March 17, 2023.
Aquaman 2 Goes Bigger Than Ever
With Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom now slated to release before The Flash, as opposed to after as it originally was, it remains unclear whether the Jason Mamoa sequel takes place in the post-Flashpoint DCEU timeline or not.
But if one thing is certain, James Wan appears to be going even bigger and better than ever with the Aquaman sequel. Mamoa's Arthur Curry established an intriguing relationship with his half-brother Orm in the first film, with the dynamic holding some resemblance to Thor and Loki.
The Lost Kingdom ought to be an interesting ride as Aquaman and Orm get to bounce off each other more this time around, having been foes for the entirety of the first film. Black Manta is also the Atlantean hero's most famous antagonist, meaning fans will be delighted to see him enter the spotlight with whatever upgrades he may have in store.
As is always the case with footage released during CinemaCon, the newly-released footage will remain exclusive to those present at the event and won't be released online. Unfortunately, Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom won't be hitting theaters until March 17, 2023, meaning fans will probably be waiting until DC FanDome rolls around later in the year for the first public trailer.
