‘Aquaman’ Director James Wan Thanks Fans, Jason Momoa for $1 Billion Box Office

Director James Wan is thanking star Jason Momoa and the fans for making Aquaman a $1 billion movie.

After a month at the box office, Aquaman crossed the $1 billion mark, surpassing The Dark Knight to become the biggest DC Comics movie since The Dark Knight Rises.

“Firstly, massive LOVE and THANK YOU to the fans and audiences around the world,” Wan said in a statement (via The Hollywood Reporter). “I’ll forever be indebted to Jason for turning Aquaman into one of the coolest, cinematic superheroes ever, and becoming the gold standard for this character for generations to come.”

Aquaman is Wan’s second $1 billion movie. His first was Furious 7 in 2015.

Momoa thanked fans last week for making Aquaman the biggest film in the world.

“Mahalo everyone for making Aquaman the number one movie in the world,” he wrote in an Instagram post. “I love you guys. I’m so proud of this movie and everyone that worked on it CHEEEEEHUUUUUUUU Aloha.”

Aquaman stars Momoa as Arthur Curry, the half-human prince of Atlantis. When his half-brother stokes the fires of war, Aquaman finds himself trapped between the two worlds he loves.

Wan directs the film after Momoa’s debut as the character in 2017’s Justice League, directed by Zack Snyder. Speaking to ComicBook.com, Wan discussed the importance of putting his own touch on Aquaman while also staying true to the foundation laid in Justice League.

“It was very important for me early on to be allowed to make my own film and to have my own voice be in there,” Wan said. “After Furious 7 and Conjuring 2, I didn’t want to be a director for hire. After Furious 7, that’s kind of who I was to some degree, but after that, I don’t want to be that guy again. So, it was very important for me to be able to bring my own stamp, my own visual aesthetic, create the characters. Even though Jason has somewhat been established Justice League, I wanted to bring his character into this, basically, fresh in a lot of ways.

“So it was important for me to obviously pay a respect to where he was left off in [Justice League], but then allow me the freedom to take him to where I want to take him at the end of the movie. My hero goes on this hero’s journey to become someone very different than where he started. That was something that was very important for me. But the movie I want to make, that I was allowed that freedom to do that.”

What did you think of Aquaman? Let us know what you think in the comments section!

Aquaman is now playing in theaters.

Upcoming DC Extended Universe movies include Shazam on April 5, 2019, Birds of Prey (and the Fantabulous Emancipation of one Harley Quinn) on February 7, 2020, and Wonder Woman 1984 on June 5, 2020.