James Wan Debunks ‘Aquaman’ Villains Rumor

Though a number of stars have been cast in potentially villainous roles for the standalone Aquaman movie, director James Wan promises there will not be three villains in his film.

“This is what I’ll say: I don’t have three villains,” Wan told EW. “I think that’s ridiculous! I would never go into an origin movie with three villains. We don’t even know the main character let alone the world and its antagonist. I believe in taking baby steps.”

Wan’s Aquaman film will very much be an origin story for Jason Momoa‘s Arthur Curry. Momoa revealed as much while talking about his standalone efforts with ComicBook.com around the release of Justice League, which he says is merely a “weekend in the life” of his character.

“I want to introduce Arthur Curry in a much more emotional and powerful way, and introduce Mera played by Amber Heard, and of course there’s Nicole Kidman and Temuera Morrison playing his parents,” Wan said. “We know Black Manta is in there, but I will say this: Patrick Wilson is the main antagonist in this film. I wouldn’t necessarily say ‘villain,’ but he’s the antagonist.”

The Aquaman film may very well be setting of Black Manta for a longer play in the Aquaman universe, similar to how the Thor movies used Loki throughout its trilogy. Black Manta will certainly oppose Aquaman should the movie follow the story of Manta’s father being killed but such a story could merely kick off in the first entry to the franchise.

“This is a totally different beast,” Wan said. “In Aquaman, you see when his parents met and what happened to them. Then the little boy being raised and finding his powers and going through that and never being accepted on either side. And then becoming this man who puts up all these walls. You just slowly see this man harden up and be completely reluctant wanting to be king and not knowing what to do with these powers he has. I think James Wan just killed it.”

Aquaman hits theaters December 21, 2018.