'Aquaman' Producer Says Delay for 'Aquaman 2' Is to "Do It Right"

With Aquaman being a huge hit for DC, a sequel to the Jason Momoa-starring film was quick to be discussed but when it comes to Aquaman 2 actually making it to theaters fans have quite a wait until December 16, 2022. Now, Aquaman producer Peter Safran is explaining why -- they want to get the film right.

In an interview with The Hollywood Reporter, Safran explained that the delay between Aquaman and the Aquaman sequel -- which comes to just at four years between films -- is so the film isn't rushed and it's a decision that head of DC Films Walter Hamada and director James Wan had influence in.

"[Hamada], myself and James Wan always shared the same philosophy, which is: you want to do it right," Safran said. "You don't want to do it fast. You just want to do it right."

While the delay may not be fans' idea of a good time, an Aquaman sequel done right very well could be. The film is the biggest DC movie ever at the box office, overtaking The Dark Knight Rises, having brought in more than $1.09 billion. Box office numbers that high make it pretty clear that the audience is there for the King of the Seven Seas, something Warner Bros. no doubt wants to maintain for Aquaman 2. They may also be waiting to reach that same audience with a horror-based Aquaman spinoff before Aquaman 2 -- The Trench.

"We always, even from the early concept art days, loved the idea of a Trench movie," the producer said. "Then, when audiences embraced it in the movie itself the way they did, particularly that ant farm shot where the camera follows the Trench [creatures] following Arthur and Mera down into the deep, we just knew that we had something very special there and we knew what that movie should be. And consequently, I suspect that that's one that will come out significantly before Aquaman 2."

Confirming Arthur Curry (Jason Momoa) or Mera (Amber Heard) would not appear in the spinoff, Safran says the team at Warner Brothers — led by director James Wan — is drawing inspiration from The Conjuring franchise.

"We've definitely taken a page from our Conjuring playbook, which is: you've got the mothership, which is Aquaman," explained Safran. "But there are so many great stories to tell within that universe of itself, that Atlantean universe."

Aquaman is now available digitally and will be available for home media release on March 26th. Aquaman 2 is currently slated for December 16, 2022.

What do you think about the long gap between Aquaman and its sequel? Let us know in the comments below.