Aquaman 2 Director Breaks Silence on Rumors of Ben Affleck and Michael Keaton Batman Cameos

Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom is hitting theaters later this year, and DC fans are curious to see how well the movie will do considering it's being released while the franchise is in flux. Now that James Gunn and Peter Safran have taken over as co-CEOs of DC Studios, the upcoming sequel is expected to be the final movie of the Snyderverse era that started with Man of Steel back in 2013. Previous reports about the Aquaman sequel also revealed it was set to feature cameos from Batman actors Michael Keaton and Ben Affleck. In a recent interview with Entertainment Weekly, director James Wan was asked if there was truth to those cameo rumors.   

"The tricky thing early on was not knowing whether Aquaman would come out first or come out after [The Flash]. So, we just had to be prepared. At the end of the day, the best thing I would say about this movie is that it is not connected in any way to any of those films. That's the bottom line." 

When asked if Batman shows up in the Aquaman sequel, Wan replied, "That's a 'no comment,' right now ... You're going to have to wait for the movie to come out."

Last year, The Hollywood Reporter shared that Keaton had filmed a scene for Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom, but was then replaced by Affleck's Batman. According to the report, test audiences for the Aquaman sequel were confused by Keaton's appearance, which makes sense considering The Flash is the movie that explains his return. It was initially rumored that The Flash was supposed to reboot the DCEU timeline, but if that is the case, it would make more sense for George Clooney's Batman to show up in Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom, and that feels unlikely.

Will Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom Succeed at the Box Office?

The first Aquaman grossed $1.150 billion worldwide, but its huge success might not help the follow-up. Before the pandemic, the Fast Saga was also a billion-dollar franchise, but the latest installment was a huge letdown at the box office. Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom also has the disadvantage of being a part of an ending saga. With this era of the franchise winding down with no clear ending, folks could be waiting to see what the Gunn and Safran's revamp has in store.

What Is Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom About?

In Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom, which arrives in theaters on December 20th, when an ancient power is unleashed, Aquaman must forge an uneasy alliance with an unlikely ally to protect Atlantis, and the world, from irreversible devastation. Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom will see the return of Jason Momoa as Aquaman, Patrick Wilson as Orm, Amber Heard as Mera, Yahya Abdul-Mateen II as Black Manta, and Randall Park as Stephen Shin. Jani Zhao will play new character Stingray, Indya Moore will play Karshon, and Vincent Regan will play Atlan, who was previously portrayed by Graham McTavish in Aquaman. Pilou Asbaek has also joined the cast in a mystery role.

Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom is directed by James Wan, with a script from David Leslie Johnson-McGoldrick. Producers include Wan and DC Studios co-CEO Peter Safran.