Aquaman 2 Star Yahya Abdul-Mateen II Posts New Photo While Prepping for Filming

Aquaman and The Lost Kingdom is coming up fast and Yahya Abdul-Mateen II is getting ready to get back into the water. The star posted a moment of calm on Instagram this week. He's on a bed with a binder open and the caption says Aquaman 2. Fans have been waiting to see Abdul-Mateen don the helmet again after being so much fun in the first film. He didn't end up being the big bad during that first trip to Atlantis. But, it seems as though that will be changing with this second time around. For all intents and purposes, don't expect a ton of bed time with Adul-Mateen when he checks in with Arthur Curry in the second film. Just last week, James Wan revealed the title of Aquaman and The Lost Kingdom and the fan hype kicked into a whirlwind. Expect more of these short posts from all the stars involved.

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Yahya Abdul-Mateen II (@yahya)

Abdul-Mateen previously spoke with ComicBook.com about his role in the sequel. During our conversation, he revealed his hopes for the character's future in the DC Universe.

"Anywhere where he has a device or plot to get back to Aquaman, he's going to use it. So, he can show up wherever," Abdul-Mateen told us then. "But when he does I hope that we get to see more of his wit and more of the comedic parts of Black Manta and see more of the things that make him [the Black Manta] that I know and the human that the fans, and the people in this universe, have grown to love over the years."

Aquaman 2 writer David Leslie Johnson-McGoldrick tweeted about the plot of the upcoming film, but had to delete it last year.

"Hmm...good question," Johnson-McGoldrick explained to a fan on social media. "We're not taking any one particular comic book story and adapting it, but if you want to know the vibe we're going for, pick up pretty much any Silver Age story featuring Black Manta."

For those wondering about a release date, late next year is probably a safe bet. Abdul-Mateen previously explained the timeline for the film with Entertainment Weekly.

"We have a date of December 2022. Hopefully, that will hold," Abdul-Mateen explained. "Black Manta will be back — I feel confident in saying that. I'm excited to step into that world again and cause some more trouble. I really want to add more personality and more character to David Kane and flesh him out in Aquaman 2 and give him more of a journey."

What else would you like to see in the sequel? Let us know in the comments!