Years after the blockbuster release of Aquaman, DC Films is headed back into the sea with Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom. The sequel is finally expected to debut in theaters next spring, and outside of a behind-the-scenes sizzle reel and a few seconds of footage, we have yet to see what that entails. In the meantime, attendees at Las Vegas’ CinemaCon 2022 got an inkling at exactly what’s in store, with director James Wan appearing in person and star Jason Momoa appearing via Zoom. ComicBook.com‘s Cam Bonomolo provided a description of the new footage that was shown, which you can check out below.
“Arthur in his orange armor stands atop a stormy sea. Black Manta has a crew on a giant submarine. He’s still human but wields an ancient magical power. Arthur and Orm have to team up. We see them walking through a forest. The teaser ends with Orm in front of an octopus-like mecha robot.”
Videos by ComicBook.com
“It’s been great. It’s been fun going back into the world of Atlantis, and I hang out with the group and the gang and, and you know, and ultimately continuing with the story, the world that we created in the first one.” Wan explained during the presentation. “And trying to take it to the next level. I mean, it was a big, beautiful first film, so obviously the challenge is how do you take that.”
“With this film, you know, we were able to now embrace new technology that we have, where we literally captured — and it’s not motion control, it’s not face capturing, it’s literally putting like 100 cameras on the actor and capture the performances — and then taking what they do and then applying that to a 3D versions of themselves, but their performance drive this 3D character,” Wan added. “So for all the actors but also more versatile for you as a director. It is it’s less painful for the actors, which makes it easier for me as well because they’re not screaming and yelling at me [about] the atomic wedgie.”
“It really frees up my filmmaking to do things that I’ve never been able to do before, and that is exciting,” Wan continued.
In Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom, 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. The film 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. Game of Thrones alum Pilou Asbaek has also joined the cast in an unknown role, while 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.
Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom now arrives in theaters on March 17, 2023.
