Back in January, fans of the DC Extended Universe finally learned which star had been offered a rather important villainous role. Reports surfaced that Yahya Abdul-Mateen II had reeled in the role of Black Manta, a noted enemy of Aquaman. Warner Bros. was said to have offered the actor the role after a series of tryout, but the star has keep quiet about the role since. Fans have patiently waited for Abdul-Mateen to break his silence about being cast in Aquaman, and it looks like that day has finally come.
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Over on Twitter, the actor posted a message confirming his involvement with Aquaman. “Can finally say THANK YOU! The club just got a little more “tan 😉” and a lot more Bad*ss!!” he wrote before using a couple of hashtags. The notes confirmed Abdul-Mateen would be playing Black Manta, and fans were quick to note the message was shared in response to a previous congratulatory tweet.
Abdul-Mateen responded to a message sent to him by Dwayne ‘The Rock’ Johnson back in February. The former WWE star congratulated the actor, writing, “Congrats brotha. Couldn’t happen to a better dude. Welcome to the club.”
For some fans of the DCEU, Abduel-Mateen’s casting came as a surprise. Rumors have circulated for awhile that Trevante Rhodes was a frontrunner for the role, but fans have since started to speculate that the star may be eyeing John Stewart for DC Entertainment’s Green Lantern Corps.
An icon for over 70 years, Aquaman is the King of the Seven Seas. This reluctant ruler of Atlantis, caught between a surface world constantly ravaging the sea and Atlanteans looking to lash out in revolt, is committed to protecting the entire globe.
The film is based on characters appearing in comic books published by DC Entertainment and will star Jason Momoa (Game of Thrones) as the sea-dwelling superhero, Amber Heard (Machete Kills) as Mera, Willem Dafoe (Spider-Man) as Atlantean politician Vulko, Nicole Kidman as Queen Atlanna, Yahya Abdul-Mateen II as Black Manta, and Temuera Morrison as Aquaman’s father. It’s being directed by James Wan (Furious Seven, The Conjuring), written by Will Beall (Gangster Squad), and produced by Charles Roven, Deborah Snyder and Zack Snyder.
Can finally say THANK YOU! The club just got a little more “tan 😉” and a lot more Badass!! @TheRock #BLACKMANTA 💪🏾🌊 https://t.co/JBmC8DcMGF
— Yahya Abdul-Mateen 2 (@yahya) April 19, 2017
MORE: Jason Momoa Shows Off Trident In New Training Photo | Watch Amber Heard Begin Training For Mera | The Rock Congratulates Yahya Abdul-Mateen For Aquaman Casting
Aquaman is set for release in 2018. Are you excited to finally see James Wan’s undersea epic? Let us know with your vote in our Anticipation Rankings Aquaman is expected along in October of 201
DC and Warner Bros. have a full slate ahead, with Teen Titans: The Judas Contract coming first on April 4, 2017. After that it’s time for Wonder Woman on June 2, 2017, followed by Justice League on November 17, 2017. The Batman is expected sometime in 2018, with The Flash debuting on March 23, 2018. Aquaman is set for October 5, 2018, and Nightwing’s solo feature is due sometime in 2019
