'Aquaman' Director Speaks out Against Fans Harassing People Who Don't Like the Movie

There's no arguing that Aquaman is a hit. The film is cleaning up at the box office and is [...]

By Nicole Drum

There's no arguing that Aquaman is a hit. The film is cleaning up at the box office and is projected to bring in upwards of $1 billion worldwide. However, just because a film is selling tickets doesn't mean everyone buying those tickets like it. Aquaman is no exception and when it comes to viewer debate about the film, director James Wan has a clear message for fans: no harassment.

Wan took to Twitter on Sunday to let it be known that he will tolerate no harassment of any sort when it comes to Aquaman, be it fans harassing those who didn't like the Jason Momoa-starring film or those who didn't like the film coming after him personally.

"It has come to my attention that some folks are getting harassed by some fans for not liking AQM," Wan wrote. "Please don't do that. Not the kind of support I want. Be respectful. Vice versa, it's ok to not like my film, but here's no need to attack me personally, or tag me on hates. Peace."

That Wan had to address harassment on both sides of the like it/hate it divide is, in many ways, a sign of just how intense fandom can be. Many recent movies have elicited strong reactions from audiences, reactions that often spill over into heated debates on social media and, sadly, harassment of fans and filmmakers alike -- the reactions to Justice League and Star Wars: The Last Jedi come to mind.

While it's sad that Wan even had to address harassment in any form, it's nice to see him handling it in a diplomatic fashion, calling out both sides and reminding them to be kind to one another. It's that kind of ability to balance both sides of a situation that is reflected in Aquaman itself. Wan's film background is stocked with dark, scary films such as Saw and The Conjuring while Aquaman is, in contrast, very light-hearted and family friendly. Even in moments that things do lean towards the intense and dark, Wan keeps it all balanced.

In one particular scene, Arthur Curry (Momoa) and Mera (Amber Heard) find themselves forced to face the terrifying creatures of the Trench. However, despite there being terrifying moments within the scene, the overall effect remained cinematically beautiful.

"I mean, listen, I'm well aware of the movie that I was making, and I never think go darker in terms of visuals, but I didn't want to go darker in terms of tone, if that makes sense," Wan told ComicBook.com. "I feel like I can get away with it because they're sea monsters, and I can have it be a flash of a scary moment in there and have fun with that, but ultimately, I didn't want to do anything depressing with it."

Here's to hoping audiences strike that same balance with their debate going forward.

Aquaman is in theaters now.

What do you think of Wan's comments? Let us know in the comment section below.

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