The live-action DC world has started to thrive, with an array of both high-profile and lesser-known characters getting spotlighted in movies and on television. Among the projects DC has in the pipeline is Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom, the highly-anticipated sequel to the 2018 cinematic epic. On Friday, a number of casting announcements were made about the upcoming film, including the addition of a pretty surprising Green Lantern villain. Pose and Escape Room: Tournament of Champions star Indya Moore has been cast as Karshon in the upcoming film. Moore, who is transgender and nonbinary, will be portraying the character, who is best known by their alter ego of The Shark.
Videos by ComicBook.com
Created by John Broome and Gil Kane in 1963’s Green Lantern #24, Karshon began as an ordinary tiger shark, who evolved into a superpowered being after being exposed to experimental radiation. Karshon gained several mental abilities, including mind reading, matter manipulation, and the ability to control bolts of energy. Karshon moved to Coast City and eventually set their sights on Hal Jordan, hoping to strike fear in the Green Lantern and hunt him. Karshon continued to be a thorn in Hal Jordan’s side, even once briefly absorbing the hero’s mind. All the while, Karshon fluctuated between their superpowered form and the original shark form on multiple occasions, and briefly played a role in the Crisis on Infinite Earths. Karshon was then reintroduced in 2018’s Hal Jordan and the Green Lantern Corps #32 as a villain of The Flash, and then died as a member of the Suicide Squad.
While Karshon is best associated as a Green Lantern villain, it will be interesting to see how their story is told in Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom, especially as their origin story has more oceanic roots than cosmic. The idea of Karshon getting their powers from toxic waste is interesting too, especially as the film is expected to have an environmentally-conscious story.
“After we ended the first one I went in with my writing partner and we dreamed up the second one and we went in and pitched the idea,” franchise star Jason Momoa previously said on The Drew Barrymore Show. “The best thing I can give you is that I love it so much that I participated in the writing of it. And so, we did the first treatment and then James and our original writer David finished it off. And all of our hearts are in it. Instead of just like getting a script and doing that, you are 100% being encouraged by your director and co-writers. So that’s exciting for me and I’m excited to go over there. I leave in July and we start filming.”
Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom will also see the return of 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, and Vincent Regan will play Atlan, who was previously portrayed by Graham McTavish in Aquaman.
Are you excited to see Karshon debut in Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom? Share your thoughts with us in the comments below!
Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom arrives in theaters on December 16, 2022.
