Jason Momoa Admits He Was “Absolutely Baffled” by Aquaman’s Success

In the grand tapestry of superhero movies, 2018’s Aquaman has been something unique. The film turned its titular character from a punchline to a global phenomenon, and ultimately grossed over $1 billion at the global box office. A sequel to the film, Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom, is finally set to debut later this year, and it looks like its star, Jason Momoa, is reflecting on the franchise’s unlikely success. In a recent interview with Men’s Health, Momoa revealed that he was “baffled” by how well Aquaman did financially, but that he’s not putting as much pressure on The Lost Kingdom.

“Well, to be perfectly honest, I was absolutely baffled that Aquaman was received so well,” Momoa explained. “I’ve done things that are amazing that no one sees and no one gives a shit about. You just don’t know in this business… I don’t go do things and think, Oh, I’m gonna get $1 billion on this one. I go in and do my best job.”

“It’s not that I don’t care about Aquaman; it’s a wonderful character,” Momoa addedd. “Aquaman is probably the hardest character in comic-book history. He’s made fun of and ridiculed, but I tried to give it heart and soul, and I’m proud of it in certain ways. Do I feel pressure for [the sequel] to do well? No. All I can do is give it my all. But it’s in a lot of other people’s hands.”

What is Aquaman 2 about?

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 is set to be released exclusively in theaters on December 20th.