The success of WB’s first Aquaman film largely owes itself to Jason Momoa’s passion for the title character, which has shone through in each one of the actor’s DCEU appearances. In fact, Momoa grew to love Arthur Curry so much that he took an active role in developing his story arc for the film’s highly-anticipated sequel, Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom. As he tells it, the studio initially seemed very enthusiastic about what Momoa had in mind for Arthur’s future. But it sounds like most of his ideas were lost in the shuffle as production wore on.
Earlier this year, Momoa confirmed that he wrote a 50-page story outline for The Lost Kingdom with his longtime producing partner, Brian Mendoza. Their treatment reportedly saw Arthur—in a move that reflects Momoa’s real-life activism—pleading with the United Nations to take action against environmental decay. However, in a new interview with Men’s Health, Momoa claimed WB didn’t follow this story completely. And he wasn’t afraid to voice his disappointment with the changes they made.
“That’s the reason why I love directing and creating,” said Momoa. “I don’t wanna just go like, ‘I’m acting. I’ll be in my trailer.’ I love being able to burn for what I believe in. I’ve seen some of the most shocking acting performances firsthand and watched them edited, and they were amazing. I wish I could tell you who it was. I’m like, ‘What the f**k?’ I watched this guy who had to be f***ing propped up. They read the lines to him. But this motherf***er killed it when the edit came in and was applauded for it. At that point, I was like, ‘Wow, this s**t is made in the edit.’”
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Momoa is also confessed that he was “absolutely baffled” when the original Aquaman became a critical and financial success in 2018. Regardless, he insists this isn’t because dislikes the role. He even acknowledged that Arthur Curry’s history as a punchline among comic book fans encouraged him to deliver a more serious take on the character. But although he’s annoyed with WB over the Lost Kingdom situation, he’s “extremely, extremely excited” about the new DC Universe under James Gunn and Peter Safran. Momoa’s involvement with the rebooted franchise is still a mystery, but he teases “a lot of badass s**t coming up.”
“Aquaman is probably the hardest character in comic-book history,” added Momoa. “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.”
Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom will hit theaters on December 20.
How do you feel about WB jettisoning Momoa’s ideas for the sequel? Let us know in the comment section below!
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