The impact of Wonder Woman on the DCEU hasn't become fully apparent yet, but the implications of Diana Prince's first solo adventure are definitely starting to come into focus. On that note, one of the biggest effects that Wonder Woman is having on DC is the way in which the comic book movie universe handles the interconnectivity of its films. In fact, looking ahead to Aquaman (the DCEU's first solo movie after Justice League), it now looks like Arthur Curry's first adventure will take a serious cue from Diana Prince's origin story by keeping the story self-contained. Referring to Wonder Woman, Geoff Johns said:
The movie's not about another movie. Some of the movies do connect the characters together, like Justice League. But, like with Aquaman our goal is not to connect Aquaman to every movie.
Before those of you with a deep-seated love for continuity start to worry about what this could mean for Aquaman's connection to the DCEU, it seems important to note that this doesn't mean it won't connect to other DC films at all. Even Wonder Woman, a movie set during World War I, still managed to find ways to reference other DC heroes -- such as the reference to Wayne Enterprises in the film's opening scene. The intention here isn't to ignore the fact that the other DC franchises exist; it's just an attempt to place more emphasis establishing these distinct worlds without becoming bogged down in other stories.
Of course, it's also worth mentioning that the knowledge of Aquaman being a standalone movie doesn't provide much insight into the film's story. The exact plot of the water-based DC film remains firmly under wraps, and while we know it will involve Arthur Curry going up against Black Manta (and possible betrayal at the hands of his brother, Orm), James Wan and the entire cast have remained mostly tight-lipped about the precise nature of this insulated story.
Looking beyond Geoff Johns' comments to Vulture, it seems fairly clear that this model won't necessarily apply to every DC film on the horizon. Movies like Justice League will naturally bring several different narrative threads together, and early rumors have suggested the presence of other heroes inFlashpoint. In fact, if that story follows its comic book source material, then we can look forward to a "solo" movie that features a ton of heroes and widespread impact on the rest of the DCEU. There's room for multiple approaches in this silver screen world, and it looks like Aquaman merely wants to veer closer to Wonder Woman in how it handles its continuity.
Jason Momoa's Arthur Curry will make his official debut in the DCEU when Justice League hits theaters later this year on November 17, 2017. From there, the aquatic hero will go on to his self-contained solo movie when James Wan's Aquaman makes a splash in theaters on December 21, 2018.
