Although he's going to get his solo movie later this year, Jason Momoa's Arthur Curry has already made a notable impression on audiences with his debut in Justice League. The character was a gruff and rough-around-the-edges badass in his first full appearance, but it turns out that Momoa was actually concerned that the character's grumpiness would turn fans off while filming that movie. In a recent interview, Momoa explained:
One of my concerns is when we did Justice League was that people were going to be like, 'Oh he's so grumpy.' But the whole idea Zack and I talked about was that [Justice League] is only like a half hour in his life, you know? So I had to stick to that character knowing in Aquaman we can explain why he is the way he is. I don't even become Aquaman until the last 10 minutes of the movie. I mean ... I fucking smile, you know? When I'm speaking, I laugh. I have children. I have a wife. There are things that I do that people don't even have the slightest clue about.
The Arthur Curry seen in Justice League is a far cry from the character who will show up in Aquaman. Though he's portrayed as a tough loner with little allegiance to a real home, the film's conclusion showcases his acceptance of his role as Aquaman and his place as the ruler of Atlantis. Now, with Aquaman on the horizon, Jason Momoa's remarks in his interview with EW, the character will now have a more well-rounded life with a child, a wife (Amber Heard's Mera), and responsibilities that were not apparent in previous films. Momoa was worried about the lack of these elements in Justice\_League_, and it was the idea that the fight against Steppenwolf only represented a small fraction of Arthur's life that put him at ease.
It is most certainly worth noting that these dimensions are essential when it comes to getting audiences on-board with a character. Overall, there arguably seems to be a significant shift away from the doom and gloom that characterized previous generations of superhero movies, with audiences flocking towards hopeful heroes who balance several different elements of their daily lives. Arthur Curry's status as a gruff, muscle-bound badass is a genuinely exciting element to his personality, but Jason Momoa seems particularly excited about the prospect of building on the foundation established in Justice League and adding new layers to that personality.
Audiences will finally get a chance to see Arthur Curry as the true Aquaman when James Wan's DCEU movie debuts later this year on December 21. However, there are still plenty more awesome DC updates that are set to come out this weekend at San Diego Comic-Con (such as the actual Aquaman trailer), so make sure to keep it here for any relevant updates related to all of your favorite DC superheroes!
