It was a bit unexpected, but Aquaman has proven to be a box office juggernaut. The movie is well on its way to $1 billion worldwide and is the highest grossing film in the DCEU. In other words, this puppy has some serious sea legs, and we can likely expect the announcement of a sequel in the near future.
Aquaman has some issues, but the movie is fun, knows exactly what it is and is completely unafraid to have a Pitbull cover of "Africa." The world building in Aquaman is excellent, establishing a rich world under the sea, and now there's plenty of room to play around. There are still lots of other characters and storylines that would be perfect fits for the sequel. With that in mind, I've cobbled together some things that I think would be great if they were included in Aquaman 2.
Bring In Aqualad
Justice League and Aquaman did wonders for turning around the mainstream perception that Aquaman is the lamest superhero. Now it's time to bring in the lamest sidekick, Aqualad. Well, that's not entirely fair anymore. Aqualad already got a revitalization in the TV show Young Justice, which created an all-new version of the character named Kaldur'ahm. The water sword-bearing hero has become a fan-favorite, and I think this is the Aqualad who should get the movie role. In addition to his Atlantean roots, Kaldur is the son of Black Manta, Aquaman's sworn enemy, so it creates a really interesting dynamic.
The Dead King Rises
Aquaman established the history of Atlantis and how it was ruled through a time of innovation by the benevolent King Atlan. The plot of the film is all about finding Atlan's trident so Arthur Curry (Jason Momoa) can become the true king of Atlantis, but there's a lot more to the story of Atlan. In the comics, he intentionally sinks Atlantis after his brother usurped the throne and killed his wife and children. Centuries later, Atlan rises from the grave as the Dead King, hellbent on gaining control of Atlantis once again. The movie seems to have taken the character in a different direction, but a sequel could retcon that by merely revealing that the history Atlanteans were taught was mostly false.
The Surface Learns About Atlantis
In the world of the DCEU, the surface world doesn't have any idea that there's an entire civilization living underneath the waves. Aquaman mosty dealt with getting Arthur to a place where he felt he was worthy of ruling Atlantis, but a huge part of the character's struggle is his responsibility to Atlantis and the surface. There are plenty of storylines where Aquaman tries to create a bridge between the two worlds, often to mixed results. Atlanteans are too set in tradition and distrustful while the surface is fearful of this superpower nation that appeared out of nowhere. Aquaman 2 could get great mileage out of bringing Atlantis out of the shadows and the impact that has on the whole world.
Aquaman's Very Own Super Team
Aquaman is best known for working with the Justice League, but he's led a superhero team of his very own called The Others. During his younger years, Arthur wound up leading a group of characters who decided to collect and protect seven mystical Atlantean artifacts. Each member of the team eventually claimed a relic of their own, each possessing a unique ability, like teleportation or generating force fields. The Others are a pretty varied bunch and haven't entirely left an impact since their debut in 2012, but Aquaman 2 could change that. It'd be interesting to learn what Arthur's younger years were like with them, or The Others could be retooled as strangers who find Atlantean artifacts, and Aquaman and Mera have to get them back.
Drowned Earth
If you're looking for an epic story to inspire a sequel, then look no further than "Drowned Earth." The Aquaman/Justice League crossover featured a trio of cosmic sea gods called the Ocean Lords who arrive on Earth looking for revenge for actions taken centuries ago and, of course, Aquaman is the one who has to pay the piper. The villains literally drown the Earth, wiping out almost all the land with poison water while mutating any living creature that touches the ocean into fish monsters. Black Manta even gets to play a role by stealing Aquaman's powers for himself. It's a pretty epic storyline, though maybe a little too much for the first sequel. Still, director James Wan went big with Aquaman, so why shouldn't Aquaman 2?
