Spoilers ahead for DC's underwater adventure.
DC's live-action universe has had a fascinating life in theaters, full of peaks and valleys. While hope seemed lost in the wake of Justice League, Warner Bros. had turned it around quickly, with a ton of exciting releases coming down the pipeline. James Wan's Aquaman proved how great the DCEU could be, providing the first critical hit since Wonder Woman. A spinoff and sequel are already being worked on, although we'll have to wait a number of years before the latter project arrives in theaters in December of 2022.
Aquaman 2 is expected to reunite the starring cast with director James Wan, and further expand the vast underwater world of the series. Patrick Wilson played the villainous King Orm/Ocean Master in the first film, and ended up making it through his quest alive. As such, he's expected to return in some capacity during the sequel, but Wilson doesn't think that he'll be the big bad of the developing project. As he recently explained,
I don’t know what the future holds for Orm … You can’t kill him. He’s too important to [Arthur’s] journey … he’s a foil to [his character]. He’s not gonna be a main villain in another movie. I don’t think Orm ends up in Belle Reve like he does in the New 52. I assume they’re gonna keep him in some kind of jail below the surface. If [James] wants me back, I’m certainly happy to come back.
While Orm and Arthur Curry have plenty of issues to work through in the Aquaman sequel, Patrick Wilson doesn't think he'll end up playing the film's primary antagonist. That being said, the Watchmen actor seems all too happy to dive back into the underwater world of Atlantis.
Patrick Wilson's comments to SyFy Wire shows how intimately the actor understands his character, and the Aquaman franchise in general. The familial issues and resentment between Orm and Arthur Curry motivated the villain's actions throughout the first film. But when Nicole Kidman's Queen Atlanna was revealed to be alive and well, it was enough to stop Orm's attack, and allow him to be taken into custody. This all but guaranteed we'll see him again, although Wilson doesn't think his character will be Aquaman's main villain in the sequel.
Of course, Aquaman's post-credits scene seemingly set up the narrative of the next film. Yahya Abdul-Mateen II's Black Manta was shown alive from his conflict with Mera and Arthur Curry, after being rescued by Randall Park's Dr. Stephen Shin. Shin wants to prove that Atlantis is real, while Black Manta simply wants another crack at Aquaman. It's likely this duo who will be the hero's main adversaries in the developing sequel.
Aquaman 2 is currently set to arrive in theaters on December 16th, 2022. The spinoff The Trench is expected to arrive sooner. Be sure to check CinemaBlend's 2019 release list to plan your next trip to the movies.
