The DC live-action universe's tenure in theaters has been a fascinating one, as Warner Bros. is constantly changing its plan of action on the massive franchise. Things looked bleak after the poor performance of Justice League, although James Wan's Aquaman showed that the DCEU was truly capable of. And the movie did so well that a sequel and spinoff were promptly ordered.
James Wan did the impossible with Aquaman, creating a rich underwater world and making a formerly laughable hero into a complicated and badass protagonist. As such, fans can't wait for the sequel to arrive, and further expand Atlantis and its denizens. CinemaBlend's Eric Eisenberg recently spoke to Wan about the new horror flick Annabelle Comes Home, where Wan revealed that his next directing gig won't be the Aquaman sequel-- but another mysterious project. Check out their conversation below.
Those hoping to dive back into the deep with Arthur Curry and company (aka all of us) may be a bit bummed by this news. Because while James Wan is indeed working on Aquaman 2, he's got another gig on his plate before returning to the DCEU.
James Wan's comments to Eric Eisenberg at the Annabelle Comes Home junket line up with the reports we've heard regarding Aquaman 2's eventual production. When news of the sequel and spinoff first hit, it was believed that horror-infused movie The Trench would arrive before Aquaman's second solo flick. Wan's involvement in the spinoff is unclear, so Warner Bros. could presumably bring in another director to helm The Trench, while Wan takes his time before returning for Aquaman's official sequel.
Aquaman producer Peter Safran producer previously hinted that the Aquaman spinoff would be arriving before its sequel. He said:
We always, even from the early concept art days, loved the idea of a Trench movie. Then, when audiences embraced it in the movie itself the way they did, particularly that ant farm shot where the camera follows the Trench [creatures] following Arthur and Mera down into the deep, we just knew that we had something very special there and we knew what that movie should be. And consequently, I suspect that that’s one that will come out significantly before Aquaman 2.
Not only will The Trench arrive first, but it may be "significantly" before Aquaman 2 hits theaters. As such, we might expect James Wan to take more than one directing gig before returning to his DC franchise. He confirmed to Eric Eisenberg that his next movie wouldn't be a DC sequel, although he was purposefully cryptic regarding what that project will be.
Related: Jason Momoa Says Aquaman 2 Story Is 'Locked'
While James Wan's career began with his outstanding contributions to the horror genre, he's since proven himself capable in bigger budget projects. Furious 7 has become one of the most beloved installments in the franchise, and then made a big splash at the superhero genre with Aquaman.
Annabelle Comes Home is in theaters now. Be sure to check out our 2019 release list to plan your next trip to the movie.
