Like all comic book characters, DC’s Aquaman has gone through many redesigns over the years, and there are a variety of looks ascribed to the character. Just as comic book artists have tried out different appearances for the King of Atlantis, so too did James Wan’s 2018 film Aquaman. See how Jason Momoa’s Aquaman could have looked with short hair in the concept art below.
Wow, that is certainly a drastically different look than what we actually got in Aquaman. This concept art for Aquaman and Mera comes from the Aaron Sims Creative Instagram account. Sims served as a concept artist on the film, and as you can see, he played with a different look for Jason Momoa’s Arthur Curry that would have seen him chop off most of his trademark locks and wear a much shorter haircut.
This concept art and seeing Jason Momoa’s Aquaman with short hair is especially jarring, not just because he had long hair in the final film, but because of how we are used to seeing the actor in the majority of his roles. Going all the way back to his time as Ronon Dex on Stargate: Atlantis, Jason Momoa is known for playing badass characters with long hair.
Khal Drogo, Conan, Declan Harp and all the way up to his character Baba Voss on the new Apple TV+ series See, all these featured the actor rocking his long dark locks. It’s not a look everyone can pull off, but Jason Momoa can, and the films and TV shows he stars in take advantage of those trademark looks and the actor’s long hair.
Your mileage may vary, but I tend to think that the long hair makes Aquaman look more badass, like an aquatic Viking warrior. He’s a bit too polished with the short cut and trimmed-up facial hair. He looks a bit like Prince Valiant or Loras Tyrell. It might work for another actor, but I don’t think it works as well for Jason Momoa as Aquaman.
Nevertheless, it’s still an interesting bit of insight into the design process for Aquaman and the characters of Arthur Curry and Mera. Their costumes both look relatively close to what we saw in the final film, although Mera has a bit more gold on her outfit than in the movie, and her crown is different.
We’ll have to see if Jason Momoa’s Arthur Curry or Amber Heard’s Mera get new looks or outfits for their next outing in Aquaman 2. The sequel film won’t hit theaters for another couple of years, but it should start filming early next year. Jason Momoa already seems to know what the story will be and he’s teased that the sequel will be way bigger than the first movie, which, to be frank, is already massive.
Aquaman 2 splashes into theaters on December 16, 2022. For movies arriving this year, check out our 2020 Release Schedule.
