The DC Extended Universe is continuing to expand, and one of the characters who’s going to help lead the franchise into the future is Jason Momoa’s Aquaman. The King of Atlantis made a serious splash at the box office when his solo film debuted back in 2018 and now, both a sequel and spinoff are in the works. While details are scarce on both projects, it appears one writer may have allegedly provided an update.
A Twitter account that appears to belong to Aquaman co-writer David Leslie Johnson-McGoldrick engaged fans in a Q&A, during which the writer was asked about his work on the upcoming DC sequel and spinoff. In terms of Aquaman 2, he confirmed that he and James Wan are still in communication about the project, despite the coronavirus pandemic:
It's going good! I'm texting with JW about the draft of the script right now -- I think you're gonna dig it!
Interestingly, he also mentioned that he and Wan are not aiming to adapt any particular Aquaman story from the comics. However, there is one particular source they will draw some inspiration from, and it involves a key DC villain:
Hmm... Good question. We're not taking any one particular comic book story and adapting it, but if you want to know the vibe we're going for, pick up pretty much any Silver Age story featuring Black Manta.
In terms of The Trench, Johnson-McGoldrick couldn’t drop too much information but did state that they’re aiming for the film to take place between the original Aquaman film and its sequel:
Theoretically, it takes place between 1 and 2. But some pieces of this is still being worked out.
James Wan’s Aquaman ended with Arthur Curry defeating his half-brother, King Orm and taking the throne. Elsewhere, David Kane –Black Manta—was recovered by Dr. Stephen Shin after surviving his fight with Curry.
This was clearly hinting to a possible plot point for the sequel and, based on David Leslie Johnson-McGoldrick’s alleged comments, it looks like Black Manta will take center stage. This is sure to be a relief to some fans who believed the character was somewhat sidelined in his first big screen outing.
The Trench film is just as big a mystery as the location itself, and neither James Wan or Johnson-McGoldrick will likely share much about it. It’s still interesting that it could take place before the Aquaman sequel. This makes one wonder if the film will somehow serve as a direct lead-in to Arthur Curry’s second solo outing.
With Aquaman 2 and The Trench still a few years away and the coronavirus still affecting Hollywood, it will likely be a while before we’re treated to any official updates. Aquaman 2 is slated to open on December 16, 2022, while The Trench has no set release date
