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The DC Extended Universe had a rocky start, but Warner Bros. seems to have found its footing for the comic book property. James Wan’s Aquaman showed the power of director-driven projects, and fans can’t wait to dive back into Atlantis with the sequel The Lost Kingdom. And after a long week of filming, Black Manta actor Yahya Abdul-Mateen II celebrates with a shirtless thirst trap.
Recent Emmy winner Yahya Abdul-Mateen II made his DC debut in the original Aquaman, transforming into the iconic villain Black Manta in the process. He’ll be reprising his role in the highly anticipated sequel, and fans can’t wait to see him battle with Jason Momoa’s title character. Abdul-Mateen is clearly ripped for the movie, as you can see below.
Black Manta is back, and he’s prepared to kick ass and look good doing it. While you might think Yahya Abdul-Mateen II would be sick of water while filming Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom, washing up gives the Watchmen actor the opportunity to capture a thirst trap or two.
The above image comes to us from the official Instagram of Yahya Abdul-Mateen II. His starpower has been steadily growing over the past few years, and he’s currently got over 200k followers on Insta. DC fans are eager to return to James Wan’s underwater world in Aquaman and The Lost Kingdom, with Black Manta presumably coming back with a vengeance.
Aquaman’s time in the DCEU so far is currently available on HBO Max. You can use this link to sign up for the streaming service.
With Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom officially in production, it seems the cast is ready to tussle with the hulking leading man Jason Momoa. Yahya Abdul-Mateen II has been sharing photos revealing his progress at the gym, and he's not the only cast member pumping iron in preparation. Patrick Wilson and Amber Heard have also been open about their process ahead of returning to the DC Extended Universe.
In just a few short years, Yahya Abdul-Mateen II has risen to the top of the comic book genre. As previously mentioned, he won a Primetime Emmy last year for his portrayal of Cal Abar / Dr. Manhattan in HBO’s Watchmen series. This came shortly after his Black Manta hit the big screen, to much acclaim.
At the end of the first Aquaman, Black Manta was shown forming an alliance with Randall Park’s Dr. Stephen Shin. It’s unclear if/how that’ll factor into The Lost Kingdom, but clearly Yahya Abdul-Mateen II’s villain is back.
Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom is currently expected to arrive in theaters on December 16th, 2022. In the meantime, check out the 2021 movie release dates to plan your next movie experience.
