After three years without an in-person San Diego Comic-Con, the geekiest event we typically look forward to each summer, the massive event finally came back this past weekend. During SDCC, Warner Bros returned to Hall H for a big DC panel where the studio debuted new trailers for the upcoming DC movies Shazam! Fury of the Gods and Black Adam. Unfortunately, the studio stopped just short of Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom, which is set for spring 2023. At least director James Wan is attempting to make up for that with some behind the scenes images while we wait to hear more from the project.
The second Aquaman movie wrapped production back in January, meaning it’s unlikely the movie is finished, but there’s a lot of footage that could have been shown to DC fans at SDCC. That didn’t happen on Saturday, but James Wan did take to Instagram to share some exciting character and creature designs from the first movie. Check it out:
The 2018 movie featured some incredible creatures from Atlantis and some really immersive storytelling that brought the undersea kingdom to life. With this BTS post, we’re perhaps reminded of the work that goes into an Aquaman movie.
James Wan shared the post “in the spirit of SDCC” and spoke about working with the artists and designers who made these designs to create a “unique, undersea world and culture.” Wan said this will continue with Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom, which he is pumped to share “when the time is right.”
The Aquaman sequel was originally set for this December, but was moved to the 2023 movie release calendar earlier this year due to “COVID-related delays.” At this year’s SDCC, Warner Bros. chose to focus on its next two releases only, with The Rock making big plans and showing up to Hall H in costume to tell attendees to “be warned” because “The DC Universe will never be the same again.” Additionally, Zachary Levi and other cast members from the Shazam! sequel debuted a new trailer.
Some fans were expecting something big out of Warner Bros considering rumors spread that Henry Cavill might take the Hall H stage to announce more Superman projects, but they proved to be false. Marvel, on the other hand, really brought it that night, announcing two upcoming Avengers films and other projects, like a new Daredevil series and Thunderbolts movie, as well as unveiling the title for the next Captain America movie starring Anthony Mackie, among other things.
Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom will once again see Jason Momoa as Arthur Curry alongside a massive cast including Amber Heard, Patrick Wilson, Yahya Abdul-Mateen II, Nicole Kidman and Pilou Asbæk. The movie is set to come to theaters on March 17, 2023 following Black Adam’s release on October 21 and Shazam! Fury of the Gods hitting theaters on December 16.
