Back in 2018, James Wan's Aquaman proved to be a remarkable success. Released in the wake of Justice League, the film was not just a simple box office hit, but still holds the record for being the biggest DC Comics movie ever. It's wild to think that was a full five years ago, but now, at long last, the sequel is almost here, and today we have our first extended look at Aquaman And The Lost Kingdom.
Catching up with Jason Momoa's titular hero, we learn in this debut trailer that the sequel has Arthur Curry balancing life as a new father and being the king of the seven underwater kingdoms. That's a lot of stuff on Aquaman's plate all by itself, but things get far more complicated when Black Manta (Yahya Abdul Mateen II) launches his big mission to try and kill the DC hero.
The villain this time around is armed with much more than just a high-tech suit, as he is in possession of the ancient weapon known as the Black Trident – a cursed object that is a threat to not just Aquaman's life, but the entire planet. Recognizing this extreme danger, Arthur hopes that a former enemy can become a friend saving the world: his brother Orm (Patrick Wilson).
As featured in the Aquaman And The Lost Kingdom trailer, the new blockbuster is also bringing back Amber Heard as Mera , Temuera Morrison as Tom Curry, and Nicole Kidman as Atlanna.
The new film has the distinction of being the fourth DC live-action feature released in 2023, following on the heels of Shazam! Fury Of The Gods, The Flash and Blue Beetle, but even more significantly, it will be the final movie recognized as part of the DC Extended Universe. It's unclear presently if Jason Momoa's time as Aquaman will be coming to an end (earlier this year, producer Peter Safran made mention of "a trilogy" while discussing the DCEU star's future with the franchise), but 2025 will see the release of James Gunn's Superman: Legacy and the start of a new era: the DC Universe.
Fans have been (im)patiently waiting for this Aquaman And The Lost Kingdom footage for a while now, but one of the benefits of a late trailer release is that it means there is less time between the debut preview and actually getting to see the finished blockbuster. In this particular case, we are now just a little over three months away from seeing the film – which will be arriving exclusively in theaters on December 20. Stay tuned for more updates about the movie between now and then here on CinemaBlend, and to learn about all of DC Studios' big plans for the big screen, check out our Upcoming DC Movies guide.
