(Left) ‘Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom’ director James Wan at CinemaCon 2022. Photos by Eric Charbonneau. (Right) Jason Momoa on the set of ‘Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom.’ Photo courtesy of Jason Momoa’s Instagram account.
Following the huge, $1 billion-plus success of the first ‘Aquaman’ movie, a sequel was pretty much a given. ‘Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom’ originally shot in 2021, but since then has been through all manner of changes, both in terms of release date and footage.
Yet despite several stories about issues behind the scenes, director James Wan has now opened up about the process, clearing up rumors and debunking some, while admitting it has been a challenge getting the movie to this point?
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What’s the story of ‘Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom’?
Jason Momoa on the set of ‘Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom.’ Photo courtesy of Jason Momoa’s Instagram account.
In the previous movie, Aquaman, AKA Arthur Curry (Jason Momoa) embraced his destiny as a leader of Atlantis and thwarted the devious schemes of half-brother Orm (Patrick Wilson).
For ‘Lost Kingdom’, the feuding siblings form an uneasy partnership to take on another of the first film’s big bads, Yahya Abdul-Mateen II’s Black Manta, a vengeance-seeking and now hugely powerful supervillain in possession of the Black Trident, which gives him the ability to command an ancient evil.
James Wan on whether Batman is in ‘Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom’
(L to R) Ben Affleck and Jason Momoa on the set of ‘Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom.’ Photo courtesy of Jason Momoa’s Instagram account.
Originally planned to surface in theaters last December, the ‘Aquaman’ sequel has seen several different release dates and is also caught up in the end of the DC Extended Universe (and the shift to James Gunn and Peter Safran’s new plans).
The change in arrival dates also meant Wan and co. had to work to figure out cameos and more so as to fit into the storyline following ‘The Flash’.
A big part of that is which version of Batman would appear in the film (if at all), with scenes shot featuring either Michael Keaton’s take (as returned to screens in ‘The Flash’) or Ben Affleck.
“The tricky thing early on was not knowing whether ‘Aquaman’ would come out first or come out after ‘The Flash’. So, we just had to be prepared. At the end of the day, the best thing I would say about this movie is that it is not connected in any way to any of those films.”
He won’t be drawn on whether Batman actually shows up, preferring to go no comment on that front.
The chatter about additional photography has also been a big part of the rumor sphere, but Wan is quick to explain…
“We have big actors in this movie, and everyone’s schedule is really hard. So, we had to break up our shooting schedule into sections. We’ll shoot a bit here now, because this actor’s available, and then we’ll do another shoot now, because this guy’s available. People are like, ‘Oh, they’re doing a whole bunch of different shoots!’ No. If we actually combined them all together, it’s actually not that many number of days at all.”
Wan on Amber Heard’s claims that her role as Mera was “pared down”
Amber Heard in 2010’s ‘The Ward.’
Amber Heard, who plays Atlantean warrior Mera in the first movie and returns for the second, made comments in 2022 that she felt her role in the new movie felt “pared down”.
But for Wan, it was simply a case of David Leslie Johnson-McGoldrick’s script focusing on a different dynamic this time:
“I always pitched this to everyone from the get-go. The first Aquaman was Arthur and Mera’s journey. The second movie was always going to be Arthur and Orm. So, the first was a romance action-adventure movie, the second one is a bromance action-adventure movie. We’ll leave it at that.”
You’ll get your chance to see more of the movie when the first trailer arrives online tomorrow. For now, check out the teaser below:
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‘Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom’ will be in theaters –– hopefully –– on December 20th.
‘Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom’ is produced by Warner Bros. Pictures, Atomic Monster, The Safran Company, and DC Films. The movie is scheduled to release in theaters on December 20th, 2023.
Jason Momoa on the set of ‘Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom.’ Photo courtesy of Jason Momoa’s Instagram account.
‘Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom’ already had some pressure attached to it. As the sequel to 2018’s ‘Aquaman’ it had to live up to an original movie that earned more than $1.1 billion.
Which for someone like director James Wan, who is also responsible for giant horror franchises such as the ‘Saw’ films and particularly the ‘Conjuring’ franchise, might not be quite as daunting as for others.
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But there were lots of other factors in play around the new movie –– it was greenlit by a former Warner Bros./DC regime (to be specific, Toby Emmerich and Walter Hamada) back when the DC Extended Universe originated by movies such as ‘Man of Steel’ and ‘Justice League’ was still a going concern and Aquaman, played by Jason Momoa was one of its big breakout stars.
But with principal photography completed in January 2022, the rough waters for the movie were just beginning to swirl.
What happened with ‘Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom’?
Jason Momoa on the set of ‘Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom.’ Photo courtesy of Jason Momoa’s Instagram account.
According to a new story in The Hollywood Reporter, the movie started to face issues almost immediately. The initial test screenings for the movie indicated that audiences weren’t reacting well to the movie.
The studio authorized two rounds of reshoots, but it appears that nothing produced was helping the test scores. Incoming Warner Bros. bosses Michael De Luca and Pamela Abdy got involved, and Abdy led a new cut, but that tested even less successfully.
Yet with a lot invested in the movie, Warners kept moving on, authorizing an unprecedented third round of reshoots –– which reportedly went very well, Wan able to complete what was needed in less time than planned.
A big issue for the film’s process were several delays, including work traffic jams at VFX companies requiring that ‘The Lost Kingdom’ jump around the schedules.
Not helping matters was a killer combo of changing fortunes for DC movies –– Hamada would be gone before the movie ever saw screens and DC Studios changed hands to James Gunn and Peter Safran.
But both were committed to helping Aquaman keep swimming; Safran in particular because he’s a producer on the film.
(L to R) Ben Affleck and Jason Momoa on the set of ‘Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom.’ Photo courtesy of Jason Momoa’s Instagram account.
While the movie largely sees Momoa’s Arthur Curry struggling with a new threat to his underwater kingdom (one that will force him to team up with half-brother and former rival Orm, played by Patrick Wilson), there was supposed to be a cameo from Batman.
But which Bruce Wayne? When ‘The Flash’ looked to be kickstarting a universe where Michael Keaton’s Bruce is sort of a Nick Fury-style connective character between other heroes, a cameo for his Batman was filmed. When those plans changed, Ben Affleck’s Wayne was subbed in (that reshoot was “accidentally” revealed by Momoa to a studio tour group).
And now? ‘The Flash’ is a flop and other Keaton-featuring projects such as ‘Batgirl’ have been shelved. Gunn and Safran are reportedly nervous about connecting the film to a movie universe that is effectively over or making promises about crossovers that may never come to pass now that Gunn has his own big plans for the future.
The mood is still positive around ‘The Lost Kingdom’, though, but we’ll see how it performs when it lands in theaters on December 20th.
Jason Momoa in 2018’s ‘Aquaman.’
Other Movies Similar to ‘Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom’:
‘Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom’ is produced by Warner Bros. Pictures, Atomic Monster, The Safran Company, and DC Films. The movie is scheduled to release in theaters on December 20th, 2023.
In ‘The Flash,’ Barry Allen/The Flash (Ezra Miller) travels back in time to prevent his mother’s death, which traps him in an alternate reality without metahumans. Barry enlists the help of his younger self (also Miller), an older Batman (Michael Keaton) and the Kryptonian castaway Supergirl (Sasha Calle) in order to save this world from the restored General Zod (Michael Shannon) and return to his universe.
Believe the hype! ‘The Flash’ is one of the best comic book adapted films ever made. Director Andy Muschietti reinvents the DC universe by brilliantly adapting the ‘Flashpoint‘ storyline from the comics, and fusing it with Michael Keaton’s ‘Batman’ and other nods to DC’s cinematic past. The movie is an exciting, action-packed, and humorous celebration of the DC Comics characters, with a brilliant dual performance from Ezra Miller, and of course, Keaton’s triumphant return.
‘The Flash’ director Andy Muschietti at a Canada-Fan Screening event. Photos by Sam Santos.
Story and Direction
For those not familiar, ‘Flashpoint’ was a 2011 DC Comics storyline that involved the Flash going back in time to save his mother’s life. When he returns, his world is not the same, he no longer has his powers, Thomas Wayne is Batman instead of Bruce, a weakened Superman is secretly being kept prisoner by the government, and Atlantis and Themyscira are at war. ‘The Flash’ follows a similar storyline with Barry losing his powers and needing to regain them, but instead of Thomas Wayne being Batman, its Michael Keaton from Tim Burton’s ‘Batman.’ It’s also a weakened Supergirl they break-out of captivity instead of Superman, and Earth is in danger from an attack by General Zod and the Kryptonians not a war between Atlantis and the Amazons.
None of these changes affect the power of the story, and the lesson Barry learns about excepting your past and living in the present. But they do allow general audiences to understand the story a little easier, as they are likely more familiar with Michael Keaton’s Batman than the sudden appearance of Thomas Wayne. In the comics, the ‘Flashpoint’ storyline was used to usher in a new continuity, and in that sense, ‘The Flash’ comes at the perfect time for DC Studios, as the film officially marks the end of the DCEU and the beginning of the new DCU. The movie honors the DCEU, as well as other cinematic DC projects from the past, while setting up an exciting future for these characters.
Director Andy Muschietti clearly loves these characters and retells the ‘Flashpoint’ story well, streamlining it into a tight, fast-paced, and dramatic movie. He also injects the film with a good amount of humor, but it never feels cheesy or forced and aligns with the characters. The filmmaker also handles the time-traveling aspects of the movie very well and in a coherent way, something Marvel struggled to do in ‘Avengers: Endgame.’ Muschietti does a great job with the effects, especially Barry’s powers and the Speed Force. Super-speed has never looked like this before, and Muschietti and his VFX team take a completely new approach to it, which is much different than the slow-motion effects Zack Snyder used.
A lot has been written about Ezra Miller over the last few years concerning their brushes with the law and whether this movie should be released at all given their illegal activities. I’m not going to get into any of that, and just judge them on their performance in this film, which was nothing short of extraordinary. Miller plays two roles, the Barry Allen we all know and have seen mature through appearances in ‘Batman v. Superman’ and ‘Justice League.’ But Miller also plays a younger Barry Allen, who has not yet become the Flash and lives in this new alternate reality. Most of Miller’s scenes are with themself, and you truly believe they are two different people.
Our Barry is a bit older and wiser, and not as impulsive as when we first met them, but the new Barry is young and immature, and it’s fun watching the two of them interact. As both characters, Miller has great chemistry with Keaton and Sasha Calle, as well as a few strong scenes with Kiersey Clemons’ Iris West. In some ways, Miller plays a third role in the movie as well, but to say too much would be a spoiler, so I’ll just say that they are equally impressive and believable in that role too. Whether Miller will ever return to play Barry Allen again is yet to be seen, but if they do not return, it certainly won’t be because their performance in this film was lacking.
I was just a kid when ‘Batman’ was released, so for me … Michael Keaton will always be Batman, and his return in this movie is a very welcomed one. While I really liked Ben Affleck’s Batman, and the actor does a great job in this movie in his limited role, the film really kicks into high gear when Keaton is on screen. He reprises his particular version of Bruce Wayne and Batman effortlessly, and while he has some funny moments, brings a lot of emotion and heart to the role. Keaton is also great in the action scenes, including an early fight scene between him and Miller. Muschietti perfectly matches Wayne Maynor, the Batmobile, the Batwing, and the costumes to the look and aesthetic Tim Burton originally created.
Sasha Calle breathes fresh air into the role of Supergirl, which is a much different and darker depiction than we’ve seen before. The actress is strong and believable in the part, and also plays the role in a mysterious way as to never really know her true intentions and keep the audience guessing. Calle has a few fun scenes opposite Miller and Keaton, but most of her work is in the action sequences and that’s where she really excels in the role. It’s also fun to see Michael Shannon return as General Zod, and he’s just as menacing now as he was in ‘Man of Steel,’ but other than the big fight sequence, he doesn’t have a whole lot to do. The Kryptonians are a real threat to our heroes, and that certainly adds to the drama and suspense.
DC fans have seen the multiverse approached on both the Arrowverse’s ‘Crisis on Infinite Earths’ crossover event, and more recently on ‘Titans,’ but visually, Muschietti depicts it in a way that is much more cinematic than we’ve seen on TV. The multiverse also makes sense in this movie and you can actually follow along with what’s happening, which wasn’t always the case with Marvel’s ‘Doctor Strange in the Multiverse of Madness.’ Because of the multiverse angle, Muschietti was able to sprinkle in a lot of cameos, most of which I won’t discuss here. I’ll just say that archival DC footage was used well, and those cameos are nice nods to what has come before.
There are a few cameos that I will mention since it is already public knowledge they are in the film. As previously mentioned, Ben Affleck returns as Batman, and as seen in the recent trailer, Jeremy Irons is also back as Alfred. Affleck recently let it slip on a podcast that a certain cast member from ‘Justice League’ would be returning for the film as well. I won’t say who incase you don’t know yet, but it is awesome seeing them interact with Affleck and Miller as members of the Justice League early in the film.
The other cameo I will mention, and only because director Andy Muschietti spoiled it a few weeks ago, is that an actor long rumored to play Superman finally gets the opportunity with a cameo in ‘The Flash’ as an alternate universe version of the Man of Steel. Beyond it being something fans have literally wanted to see for decades, the actor in question is magnificent in his brief role, and fans familiar with the canceled Superman project, will truly get a laugh from watching the scene.
There is actually one other major cameo that I will absolutely not spoil, but I will just say that it is a true shocker of an ending, and something people will be talking about all summer long. It also sets the stage for the new DCU, and completely changes the status quo. Whether that actor or actress will continue to play that specific DC character moving forward, is still anybody’s guess. While the film has a very satisfying conclusion, much like the ‘Flashpoint’ comic, it definitely cleans the slate and sets the stage perfectly for James Gunn’s new DCU, whether that was Muschietti original intent or not.
Are There Any End-Credit Scenes in ‘The Flash’?
Yes. There is a mid-credit scene, which takes a look at an earlier scene in the movie from a different point of view, and is mostly played for laughs. But there is also an end-credit scene and I will just say that it helps to explain how the upcoming ‘Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom’ takes place in the new DCU.
The really pulled it off! ‘The Flash’ is the most entertaining and satisfying DC movie in decades. Andy Muschietti masterfully adapts the source material and fills it with as many Easter eggs, callbacks and cameos as any fan could desire. While still delivering a coherent, fun, action-packed and emotional movie, that features a mesmerizing dual performance from Miller, and the return of the one and only Michael Keaton as Batman. This is one movie DC Comics fans will not want to miss!
Warner Bros. Pictures presents a Double Dream/a Disco Factory production of an Andy Muschietti film, ‘The Flash.’ It will be distributed worldwide by Warner Bros. Pictures and is set to open in theaters in North America on June 16, 2023 and internationally beginning 14 June 2023.
‘The Flash’ director Andy Muschietti at CinemaCon 2023. Photos by Eric Charbonneau.
Before you read any more of this story, we would caution you to wait until you’ve seen ‘The Flash’, the stand-alone movie for Ezra Miller’s speedy DC hero, which will run into theaters on June 16th. A major cameo will be discussed below, and we’d hate for anyone to be spoiled.
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SPOILER ALERT!
Still with us? Okay… While ‘The Flash’ is already bursting with DC characters including Michael Keaton reprising his role as Bruce Wayne/Batman from Tim Burton‘s ‘Batman‘ and ‘Batman Returns,’ Ben Affleck as the Snyderverse version of the same character, Michael Shannon as a multiverse variant of ‘Man of Steel’s General Zod (alongside Antje Traue’s return as his faithful lieutenant, Faora-UI) and Sasha Calle as a new version of Supergirl, the movie promises several more, and possibly the biggest has been confirmed by director Andy Muschietti.
“Nic was absolutely wonderful. Although the role was a cameo, he dove into it. I dreamt all my life to work with him. I hope I can work with him again soon. He is a massive Superman fan. A comic book fanatic.”
Nicolas Cage as Superman in the documentary ‘The Death of “Superman Lives”: What Happened?’
Was Nic Cage going to play Superman in the past?
Yes, Cage is finally realizing a long-held dream to play the last son of Krypton in a movie. While this is only a cameo, he got close to playing the character in a cancelled movie called ‘Superman Lives’.
Originally written by Kevin Smith (among others), the movie was planned for Renny Harlin to direct and for Cage to star as what he has described as an “emo” Superman will long black hair and a darker suit.
Cage, though –– who is such a fan of the character that he named one of his kids Kal-El after Supes’ Kryptonian moniker and once owned a copy of ‘Action Comics #1’, which features the first ever appearance of the superhero –– thought that Tim Burton, who had brought such style to his ‘Batman’ films, might be a better fit.
Nicolas Cage as Superman in the documentary ‘The Death of “Superman Lives”: What Happened?’
Yet Cage did end up playing Superman once, albeit in animated form in 2018 ‘toon movie ‘Teen Titans GO! To the Movies’. Now, though, he has his dream come true at last.
There are more secrets to be found lurking within the ‘Flash’ movie, but you’ll have to wait and see them for yourself.
The final trailer for ‘The Flash’ is also available, and you can see it below.
Warner Bros. Pictures presents a Double Dream/a Disco Factory production of an Andy Muschietti film, ‘The Flash.’ It will be distributed worldwide by Warner Bros. Pictures and is set to open in theaters in North America on June 16, 2023 and internationally beginning 14 June 2023.
What did Ben Affleck say about directing at DC Studios?
Asked whether he’d be up for directing a DC movie, Affleck had this to say,
“I would not direct something for the [James] Gunn DC. Absolutely not. I have nothing against James Gunn. Nice guy, sure he’s going to do a great job. I just wouldn’t want to go in and direct in the way they’re doing that. I’m not interested in that.”
This is likely news –– at least in public –– to James Gunn, who took to Twitter in December replying to a fan question about Affleck by saying this:
“Met with Ben yesterday precisely because he wants to direct & we want him to direct; we just have to find the right project.”
You can read more about what Gunn said here:
Met with Ben yesterday precisely because he wants to direct & we want him to direct; we just have to find the right project. https://t.co/Haz1APdlVN
Affleck also did not hold back from talking about how unhappy he was while making the theatrical version of ‘Justice League’.
Here’s what he said,
“That was the worst experience I’ve ever seen in a business which is full of some shitty experiences. It broke my heart. There was an idea of someone [Joss Whedon] coming in, like, “I’ll rescue you and we’ll do 60 days of shooting and I’ll write a whole thing around what you have. I’ve got the secret.” And it wasn’t the secret. That was hard. And I started to drink too much. I was back at the hotel in London, it was either that or jump out the window. And I just thought, ‘This isn’t the life I want. My kids aren’t here. I’m miserable.’ You want to go to work and find something interesting to hang onto, rather than just wearing a rubber suit, and most of it you’re just standing against the computer screen going, ‘If this nuclear waste gets loose, we’ll …’ That’s fine. I don’t condescend to that or put it down, but I got to a point where I found it creatively not satisfying. Also just, you’re sweaty and exhausted. And I thought, “I don’t want to participate in this in any way. And I don’t want to squander any more of my life, of which I have a limited amount.”
Despite that, he still squeezed back into the “rubber suit” for ‘The Flash’, where he reprises the role of Batman. And he feels like he finally got a handle on the role.
Affleck said this of coming back to the role,
“I did finally figure out how to play that character, and I nailed it in ‘The Flash’. For the five minutes I’m there, it’s really great. A lot of it’s just tone. You’ve got to figure out, what’s your version of the person? Who is the guy that fits what you can do? I tried to fit myself into a Batman.’
‘Air’, in which he also plays as Nike co-founder and former CEO Phil Knight, will be in theaters on April 5th before it then heads to Prime Video.
‘Air’ is produced by David Ellison, Jesse Sisgold, Jon Weinbach, Ben Affleck, Matt Damon, Madison Ainley, Jeff Robinov, Peter Guber, and Jason Michael Berman. It is set to release exclusive in theaters on April 5, 2023.
On his YouTube show yesterday, director and film critic John Campea claims that “a Hollywood producer” told him the news, which another source then allegedly confirmed.
Gyllenhaal was also one of the names mentioned to be the Caped Crusader in Christopher Nolan’s reboot, but of course that went to Christian Bale.
Right now, having the star of “Donnie Darko” and “Nocturnal Animals” as the new Batman is ridiculously far from a sure thing. But fans seem to be embracing the idea of Gyllenbat. (Bat-haal)?
Rumours months ago that Jake Gyllenhaal might be the top choice to replace Affleck as Batman. There popping back up again.
Although at least one had a specific condition before Gyllenhaal can don the bat cowl.
I accept Jake Gyllenhaal on ONE condition: They include the Rachel Dawes character (then played by Maggie Gyllenhaal) from the Nolan films, so we can make jokes about how Batman was way into his own sister. ????
Sheesh, even Alfred is breaking ranks. It’s so hard to find good help these days.
Maybe Jeremy Irons‘s check for “Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice” bounced, ’cause he recently joined the chorus of complaints that the DC film was bloated and muddled, saying BvS deserved its beatdown from critics. Irons is set to return for more films, so this could make things awkward on the sets of “Justice League” and the Batman solo movie Ben Affleck is developing. But maybe everyone involved just finds Irons’s candor refreshing. They’re probably used to it by now, since he’s hardly bashful with his opinions on anything.
The Oscar-winning actor’s BvS criticism was dropped into a lengthy interview with the Daily Mail’s Event magazine. Here’s that section of the story, following the reporter’s comment that BvS was popular(ish) at the box office but got a kicking from critics:
“‘Deservedly so. I mean it took £800 million, so the kicking didn’t matter but it was sort of overstuffed…’
He lets those words hang in the air, then laughs at the thought of a film described by one critic as the most incoherent blockbuster in years.
‘It was very muddled. I think the next one will be simpler. The script is certainly a lot smaller, it’s more linear.’
There’s no getting out of it now.
‘I’m tied into The Batman at the minute [the next installment, Justice League Part One, is due next year], which is nice because it’s a bit of income… Not that I need a bit of income but it’s nice to keep ticking over.’”
At least he’s honest, even if some might prefer him to be more loyal to an already kicked horse. But it’s a good sign if he’s hopeful about the next one, right?
Superhero fans have been waiting for what feels like forever for the release of “Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice.” Now, with the flick only weeks away from release, Kevin Smith has promised that Ben Affleck‘s Batman will be worth the wait — and may be the best iteration of the hero ever seen on the big screen.
Smith spoke with Variety this week about “Batman v Superman” while promoting his latest film, “Yoga Hosers,” at Sundance. The director said that Affleck’s take on the iconic character reminds him of the hero as depicted in Frank Miller’s graphic novel “The Dark Knight Returns,” which Smith considers the seminal work about the Caped Crusader.
“So right away, he’s the best-looking Batman we’ve ever seen,” Smith said of Affleck. “And he’s moving the way the character moves in the comics, punching out six people in the span of two seconds. So [director] Zack Snyder is kind of nailing that version of it.”
But Smith added that the action sequences aren’t the most difficult aspect of portraying the character.
“The hardest thing to nail about Batman is Bruce Wayne, because that’s where you’ve got no mask and that’s where you’ve got to be a human being, and not just somebody who’s punching people,” Smith explained. “But that dude is Bruce Wayne, so he’s born to play that role. From everything I’ve seen so far that’s come out, I think he’ll be our best Batman. And I ain’t just saying that ’cause I know the guy. I haven’t spoken to him in years. But I’ve always loved him as an actor.”
The director also recalled that years ago, when Affleck was first offered the lead in the now much-maligned “Daredevil” movie, he hesitated, because he always wanted to play Batman instead. Smith said that he counseled his friend to take the “Daredevil” part, since Smith didn’t think another Batman movie would ever be made. After that flick flopped, Affleck swore off superhero roles, telling Smith, “If anybody ever wants me to wear a costume again, I don’t want to do it.” But his latest comic book gamble may just pay off.
“Now it looks like he is the best Batman we’ve seen so far,” Smith said.
Audiences will get to judge for themselves when “Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice” hits theaters on March 25.
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Sheesh, even Alfred is breaking ranks. It’s so hard to find good help these days.
Superhero fans have been waiting for what feels like forever for the release of “