Aquaman 2 Was Directly Inspired By A Master Filmmaker And A Classic Comic Book Age

In an era when many superhero films have adapted an unflattering, desaturated visual style in the name of realism, "Aquaman" is a balm for the eyes. The James Wan-directed DC Comics flick is full of eye-popping colors and imagery reminiscent of the splash pages you find in actual comic books. There are also nods aplenty to classic sci-fi and adventure stories, from the globe-trotting tomb-raiding of the Indiana Jones films to the fantastical prehistoric setting of Arthur Conan Doyle's "The Lost World." So it should come as no surprise that Wan has taken a similar approach to crafting a unique look for his sequel, "Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom."

Speaking at a reveal event for the "Lost Kingdom" trailer attended by /Film's own Jenna Busch-Henderson, Wan talked about the importance of world-building to the "Aquaman" films. "We enjoy all the different worlds that really no superhero movies go into," he said, emphasizing the "standalone" nature of the "Aquaman" film franchise (although that hasn't spared "Lost Kingdom" from reportedly extensive reshoots as DC's cinematic universe prepares to undergo a massive reboot). To be sure, there's enough lore and world-building packed into the first "Aquaman" to launch multiple spinoffs about the various underwater kingdoms. "My dream would be to create a Seven [Kingdoms] cinematic universe on this job where we could visit all the different worlds that we touch on in these two films," Wan admitted.

Alas, with James Gunn and Peter Safran looking to make a clean break from the DC Universe of old with their relaunch, it seems "Lost Kingdom" will be the last we see of Wan's imaginative take on the "Aquaman" world. If nothing else, though, the filmmaker is angling to go out with a bang, based on his inspirations for the sequel.

It's a testament to VFX legend Ray Harryhausen ("Jason and the Argonauts," "Clash of the Titans") that filmmakers have yet to top the magic of his stop-motion monsters, even with modern CGI at their disposal. Few recent films have come as close to doing so as the original "Aquaman," either, with its terrifying Trench creatures, the giant Karathen, and the clawed residents of the Brine Kingdom. According to Wan, his sequel "leans into the Ray Harryhausen spirit even more," with "shades of Jules Verne."

So far as the comic book inspirations go, Wan noted, "And as you can see in the trailer, aesthetically I'm leaning pretty heavily into the Silver Age comic book of Aquaman, the 1960s Silver Age Aquaman. So a lot of the design in this film is very retro feeling. The spirit and the tone is very retro." With a plot that sees Black Manta (Yahya Abdul-Mateen II) on the warpath for revenge against Arthur Curry (Jason Momoa), "Lost Kingdom" will also abide by the "Empire Strikes Back"-led trend of sequels going darker than their predecessors. "It is a little bit darker than the first movie, as second movies tend to be. And it just felt like the correct progression for this one," Wan added.

That's all good and fine, but what about the horror elements? Wan has long cited the cult 1965 sci-fi horror film "Planet of the Vampires" as a major inspiration for "Lost Kingdom," and he's yet to pump the brakes on that idea. "I don't know how to stay away from horror, you guys," he admitted, teasing the "creepy, scary, Lovecraftian-looking characters" in his new film. Coming from the mind behind Jigsaw, Valak, and Gabriel from "Malignant," would we have it any other way?

"Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom" hits theaters on December 20, 2023.