Aquaman 2 Has Changed To Fit The Flash's Reset Of The DC Universe
"The Flash" speeding into theaters later this month also marks a turning point in DC Entertainment, where literal DC Universes will collide with one another and introduce us to a new DC era with James Gunn and Peter Safran at the helm.
We already know something about the new DC slate that Gunn and Safran have in the works, including a new Superman film that Gunn is writing and directing. What's still not clear, however, is how the two movies left over from before Gunn and Safran took over will be adjusted (or not), given the duo's new vision for the franchise.
One of those movies — "Blue Beetle" — was, according to Gunn, relatively unchanged because the events in the film are totally disconnected from the rest of the DC Universe.
"Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom" is the other movie that found itself in a leadership limbo, and it was unclear if and how the sequel film had changed given the new DCU leadership. In a recent interview, however, director James Wan shed some light on how the movie has shifted given all the changes in the DCU, including the reset to the world that happens in "The Flash."
A constantly changing universe
While recently talking to The Hollywood Reporter about his varied career, James Wan explained how the "Aquaman" sequel was impacted by all the machinations going on at Warner Bros. Discovery:
"I've had to make adjustments all along the way. The DCU has been through lots of different versions, and one of the things that was challenging about this film was keeping track of what's going on. Fortunately, the 'Aquaman' universe is pretty far removed from the rest of the world. We're going to many different underwater kingdoms that are not necessarily related to what's happening with the other movies and characters, so we're stand-alone in that respect. So I can just tell my story on its own without being affected too much, but at the same time, I have to be mindful of what's been happening."
While Wan was vague in his response, it sounds like the sequel was impacted, but not at a level that fundamentally changed the story. Whether we'll see more of Jason Momoa's Arthur Curry (aka Aquaman) in the DCU after "The Lost Kingdom," however, remains to be seen, though Momoa has hinted that he'll be in the DCU moving forward in some capacity.
In the meantime, we'll have to wait until December 20, 2023 to see how the "Aquaman" sequel pans out. The good news, however, is that "The Flash," which reportedly will reset the DC movie franchise, is premiering in a mere two weeks on June 16, 2023.