Upcoming sequel Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom is bringing back some major DCEU figures and introducing a few new threats to Atlantis. After previous DCEU films introduced Jason Momoa's Arthur Curry Jr. to audiences, before making him a founding member of the famous Justice League superteam, James Wan's original Aquaman gave Arthur Curry Jr. his rightful status as the King of Atlantis. Although Aquaman's triumph in the battle against his brother Orm seemed definitive, his duties as the ruler of the seven seas are only just beginning.
The plot of Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom is shrouded in mystery, as there are lots of potential storylines from the comics the sequel could adapt. However, the title of the movie suggests Aquaman will venture into the last territory under his rule. Having established Atlantis as a vast world with unlimited potential, the sequel is bound to expand it even further.
The DCEU's recent decision to shift focus away from Justice League-level events means standalone sequels like Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom will be able to devote more time to the development of the main heroes' intricate lore. So far, Warner Bros. has only confirmed a few new characters for the Aquaman sequel, but the return of Atlantis' main players already promises an exciting new story.
Naturally, Jason Momoa will reprise his lead role as Arthur Curry Jr. aka Aquaman. Official photos for the sequel revealed that Aquaman will be trading his iconic golden armor for a brand new stealth suit in Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom, which is clearly inspired by the character's 1980s blue costume. With both Ocean Master and Black Manta still around after the events of the first movie, it's likely that Aquaman will have to protect himself against their plans of revenge while he attempts to unite all seven kingdoms, possibly by laying low with his new camouflage. Momoa has praised the sequel's action, story, VFX, and comedy, stating that he "giggled reading it." That reaction would have been worrying a few years ago, back when Aquaman was wrongly thought of as an absurd superhero. But after the undeniable success of Momoa's portrayal, it seems that Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom will continue doing justice to Aquaman's image.
Despite Amber Heard's legal conflict with her ex-husband Johnny Depp and the subsequent petitions to get Heard removed from the Aquaman sequel, she has been confirmed to reprise her role as Y'Mera Xebella Challa, aka Mera. In the first movie, Mera supported Arthur Curry Jr. in his journey to retrieve Atlan's trident and subvert against Prince Orm. Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom will likely explore Arthur and Mera's romance, which officially began with their brief kiss during the first movie's final battle. Although Zack Snyder's Justice League revealed that Mera outlives Aquaman in the Knightmare timeline, Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom might feature the couple going through the tumultuous relationship they often have in the comics and perhaps reveal that they'll separate long before then.
The Ocean Master, aka Prince Orm Marius (played by Patrick Wilson), served as the main antagonist in Aquaman. His determination to seize the Atlantean throne made his worst qualities evident, going so far as to try to murder his brother in order to gain power over the seven kingdoms. Arthur's morality prevented him from killing Orm, but it was Atlanna's return that stopped her sons' brutal battle at the end of the first movie. Shunned from his home, Orm is likely to find other ways to take what he believes he's owed, and a recent photo seems to confirm it — Ocean Master’s first official look shows a disheveled Orm sporting long hair and an unkempt beard. Hopefully, Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom will bring back Ocean Master's impressively comic-accurate suit for a spectacular rematch.
Classic DC villain and Aquaman archenemy David Kane aka Black Manta is also confirmed to return as Yahya Abdul-Mahteen II reprises his role. The first movie opened with Black Manta's origin story, which showed how Aquaman chose not to save David's father inside a collapsing submarine. Although Aquaman featured David Kane building his iconic suit and fighting Arthur Curry Jr. for the first time, Black Manta wasn't the biggest threat Aquaman had to face. However, Black Manta's first defeat has made him more ruthless, and his team-up with Dr. Stephen Shin teases a bigger battle with his father's killer. In the comics, Black Manta is one of DC's most vicious killers, but even though Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom may not adapt his murder of Aquaman's son, it will likely cement him as the Atlantean King's main antagonist going forward.
The confirmed return of Mera also brings back her father, Dolph Lundgren's King Nereus. In the first movie, the Xebelian king sided with Prince Orm to take over Atlantis and attack the surface world, but after Aquaman summoned the Karathen, Mera convinced him to pull back and stop their intervention. Aquaman’s victory over Orm meant that King Nereus and the Xebelian would have to join his rule, which they did without much protest. It’s possible that besides Lundgren, Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom will also bring back other important Atlantean characters such as Willem Dafoe’s Vulko and perhaps Julie Andrews’ powerful Karathen.
Temuera Morrison’s Arthur Curry plays a crucial role in Aquaman’s story. He provides the human aspect to the Atlantean king, not only because of his nature as a dweller of the surface world but also because of his humble origins as a lighthouse keeper who fell in love with Nicole Kidman's Queen Atlanna. Kidman hasn’t been confirmed to reprise her role as Atlanna, but Morrison’s return suggests they will reunite in Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom.
Randall Park’s Stephen Shin, a scientist who’s obsessed with Atlantis, predicted that Orm was going to attack the surface world before anybody else. After Aquaman defeats Black Manta, Shin recovered him from the ocean and started tinkering with his armor. Now that Randall Park is confirmed to return, it’s safe to say that Shin will play a villain role in the Aquaman sequel.
Aquaman’s search for the lost kingdom needs historical context, and King Atlan’s appearance in flashbacks is sure to provide it. After all, he was the one to unite the seven kingdoms in the first place. Previously, Julian Lewis Jones played King Atlan in Zack Snyder’s Justice League, followed by Graham McTavish, who portrayed the king in Aquaman. Now, Vincent Regan is taking over the role, presumably in a bigger capacity for the Aquaman sequel.
Indya Moore, known for her roles in Pose and Escape Room: Tournament of Champions will play Karshon in Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom. First introduced as a Green Lantern villain, Karshon is a shark-turned-monster with psychic powers and superhuman intelligence. Given Karshon’s distinctive aggressiveness, it’s possible that the Aquaman sequel is introducing Karshon as an Atlantean antagonist in order to keep King Shark as an anti-hero figure for a potential sequel to The Suicide Squad.
Jani Zhao, known for her roles in Sul and Jogo Duplo, will play a brand-new character named Stingray. It’s still too early to predict who Stingray will be and what her role in Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom will bring to the table. However, if her name and Karshon’s presence are anything to go by, it’s likely that Zhao will portray a villainous, superpowered humanoid stingray.
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