Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom Director Says It Hasn’t Been ‘Affected Too Much’ by DCU Reset

When Guardians of the Galaxy trilogy director James Gunn signed on to co-lead the DC Universe’s big screen reset, one prevailing question was, “How will that impact pre-existing DC projects?” Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom director James Wan, speaking in an interview with The Hollywood Reporter, said these drastic continuity shifts have had little effect on his sequel’s story. 

Now releasing on Dec. 20, 2023 (after having previously been pushed back by a year), Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom catches up with Aquaman/Arthur Curry as he strives to protect Atlantis from a new threat. While Wan admitted it’s been “challenging” to keep track of the many versions of the DCU, he also spoke to the standalone nature of Aquaman’s journey.

“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,” he said. “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,” he added.

Talking further about what audiences can expect from the sequel, Wan teased a distinct tone and a more mature message.

“Fortunately, the Aquaman universe is pretty far removed from the rest of the world.

“It’s a little bit more serious, and we’re dealing with issues like climate change,” he said. “We’re not afraid to lean into that in a big way, because the Aquaman comic book, even way back when, has always been environmentally conscious. He’s always been someone who’s fought to keep the ocean clean, and it feels more relevant in the world that we’re living in today. So this movie has something to talk about, but it’s still a fun action-fantasy movie.”

Wan, who also helmed the first film, directed and produced the follow-up, working from a script from David Leslie Johnson-McGoldrick.

Back in January, Gunn and Peter Safran anounced that their eight-to-ten year plan for the DC Universe would launch in phases, with Phase One titled Gods and Monsters. Andy Muschietti’s The Flash will reset the DCU, and Superman: Legacy will mark the official start of Gunn and Safran’s Gods and Monsters. It is currently slated for a 2025 release.

Hayden Mears is an entertainment journalist who enjoys (you guessed it) entertainment. He also likes fitness boxing and writing bios in the third person, for whatever that’s worth.