Summary
- James Wan, director of Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom, is open to directing Aquaman 3 if given the same creative freedom as the previous films.
- The fate of the Aquaman franchise is uncertain, with the new direction of the DC Universe and potential disappointing performance of Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom.
- It is possible that the Aquaman franchise will be rebooted, and Jason Momoa may not return as the titular hero, with there being speculation about him portraying a different DC Universe character like Lobo.
James Wan, director of Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom, has commented on the potential to direct Aquaman 3, despite early backlash aimed at DC Studios' upcoming 2023 sequel. With filmmaker James Gunn and producer Peter Safran rebooting the DCEU into the new DC Universe, the fate of Jason Momoa's Arthur Curry, a.k.a. Aquaman has been left uncertain. Momoa's Aquaman has persisted as one of the more popular elements of the DCEU timeline, yet with the reception of the waning franchise plummeting after several recent disappointing projects, and with the potential performance of Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom being questioned, the fate of Aquaman 3 could be in jeopardy.
Speaking to Empire Magazine, Aquaman and Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom director James Wan has spoken out about the possibility for a third Aquaman project in the DC Universe's future. Noting that he'd "be open to doing another," Wan keeps the opportunity for his return in the DC Universe's future open, but mentions that the new direction for DC Studios' rebooted franchise is still unclear. Nevertheless, it's possible that Gunn and Safran could ask Wan to return to direct Aquaman 3 in the new DC Universe, and the director is taking a "never say never" approach to the prospect.
I haven’t directed a third movie [in a series] before, so I’d be open to doing another [Aquaman] if I got the same freedom I’ve had on these first two. I’m not sure what direction [James Gunn and Peter Safran] are going in, though, so who knows? I’ve learned to never say never.