The DCU Needs Jason Momoa As Aquaman More Than Ever, And Recasting Would Be A Mistake
When it comes to the DCU, Jason Momoa's Aquaman has been a bright spot in an ocean of uncertainty. His first solo film, "Aquaman," was a visual treat that proved the oceanic master could hold his own on the big screen (and at the box office). While the sequel, "Aquaman and The Lost Kingdom," looks to continue the hot streak, it may very well be the last time we see Momoa portray the fish-commanding superhero. A recent report suggests Momoa's time as Aquaman could soon be over, and a rebooted DCU may see the actor portray the anti-hero Lobo instead. Although nothing has been confirmed on either front, the volatile state of DC films is enough to worry us when it comes to Aquaman.
Ever since James Gunn and Peter Safran announced they were planning out the next ten years of the DCU, speculation has run rampant on what the future could hold for the evolving cinematic universe. Of course, we don't know what will remain when the transition period is over, and it seems the new leaders are still figuring that out, too. But if one aspect of the previous incarnation of the DCU deserves to remain unscathed, it's Momoa's Aquaman. He's not just the face of a billion-dollar franchise; Momoa has changed the audience's perception of the fish-talking hero in more ways than one.
A conquerer of the sea (and money)
Before "Aquaman" hit theaters in 2018, Momoa had only appeared once in a starring role as the superhero in Joss Whedon's poorly-received "Justice League" film. Not the greatest way to start your superhero career, but Momoa remained one of the few bright spots of that ill-fated film. His badass and charming take on the character was refreshing considering the general outlook on Aquaman. Thankfully, that goodwill translated into the James Wan-directed solo flick, which quickly became the most successful DC superhero project to ever release in theaters.
"Aquaman" is the highest-grossing DC film of all time with $1.148 billion dollars earned, eclipsing "The Dark Knight Rises" by a few hundred thousand. Warner Bros. Discovery is facing an uphill climb out of debt, so cutting its most successful franchise should be out of the question on the basis of profit alone. On the creative side of things, Momoa's Aquaman represented a shift in the superhero paradigm that changed the character forever.
Representation matters
When Momoa was cast by Zack Snyder to cameo as Aquaman in "Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice," Aquaman had only been portrayed as a blonde-haired, blue-eyed, and squeaky-clean individual in the source material. The inspired casting was unconventional, to say the least. Around this time, Momoa had typically played characters that prioritized brawn over brains (there's a reason people fancast him as Lobo a lot). However, as a person of Native Hawaiian and Polynesian descent, Momoa was specially prepared to bring his own sensibilities to the role, including aspects of his own heritage in the 2018 film. Not only was the essence of the role maintained, but Momoa elevated the subtext that follows an overtly biracial character.
It's hard to imagine a better way to subvert everyone's expectations of Aquaman. Stripping away the vanilla persona of the character by casting Momoa, while still keeping him faithful to the comics, is a feat worth recognizing. In a genre often criticized for its lack of meaningful representation, "Aquaman" pushed boundaries with Momoa, and reaped the benefits from it. Recasting him, and potentially making him Lobo instead, would be the most uninspiring bit of news to hit the superhero universe.
Redefining Aquaman
To say Momoa helped redefine the public consensus on Aquaman would be an understatement, to say the least. Although he's always been a powerful character in the comics, it's hard to count how many fish jokes have been told about the long-tenured hero in pop culture. The DCU version threw out any preconceived notions, while still paying homage when it counted. In "Justice League," Aquaman is not treated as any lesser than the rest of the crew. His lack of a bright-colored suit helped separate him, but Momoa still rocked it with ease and style when it came time to honor the source material.
"Aquaman" was able to not only faithfully recreate the vast world that Aquaman inhabits in spectacular fashion, but it ensured that the titular hero was at the center of it all. I mean, look at that suit! It could not have looked any better in live-action, let's be honest. Suffice it to say, Aquaman has been mostly able to stay away from being on the opposite end of every fish-related joke in the DCU. "Peacemaker" may have revitalized that cliché, but it worked because Momoa was in on the joke.
It's not clear what Gunn and Safran have in mind with the character, but Momoa's trajectory as Aquaman is far too vital to the DCU at this point. Cutting the highest-grossing franchise after two films would be a mistake I'm not sure is worth taking, no matter how grand and interconnected the impending rebooted universe may turn out to be.