Movies

Jason Momoa Doesn't Appear To Be Leaving The DCU Any Time Soon [Update]

Aquaman Jason Momoa Warner Bros. Pictures
By Joshua Meyer/

UPDATE: Variety reported the day after publication of this article that Jason Momoa has said, "I'll always be Aquaman. Ain't anyone coming in there and taking s***. There might be some other characters, too. I can play other things, too. I can be funny and savage and charming." The original article follows.

The recent shake-up at Warner Bros., with James Gunn and Peter Safran taking over as the new co-chairs of DC Studios, has cast a lot of uncertainty about the future of certain movie actors in the DC Universe. Henry Cavill, for instance, may have been handed his walking papers as Superman, but one actor whose future at the studio seems to be secure, judging by a recent video on social media, is "Aquaman" star Jason Momoa.

There was a time when the superhero Aquaman was nothing more than a "Seinfeld" and "Entourage" joke who got no respect for his power of talking to fish. Momoa and director James Wan helped turned the character around and make him into the face of a burgeoning, billion-dollar franchise. He's got a sequel, "Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom," on the way later this year, but with Gunn, Safran, and Warner Bros. head David Zaslav cleaning house at DC, there were no guarantees that we'd see Momoa again in the DC Universe after that.

Now, a visibly excited Momoa has posted a cryptic video (via One Take News) in which he shouts and teases some "great news" for his future in the DC Universe. He begins the video talking about how he was "screaming when [he] left Warner Bros." four years ago, seemingly alluding to when the studio gave "Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom" the green light. He then gives an impression of the scream of joy he let out at that time. 

Read into it what you will. Momoa would only say:

"It's a mystery, baby. I got some really good news. Great news with Warner Bros. Amazing. Wish I could tell you. But here it is. Peter, I love you. James, I love you. David? Mwah. To the future."

Aquaman or Lobo?

Krypton Lobo Emmett J. Scanlan Syfy

If you watch Jason Momoa's video, those don't seem to be the words of a man who plans on leaving the DCU anytime soon. The biggest question is what exact form his future with it might take.

Last month, Marcos Melendez argued for /Film that recasting Aquaman would be a mistake and that the DCU needs Momoa more than ever. Compared to a movie like "Man of Steel," the lighter, more colorful, gonzo tone of the "Aquaman" solo movie was arguably more in line with what we've seen from James Gunn in "The Suicide Squad" and "Peacemaker." Momoa even cameoed in "Peacemaker," so he and Gunn have already worked together, and it led to a whole 16 minutes of deleted "Aquaman has sex with fish" jokes.

We also reported last month, based on word from multiple sources in The Hollywood Reporter, that Gunn and Safran were eyeing Momoa for the lead in a "Lobo" film. Throw some white makeup on Momoa, dye his hair black, and give him a biker jacket and space hog, and he'd be the spitting image of Lobo (who was played by actor Emmett J. Scanlan in Syfy's "Krypton" season 2).

A role like Lobo would certainly allow Momoa to stretch his acting abilities and play a new kind of character. It seems more likely that this might be the "great news" that he and the studio are keeping shrouded in secrecy for now, but you never know. Maybe there will be a third Aquaman movie with Momoa in the lead. Or maybe he'll be Lobo going forward, or maybe he'll be both Aquaman and Lobo, and a new, long-haired, hippie version of Superman, to boot! Speculate away, you bastiches.

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