A new image ofAquaman and the Lost KingdomstarYahya Abdul-Mateen IIpreparing for his return to the DC universe has us worried for the aquatic superhero’s safety. The actor, who will reprise the role of David Kane AKA Black Manta in the sequel, has shared an image of himself in the gym looking fighting fit along with the caption “BLACK MANTA. Back Under Construction.”
Going toe-to-toe with the brute that is Jason Momoa can be no easy feat, and Yahya Abdul-Mateen II looks to be doing everything he can to give his maskedsupervillain Black Mantaa fighting chance when the pair once again come to blows on the big screen. Introduced in 2018’sAquaman, Black Manta is a ruthless pirate and a high-seas mercenary with a flair for creating deadly technological innovations, who enacts his revenge on the DC hero following the death of his father.
Much like many of the details ofAquaman and the Lost Kingdom, Black Manta’s role in the follow-up remains a mystery, though Abdul-Mateen has previously offered his wants for the character’s return. “Anywhere where he has a device or plot to get back toAquaman, he’s going to use it. So, he can show up wherever,” Abdul-Mateen said. “But when he does I hope that we get to see more of his wit and more of the comedic parts of Black Manta and see more of the things that make him [the Black Manta] that I know and the human that the fans, and the people in this universe, have grown to love over the years.”
While plot details remain largely under wraps,Aquaman and the Lost Kingdomhas been given the intriguing working title, Necrus, which could offer some insight into the plot. Necrus should be familiar to DC fans as the name of another underwater city akin to Aquaman’s native Atlantis. It is unique in that it only exists for very brief intervals of time and can never be found in the same location twice. Known as “The Black City,” Necrus is ruled over by a tyrant king and is completely militaristic, which should prove a challenge for the underwater superhero should Necrus turn out to be part of the story.
The idea for the sequel was in fact dreamt up by the lead star himself, Jason Momoa, with the actor having revealed the process that led toAquaman 2. “After we ended the first one I went in with my writing partner and we dreamed up the second one and we went in and pitched the idea,” Momoa previously explained. “The best thing I can give you is that I love it so much that I participated in the writing of it. And so, we did the first treatment and then James and our original writer David finished it off. And all of our hearts are in it. Instead of just like getting a script and doing that, you are 100% being encouraged by your director and co-writers. So that’s exciting for me and I’m excited to go over there. I leave in July and we start filming.”
Aquamanand the Lost Kingdom is scheduled to be released on August 16, 2025.
