'Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom' Cast and Character Guide
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The DC Extended Universe is reaching a somewhat impromptu conclusion with Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom, which will see various characters from the record-breaking 2018 film return for what may be the last time. We say "may be the last time" as it's still unclear whether these characters, particularly Jason Momoa, the beloved hero, will have a place in James Gunn and Peter Safran's new DC universe. Positive responses and teases from Momoa seem to indicate the answer is yes, but we still don't know for certain.
Perhaps we will get a definitive answer to Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom. Here, Arthur Curry, now the recognized King of Atlantis and a new father, must once again face the vengeful Black Manta (Yahya Abdul-Mateen II). This time, Manta is one of the biggest threats the seven seas have ever faced since he has managed to obtain the Black Trident, an artifact that could end the world. To combat this all-powerful foe, Arthur will have to forge an unlikely alliance with his half-brother Orm (Patrick Wilson), with the two embarking on a daring quest to stop the Black Manta once and for all.
Arthur's second solo adventure will see him joined by friends and enemies, both new and old. To learn more about the titular hero and the cast and characters joining him, read below for our complete cast and character guide for Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom.
Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom
SuperheroActionAdventureFantasyArthur Curry, also known as Aquaman, embarks on an epic quest to a mysterious lost kingdom that could hold the key to saving Atlantis from a looming danger. Teaming up with allies old and new, he faces powerful adversaries and uncovers secrets long buried beneath the ocean's depths.
Release Date December 22, 2023 Director James Wan Cast Jason Momoa , Yahya Abdul-Mateen II , Amber Heard , Patrick Wilson , Dolph Lundgren , Temuera Morrison Main Genre Superhero Studio Warner Bros. and DC Writers David Leslie Johnson , Paul Norris , Mort Weisinger Franchise DC ExpandJason Momoa as Arthur Curry / Aquaman
CloseVarious actors have come and gone in the contentious DCEU, but one figure who fans have consistently gravitated towards and loved is Jason Momoa's take on Aquaman. The Game of Thrones alumni certainly offers a different take on a character that is unfairly mocked for his usefulness, making him into a remarkably fierce and easily lovable figure in the world of DC filmmaking. His popularity makes him a likely returning face to Gunn and Safran's new continuity, but again, that hasn't been officially confirmed.
Arthur Curry is the son of human lighthouse keeper Tom Curry (Temuera Morrison) and Atlantean Queen Atlanna (Nicole Kidman). This makes Arthur half-human and half-Atlantean, which makes him an outcast and champion of both worlds. Arthur typically gravitated towards the side of humans as his father was the one who raised him, though he was trained in Atlantean combat at a young age by Vulko (Willem Dafoe). Arthur's famous defense of humans and sailors is what got the attention of Bruce Wayne (Ben Affleck), who recruits a reluctant Arthur to help fight Steppenwolf (Ciarán Hinds) during the events of Justice League.
After saving the world, Arthur returns to his Atlantean roots in the first Aquaman film, after learning his half-brother King Orm is preparing to invade the surface world. With the help of Mera (Amber Heard), Arthur succeeds in finding his ancestor, King Atlan's (Vincent Regan) trident, all while defeating a vengeful Black Manta and finding his long-lost mother in the process. Arthur uses the trident and his unique ability to communicate with sea creatures to defeat Orm, sending him to prison for his misguided invasion attempt. The Arthur we meet in Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom has embraced his destiny as the rightful King of Atlantis and has also since married Mera and had a child with her. These give Arthur even more personal stakes when the Black Manta returns to wreak havoc.
Yahya Abdul-Mateen II as David Kane / Black Manta
HBO's Watchmen and Ambulance star Yahya Abdul-Mateen II will return to DC as Aquaman's arch-nemesis, Black Manta, just before the actor joins Marvel as Simon Williams in the upcoming Wonder Man series. This time, however, instead of being a mere henchman like in the first Aquaman, Black Manta will be the big bad of Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom.
Before becoming the dreaded assassin of the deep, David Kane was still a notorious aquatic criminal, being a member of a group of pirates led by his father, Jesse (Michael Beach). When they weren't extorting and murdering sailors, David and Jesse had a close father-son bond and one that was about to be shattered during their first encounter with Aquaman.
During an attempt to steal a submarine, Jesse is impaled and left for dead on the sub, leaving David as the sole survivor. Their submarine mission was one that was endorsed by Orm, so he could start pitting Atlanteans against humans. David only wants one thing as payment - revenge against Aquaman, and Orm eventually obliges by giving him a mountain of Atlantean tech, which he uses to fashion a high-tech suit of armor to become Black Manta. Aquaman ultimately defeats Black Manta, but David Kane survives the encounter.
Black Manta has been busy since facing Aquaman, allying with a kingdom of shark people and obtaining the Black Trident, the power of which may make Black Manta a threat that not even Arthur Curry can stop.
Patrick Wilson as Orm / Oceanmaster
Like Yahya Abdul-Mateen, Patrick Wilson is also an alumnus of the world of Watchmen, though he starred in the 2009 feature film instead of the HBO sequel series. Wilson will return as the disgraced King Orm but in a different capacity.
A full-blooded Atlantean, Orm spent his entire life resenting Arthur and the human race, holding them responsible for the exile and assumed death of his mother, Queen Atlanna. Though he was declared King of Atlantis, the laws of the ocean forbid Orm from invading the surface without majority approval from the existing kingdoms and the title of Oceanmaster. He gets close but is ultimately defeated by his half-brother Arthur. He's willing to die for his cause but decides to surrender when he sees Atlanna, stunned by his mother's apparent survival.
Orm has since been incarcerated in a prison without any water, thus limiting his power. Arthur is forced to break him out to help defeat Manta, and while Orm is reluctant to help the man who imprisoned him, he seems to agree that Black Manta is too large a threat to ignore.
Amber Heard as Mera
Despite what you may have heard online, Amber Heard will indeed be returning as Mera for Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom. The Rum Diary star became the subject of viral controversy following a public civil case against her ex-husband Johnny Depp, where she was found liable for defamation. It's a complex issue that reportedly did not greatly affect Heard's involvement in the Aquaman sequel.
Mera made her debut through a brief appearance in Justice League, where she helped Arthur fight against Steppenwolf as he tried to steal a Mother Box. She and Arthur get a more formal introduction in the original Aquaman film, as she finds Arthur and inspires him to fight against Orm. She is Arthur's partner on his odyssey to find Atlan's trident, eventually falling in love with Arthur in the process. Though her role has reportedly been minimized in Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom, Mera will still be a paramount figure in Arthur's life as his wife and mother to his child.
Temuera Morrison as Tom Curry
When he's not playing the fan-favorite character of Boba Fett in the Star Wars franchise, Temeura Morrison is playing Arthur's dedicated father, Tom Curry.
Tom was a mere humble lighthouse keeper when Atlanna washed up on his shore, being marooned and running from the tyrannical Atlantean king. While caring for Atlanna, the two fell in love and had a child with Arthur, whom Tom raised when Atlanna fled the surface to keep Tom and Arthur safe. While Arthur is off in the ocean on his quest, it ends with Tom and Atlanna being reunited after decades apart.
Nicole Kidman as Queen Atlanna
The House Oscar-winner Nicole Kidman returns as Queen Atlanna, the mother of both Arthur and Orm.
As mentioned, Atlanna attempted to flee Atlantis to escape an arranged marriage to a tyrannical king, who is Orm's eventual father. She found a second chance when she met Tom and had Arthur, but she decided to go back to her betrothed to keep them safe. As punishment for her insubordination, Atlanna was banished to the Trench, where she was presumably killed. However, when Arthur and Mera venture there, they see that Atlanna survived and has been living on a hidden island ever since. Atlanna becomes instrumental in stopping Orm and putting an end to his terror.
Dolph Lundgren as King Nereus
Rocky franchise icon Dolph Lundgren once again portrays King Nereus, the father of Mera.
Nereus is not technically an Atlantean, as he is the sovereign leader of another kingdom called Xebel. In the first film, Nereus was not keen on joining Orm's crusade against the surface, though he reluctantly agreed when the submarine that Orm staged attacked him and his forces. Nereus eventually learned the truth and, as such, eventually accepted Arthur as the rightful Atlantean king.
Vincent Regan as King Atlan
Vincent Regan playing the original King of Atlantis, Atlan, is quite fitting, given that the '300' star played another aquatic authority figure like Vice Admiral Garp in the live-action One Piece series.
King Atlan's reign over Atlantis began when the sacred kingdom reigned above the surface before a cataclysm sent it hurling back into the ocean's depths. That may not have even been the biggest disaster Atlan faced, though. As the trailer for Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom shows, apparent flashbacks depict Atlan facing the horrifying magic created by the Black Trident.
Randall Park as Dr. Stephen Shin
Given his appearances as Agent Jimmy Woo in Marvel's Ant-Man and the Wasp and WandaVision, you may have forgotten that Randall Park had a small role in Aquaman as Dr. Stephen Shin.
Dr. Shin is a mocked scientist who constantly promotes theories about Atlantis when strange seismic events occur. Though nobody believes him, he's ultimately right in his theories about Aquaman's origins. Those theories will likely be confirmed further as Shin is confirmed to return in the sequel.
Indya Moore as Karshon / Shark
One of the few new characters confirmed to appear in Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom is Karshon, AKA Shark, who Pose star Indya Moore will play.
Not to be confused with The Suicide Squad's King Shark (Sylvester Stallone), Karshon is a mutated shark who has gone toe-to-toe with many of DC's heroes, particularly with Hal Jordan's Green Lantern. A massive creature with plenty of physical prowess, Karshon will likely prove more than a match for Aquaman.
Jani Zhao as Stingray
Sentimentos star Jani Zhao is one of the biggest mysteries surrounding Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom, as she'll be playing a mystery character named Stingray.
There is no character in DC Comics with the title of Stingray, so Zhao may very well be playing a new character created initially for the film.
Pilou Asbæk as TBD
Jason Momoa and Pilou Asbæk never interacted on Game of Thrones, but they're both alumni of the series thanks to Pilou Asbæk performance as Euron Greyjoy, the self-proclaimed Drowned God.
Pilou Asbæk's character in Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom has not yet been disclosed, yet his involvement seems appropriate given his aquatic pirate villain in Game of Thrones.
Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom swims into theaters on December 22, 2023.
The 2018 Aquaman film is currently streaming on Max.
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