The mystery surrounding Aquaman is starting to dissipate little by little. The upcoming Entertainment Weekly issue features a special report on the upcoming DCEU movie with exclusive first look images, including our very first look at one of the villains of the story, Black Manta.
The first look image shows David Kane, portrayed by Yahya Abdul-Mateen II, located in a lab of sorts examining an early prototype of his Black Manta helmet. Surprisingly, the helmet retains many of the characteristic of the comic book version, with the industrial metal finish, breathing tubes attached to the top of the helmet and the iconic red wide eyes that also double as plasma blasters.
“He’s part mercenary but full-time pirate who in his suit will look like some crazy alien from outer space,” said director James Wan.
That’s about the extent of the details we have on Black Manta and it sounds as if James Wan wants to keep it that way. Black Manta is sure to play a big role in Aquaman, but he won’t be the main antagonist of the storyline. That will fall on King Orm, played by Patrick Wilson, Aquaman’s half-brother who governs over Atlantis.
“Black Manta is really an interesting character who is somehow factored into this story but our main story is about Jason and Patrick,” Wan explained. In Justice League, it was hinted that Aquaman was in a self-imposed exile from Atlantis, making it seem as though he was running away from his responsibilities as king. That may have opened the door for King Orm to lay claim to the throne, which may be the source of their clash.
Aside from the Entertainment Weekly’s first look at Black Manta, the cover also gives us our first look at Nicole Kidman’s Queen Atlanna who looks otherworldly in a sky blue jumpsuit and a diamond-encrusted tiara.
Aquaman is slated for a December 21 release, and though that is still many months away, we should see a trailer any day now.
