DC Studios is gearing up to reboot the DC Universe with James Gunn’s Gods and Monsters slate, which includes titles like Superman: Legacy and The Brave and the Bold. While The Flash will reset the timeline of the old DC Extended Universe, the fate of Aquaman still hangs in the balance. The sequel to 2018’s Aquaman, Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom, starring Jason Momoa, will be released after the reset. So, there is still a question mark hanging over Jason Momoa’s place as Aquaman in the new DC Universe.
A while back, Momoa posted a video of himself excited about his meeting with James Gunn and Warner Bros. Though he didn’t reveal any details in the video, his excitement was enough to determine that he is a part of DCU in a large capacity. Whether that’s as Aquaman is unknown, because there have been rumors of him taking over the role of Lobo instead in the new DCU.
Nevertheless, fans are not waiting for Warner Bros. to confirm who’s the new Aquaman, if it’s not Momoa. Though many fancasts are making headlines, new fan art has seen Emmy-winning actor Alexander Skarsgård donning the mantle of Atlantis’ protector and eventual king. @Youseff_Defenshi on Instagram designed an artwork that shows how Skarsgård could look in the next live-action version of Aquaman.
Interestingly, the artist has moved away from Momoa’s long hair and the classic blonde look to portray Skarsgård as King of the Seven Seas. Here, Skarsgård dons dark brown hair with a nicely shaped beard, offering more intensity to his gaze. His lean and fit physique with a different armor style shows him to be a hardened warrior as he seems to stand ready to face his enemies at sea. However, the art does seem to have given the hero some tattoos that surprisingly resemble the famous chest and shoulder tattoos of Dwayne Johnson.
Skarsgård’s version looks great, and considering Momoa can switch to a new role in the DCU, the art makes Skarsgård look like a potentially accurate replacement for Aquaman.
Skarsgård is well-known for his performances in True Blood and Big Little Lies. He portrayed a physically challenging character in The Legend of Tarzan and has recently proven both his acting and fitness abilities with Robert Eggers’ The Northman. Considering the way he is rising up as a mainstream performer, he might draw further interest from fans who want him to don a superhero suit.
Jason Momoa recently revealed that Aquaman is here to stay in the new DCU; however, he didn’t state that he will reprise the role. He mentioned that he is excited about the sequel that awaits a late 2023 release. Described as a buddy film with Jason Momoa sharing a brotherly bond with Patrick Stewart’s Orm/Ocean Master, Aquaman and The Lost Kingdom would be the final film of DC’s old regime.
James Gunn and Peter Safran are already shaping the next chapter of DC’s live-action cinematic universe, with Gunn creatively involved in many of the projects. The DCU, planned to be a more interconnected and streamlined continuity comprising films, television shows, animated projects, and video games, will begin with Superman: Legacy in 2025.
Until then, we must wait until the next update on the Aquaman sequel and hope that it retains Aquaman’s significance to the franchise’s future.
Published: Mar 29, 2023 12:07 am