DC Comics and Warner Bros. made the right move when they castJason MomoaasAquaman, both as the lead of his own standalone movie and as a player inJustice Leagueand the wider DC Cinematic Universe. But every superhero needs a supervillain to stand against. So while it remains to be seen just howAquaman’splot will play out, and just who the title character will vent his frustrations against early on, it’s been revealed that the main movie’s villain will be the big-screen live-action debut of the superhero’s greatest nemesis.
AsThe Wrapreports, Black Manta will be the primary antagonist inJames Wan’sAquaman. That’s not really a stretch considering that the character is Aquaman’s archnemesis in the DC Comics. There are literally no other details at the moment and no word one way or the other from WB, so the report should be taken with a grain of salt for the time being; it stems from the same source that once reported on thewrong membersof theSuicide Squadmovie, pushed thewrong directorforAquaman, and had the studio aiming forKarl Urbanin the villainous role.
While Urban currently has an antagonistic role inThor: Ragnarokas Skurge, there’s certainly potential for him doing double villain duty as Black Manta inAquaman, we just haven’t heard anything to that effect. Though the aqueous antagonist is Aquaman’s greatest foe, some folks might need a refresher on his origin and current status in the world of DC Comics. Created byBob HaneyandNick Cardy, Black Manta first appeared in “Aquaman #35” back in 1967, however the character had no defined origin story until 1993. That version saw Black Manta’s beginnings as a Baltimore boy who was kidnapped, held aboard a ship, and abused by his captors, and then unintentionally ignored by Aquaman. This led to a hatred of the hero and the sea, which the boy intended to master; this is just one of a few origin stories applied to the character over the years.
In the New 52 version, Aquaman accidentally killed Black Manta’s father, which results in a sort of blood feud between the two, which spills over to affect their families. This iteration of the villain also saw him spend some time in Belle Reve prison, though he refused to join Amanda Waller’s Suicide Squad. A normal human, Black Manta’s abilities come courtesy of his battle-suit.
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Aquamanalso starsAmber Heardas Mera andWillem Dafoeas Nuidis Vulko, fellow Atlantean allies to the title hero. The movie is slated to open August 08, 2025.
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