In 2018, Aquaman made what one could only describe (if one could be so kind as to pardon the pun) as a splash on the global box office, grossing over 1.1 billion dollars and cementing its place as the all-time highest-grossing film in the DC Extended Universe. The all-star cast, which featured performances from the likes of the talented Amber Heard (Justice League, Pineapple Express) and brilliant character actor Willem Dafoe (Spider-Man, Spider-Man: No Way Home), was inarguably carried by the hugely muscular, facially scarred, all around herculean Jason Momoa (Game of Thrones).
Based on characters previously found in the pages of DC comic books, two villains found their way onto the silver screen and into a series of action-packed brawls with Momoa’s titular hero. Fans of DC and the Aquaman series were delighted by an on-screen appearance of one of the hero’s mortal enemies, Black Manta. Portrayed by Yahya Abdul Mateen II, this villain is first introduced when Aquaman confronts Black Manta, David at the time, and his father’s crew of modern-day pirates as they attempt to board and plunder a Russian submarine. Following the attack, Black Manta is given a powerful suit of Atlantean armor, complete with the character’s infamous bug-eyed black helmet, which he uses to wreak havoc on a small Italian village. Additionally, Patrick Wilson (Watchmen, The Conjuring) puts in a stunning performance as Orm Marius, an Atlantean king, and half-brother to Aquaman. His villainous arc comes to a head in a head-to-head trident duel.
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Recently, it was announced that Aquaman’s wildly anticipated sequel, Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom, had finished shooting. After watching Aquaman dispatch with these two terrifying villains, fans are left wondering which antihero characters might appear in the follow-up. Here are some of the more popular villains from the comic books series and why fans should be crossing their fingers in anticipation of seeing them come to life.
Everyone’s Favorite Fish
Warner Bros. Pictures
Fans of the DC Extended Universe will certainly recognize King Shark from a few separate appearances on different platforms. The most ardent of comic book fans saw this half-man, half-fish hybrid on episode 15 of season two of The Flash on The CW. This version, a hulking, snarling predator, was replaced by a friendlier, more cooperative (albeit still very much man-eating) version in the 2021 blockbuster The Suicide Squad. In the DCEU’s equivalent to Vin Diesel voicing the adorable baby Groot, this loveable lug version of King Shark is voiced by legendary actor Sylvester Stallone (Rocky, The Expendables).
Despite the near-constant life endangerment in The Suicide Squad, King Shark found himself, along with Cleo, Bloodsport, Harley Quinn, and the wily Weasel, among the squads’ survivors. As such, viewers have every right to imagine that this fan-favorite goofball may get a chance to wrap his jaws around Jason Momoa’s Aquaman. Though the King currently remains at the mercy of Amanda Waller, there are countless imaginable scenarios wherein he can make a plodding escape. If, for example, Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom sees similar oceanic activity to its predecessor, who is to say the government facility that contains the squad won’t find itself underwater? Hopefully, Jason Momoa’s impressive torso can withstand the force of being ripped in half by a King Shark’s primordial biceps.
Super Genius Scientist Stephen Shin
In the first Aquaman film, character actor Randall Park (The Office, The Interview) plays a former officer for the United States Institute of Marine Science. He was terminated from the department for his radical notions, mainly claiming that Atlantis was plotting an attack on us land dwellers. Ridiculous, of course.
It’s all but certain that Randall Park will return to reprise his role. This will come as no surprise to those who saw 2018’s Aquaman: Stephen Shin, in a mid-credits twist, is shown to have rescued the presumed dead Black Manta from the Italian sea where our hero so gently deposited him. In the surprising scene, the disgraced scientist demands information regarding Manta’s Atlantean suit. In exchange, he promises to bring the vengeful, black-clad villain straight to Aquaman. If one were to stand up Randall Park next to Jason Momoa, it would become abundantly clear that Stephen Shin no physical threat to the Justice Leaguer. However, his near genius-level intellect, combined with the nearly indestructible armor and killer ideations of Black Manta, could undoubtedly cause our hero more than a handful of problems.
Siren Calls on the High Sea
Unlike our previous two villains, Siren has yet to make an appearance on the big screen, aside from a handful of cartoon story arcs. However, comic book readers will know that those who have seen 2018’s Aquaman have already been shown the face of this supervillain. That’s right: Siren, also known as Hila, is the twin sister of Mera, the Atlantean princess portrayed by Amber Heard.
Family, as the original film makes abundantly clear, is not forever under the sea, and Siren’s tragic origin story, which involves being banished from Atlantis on a lie and spending years under the hypnotic influence of her significant other, make her a prime candidate to seek Aquaman’s destruction in this sequel film. And if the studio can save money by double casting Amber Heard, well, that’s just gravy, isn’t it?
Regardless of which villains are chosen to take on our underwater action hero, true comic books are almost certainly guaranteed to see some of their long-time favorites in Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom. So be sure and front stroke, not doggy paddle, to the theaters for this one.
