As its worldwide gross currently sits at $960 million and counting, making it the highest-grossing installment of the DCEU, an Aquaman sequel is already a formality.
But ahead of its release its director James Wan was genuinely worried about its possible box office haul. Not only did he think Mary Poppins Returns would offer a stern challenge, but he was also incredibly superstitious about planning for a follow-up ahead of the original hitting cinemas.
“Actually when people ask me about the whole sequel thing I am so superstitious that I don’t like to talk about sequels before the first movie has even come out,” Wan tells Metro.”But it is a big world and it is up to the audience to decide if they want to see more. It is not up to me.”
Will there be an Aquaman 2?
The size of the world provokes Wan to compare Aquaman to another cinematic universe that he has been heavily involved in.
“But just like in the same way as The Conjuring universe, if you build a big enough foundation and world there are more stories that we can explore.”
However, while Wan has no concrete plans for an Aquaman sequel, the development of which has already been confirmed by Warner Bros Pictures chairman Toby Emmerich, he did joke about his plans for the most ambitious crossover film of all time.
And, of course, those plans include the ocean’s most famous drumming octopus, who he wants to meet up with cinema’s most popular guitarist.
“The octopus playing the drums is just my take on one of the characters from the comic-books. His name is Topo. He is from the Silver Age period of Aquaman, that people like to make fun of. I find him very endearing and I wanted to give him a cameo in this film.”
“I feel like the Aquaman world is so out there, so lavish and weird and wonderful that it would be a shame not to lean into stuff like this. Not too dissimilar to what George Miller did with Mad Max: Fury Road.”
“He created a world that is so outlandish. There’s even a guitar guy with flames shooting out of his instrument. It doesn’t do anything for the narrative. But what it does do is create this really complete and unique world. That was my goal with this as well.”
“I joke that my octopus drummer should hook up with the guitar guy from Fury World. They’re both Warner Bros., too, so it has to be done!”
