DC has struggled mightily to continue the legacy of Arthur Curry. The Hollywood Reporter released a piece detailing the turbulent production of Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom from the multiple rounds of re-shoots to endless test screenings in order to pull the film out of post-production and make it something good. Among the things complicating the production are the film’s effects which are a massive contributor to a budget that has expanded beyond its original $205 million figure. According to the report, every shot of the sequel contains VFX in some form.
An Aquaman film will obviously always need a hefty amount of visual effects for its massive underwater sequences. The first film, which made a killing at the box office for Warner Bros., was especially liberal in its use of effects to showcase the majesty of Atlantians riding sea creatures and breathtaking underwater battles. Part of the reason why it resonated with audiences was because of the sheer spectacle, something DC understandably wanted to repeat with the follow-up. To take things a step beyond, they’re even incorporating new technology to ensure that visual splendor is a focal point once again. Concept art previously shared by director James Wan showcased the sheer scale the film is going for and the vibrancy it brings to its underwater settings as Arthur Curry (Jason Momoa) and company explore strange and majestic new worlds.
Such heavy use of effects, however, also heavily contributed to the many delays the film suffered. In the wake of the pandemic, effects houses were particularly overloaded, forcing films like The Lost Kingdom and the recently-released The Flash to make a number of delays in order to accommodate the massive amount of work each would require. Combined with re-shoots, it explains why the date has shifted so often. It also sets the bar high for what to expect visually when the film finally arrives in theaters this December.
What Is the Plot of Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom?
The Lost Kingdom will focus on the relationship between Arthur Curry and his half-brother Orm (Patrick Wilson) as they team up in order to combat the threat posed by Aquaman’s surface foe Black Manta who, as actor Yahya Abdul–Mateen II revealed, will get plenty of room to breathe in the sequel. Wan teased that the film will have a much different tone than its predecessor, opting for a more serious tone than the over-the-top ’80s camp of the first film. Part of that will be represented in Arthur’s other major foe for the sequel – climate change – which harkens back to Aquaman’s comic book roots of environmental consciousness. A lot of care was put into the script by Wan with Momoa even aiding in penning a draft of the story, but it was definitely a challenge considering The Flash‘s DC reset complicated the timeline.
Alongside Momoa, Wilson, and Abdul-Mateen, Amber Heard, Dolph Lundgren, Willem Dafoe, and Temuera Morrison all return for Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom which is due out on December 20.
via Collider