Aquaman 3: Director James Wan “open to doing” sequel

In spite of rumored troubles behind the scenes of superhero sequel Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom, director James Wan says that under the right circumstances, he’d be keen to do a sequel.

The first Aquaman movie made more than $1 billion at the global box office, so it’s no surprise that Warner Bros. quickly green-lit a sequel.

James Wan climbed back into the director’s chair for Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom, but the global shutdown, a series of reshoots, and a regime change at the top of WB – with James Gunn and Peter Safran joining to oversee the studio’s DC output – meant that the sequel was delayed multiple times.

But with Aquaman 2 about to finally hit screens, Wan says he’s keen to make Aquaman 3 happen…

Aquaman 3: Director James Wan “open to doing” sequel

“I haven’t directed a third movie before,” Wan told Empire. “So I’d be open to doing another [Aquaman] if I got the same freedom I’ve had on these first two. I’m not sure what direction [Gunn and Safran] are going in, though, so who knows? I’ve learned to never say never.”

This is true regarding threequels – Wan bowed out of both the Insidious and Conjuring franchises after two installments to let others direct, so a third Aquaman movie would be unprecedented for the Australian filmmaker.

As for those troubles on the Aquaman 2 set, Wan says they have been grossly exaggerated, stating of the film’s infamous reshoots: “We probably did seven or eight days, which is nothing for a movie of this size. It was just spread out because it’s so hard to get your actors back once you’ve finished the initial shoot.

“I’m not the kind of person that says, ‘This movie has to turn out exactly how I planned it on day one.’ Your art will never be organic if you’re locked into that mentality.”

What is Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom about?

Here’s the official synopsis for Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom: “Having failed to defeat Aquaman the first time, Black Manta, still driven by the need to avenge his father’s death, will stop at nothing to take Aquaman down once and for all. This time Black Manta is more formidable than ever before, wielding the power of the mythic Black Trident, which unleashes an ancient and malevolent force.

“To defeat him, Aquaman will turn to his imprisoned brother Orm, the former King of Atlantis, to forge an unlikely alliance. Together, they must set aside their differences in order to protect their kingdom and save Aquaman’s family, and the world, from irreversible destruction.”

Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom hits screens on December 20, 2023. For more on Arthur Curry and his aquatic adventures, head here.