While Aquaman will have his hands full with the villainous Orm in his standalone movie, Black Manta will be present as a “B Story” with major potential for future films.
ComicBook.com visited Aquaman‘s Australian set in July of 2017, getting a look at Black Manta’s fully spot-on comic-accurate costume but also hearing about how he factors into the next DC Comics movie.
Played by Yahya Abdul-Mateen II, the character will likely emerge as a fan-favorite, as his feud with Jason Momoa’s Arthur Curry just started.
“We meet Black Manta at a time where, it’s just him and his dad, and he’s riding on high, you know,” Abdul-Mateen II said. “He’s just come off of his wind, and there’s a changing of the guards, so to speak. And then, this guy, Aquaman, comes in, and crashes the party.” The relationship, like much of the Aquaman movie, will follow its DC Comics roots.
If Abdul-Mateen II were to use one word to describe his character, “Relentless” is the only one to cover it. “He’s so relentless,” Abdul-Mateen II said. “And so, in a fight, he’s never down, and he’s never out. And you think that he’s done, but he comes back. Also it’s like, ‘Hey, I finished you! I proved my point! I’m stronger than you. Stop it! Why are you still here?’ You know?”
While Abdul-Mateen II can’t give all of the details of Black Manta’s first appearance, he promises it is “pretty dope” as his character crashes into the Italian set built in the same location which was once Thor: Ragnarok‘s Asgard.
It will likely be one of the eighteen action sequences packed into James Wan‘s “swashbuckling” adventure.
“He doesn’t want to take over the world, he doesn’t have this grand scheme of, like, monopolizing something for his own personal benefit,” Abdul-Mateen II said. “He’s very much on the line. And so, he has this very strong moral code that he will not compromise, and that he will not negotiate on.”
A ruthless treasure hunter and mercenary, the man known as Black Manta spent his days scavenging the unexplored depths of the ocean, discovering long lost relics and powerful mythical items, all while taking on various jobs to fund his passion.
Until one particular job changed his life.
Hired to bring back a sample of Arthur Curry’s blood, Black Manta encountered the young Aquaman and his father while the two were out at sea. In the ensuing struggle, Aquaman’s father suffered a heart attack that ultimately led to his death.
Do you think Yahya Abdul-Mateen II will portray Black Manta well? Will Aquaman be a huge succeess?
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