It's been an exciting few years for Yahya Abdul-Mateen II, and after blowing us all away in Watchmen, the actor will return to the DC Universe as Black Manta in Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom.
He had a relatively minor role in 2018's Aquaman, though we always knew the plan was for him to be put front and centre in the sequel (as indicated by a post-credits scene). Talking to The Hollywood Reporter, Abdul-Mateen II said fans can expect to see a greater exploration of both Black Manter and his alter-ego, David Kane.
"I think the script is better than it was in the first one. It gives the actors a lot of good storytelling moments," the actor teased. "In Aquaman, we just got a small introduction to Black Manta and to some of his motivations. In this one, I get to exercise and breathe a little bit more. I’m showing some different colors with this one."
Of course, the Aquaman sequel isn't the only big role Abdul-Mateen II has on the horizon. He's also shot a mystery role - believed to be a young Morpheus - in The Matrix 4, and he admitted to finding himself a tad starstruck on set being surrounded by the franchise's most iconic stars.
"I remember Keanu and his first line. I looked up, and there was Keanu, and I said, ‘Oh shit, I’m really in The Matrix,’" he recalls. "It was just Keanu in that voice. And the technology that Lana incorporated and the filmmaking, camera rigs that I’ve never seen before. It’s so ambitious. It was really interesting to be making The Matrix 4 at a time when the world was so warped and when reality was so distorted. It could creep in a little bit if you let it."
The Matrix 4 is supposed to be coming to theaters and HBO Max this December, but we've seen nothing from it yet, so a delay could be on the cards (The Suicide Squad would have been the perfect blockbuster to pair a trailer for the movie with).
Keep checking back here for the latest on both these sequels as we're definitely expecting more details on Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom to be revealed during October's DC FanDome event...