These are just some ideas for an Aquaman trilogy I had floating around in my head that I turned into a brief synopsis with a fan-cast. Here’s Part 3…
Aquaman: Oceanic Depths
Returning Cast
Aquaman – Alan Ritchson OR Armie Hammer
Casting: People seem to really approve of Armie Hammer more so I decided to keep him on as a possible actor for the role. I’m keeping Alan Ritchson on as well because it’s my fan-cast lol and he’s the person I’d most like to see as Aquaman.
Role: The overjoyed Aquaman is eagerly anticipating the arrival of his son but has reluctantly returned to Atlantis. Not knowing what his son’s biology would be like (could he survive on the surface world?) it was decided that Mera should give birth to him in Atlantis. The two return to Atlantis as King and Queen…
Mera – Emily Blunt
Casting: I find her to be absolutely gorgeous. Even if she wasn’t a terrific actress I would have casted her anyways. Fortunately she actually is a remarkable actress and I see her handling the role of the Queen of Dimension Aqua turned wife and powerful ally to her lover King Orin quite well.
Role: The now weakened Queen Mera is undergoing health problems as a result of her pregnancy resulting from the mixed biology of her son. Atlantis is working hard to discover the nature of the problem and whether or not it can be fixed. She is cared for and will remain under the watchful eye of…
Vulko – Harvey Keitel
Casting: A veteran actor, Harvey Keitel would have absolutely no problem handling a relatively small role such as this. Keitel naturally looks like a wise and war-torn man (isn’t Vulko?) so he would not only be a good fit but also has the acting chops to back up the role.
Role: At first angered that Orin would leave him, Vulko eventually forgives him and does all he can to ensure the survival of both Mera and the son she carries. But he will have more to worry about when Atlanteans are being found murdered and in a zombie state. The culprit is…
The Thirst – William H. Macy (Motion Capture/CGI)
Casting: Academy Award nominee William H. Macy hasn’t really been seen in a villainous role like this. But given his acting expertise it would be interesting to see where he takes it. The possibilities of what he brings to role are endless and I’m confident he’d bring exactly what is needed to the role and nothing less.
Role: The Thirst was kind of a wasted villain in the comics. He was more of a plot device than actual villain with substance like the Ocean Master. The movie incarnation would be a little different. A spiritual and magical being the Thirst seeks two things. The first being sustenance (the Atlanteans) and the second being power. Atlantis is known to harbor many mystical artifacts and the Thirst seeks to acquire them by any means necessary. Still in his developing stage the Thirst has not reached full power and is defeated by Aquaman. He is put in an Atlantean prison where he begins to have visions and predicts the coming of a “dark” foe. But these ominous visions are overshadowed by the birth of…
Arthur Curry Jr. – E-trade Baby
Casting: An amazing actor in his own right the E-trade baby would be perfect for this role. He’s only a few years old but delivers his lines with the timing and precision of a veteran actor. And for some one who still poops in a diaper his diction is remarkably clear.
Role: The newly born Arthur Curry Jr. is the pride of Aquaman, Mera, and all of Atlantis. Arthur and Mera struggle to decide whether or not they should remain in Atlantis with their son. But they will soon have bigger problems to deal with…
Black Manta – Idris Elba
Casting: Like Aquaman, I have a problem with most of the casting done for Black Manta. While terrific actors are often picked they lack the physical presence needed to play the archenemy of Aquaman. At nearly 6’3” Idris Elba would be perfect and has the acting ability to back up his perfect stature for the role. A looming presence this is exactly what we would expect the man behind the helmet to look like. In addition Idris Elba can also portray the sophistication and intelligence needed for a foe as deadly as Black Manta. He is not just muscle mass but a calculating and terrifying villain.
Role: The origin of this role will mirror the origin given in the 2003 series of Aquaman. The boy that would become Black Manta is an autistic child who was subject to treatment at Arkham Asylum. His nervous system has gone haywire and he is unexplainably comfortable in freezing water but in intense pain when placed in bed under cotton sheets. The surgery given to Black Manta cures him of his autism and bestows upon him unnatural intelligence but leaves him obsessively violent and insane. Black Manta still has an affinity for the water and travels the seas until he comes upon Atlantis. He becomes obsessed with Aquaman and in his insanity proclaims himself the true son of Aquaman and heir to the throne. He secretly invades Atlantis and enters the royal palace where he murders Vulko and then the innocent Arthur Jr.
The insane Black Manta greets Aquaman hoping to be welcomed as a son but is instead brutally beaten by Aquaman. Black Manta barely escapes with his life. Meanwhile the Thirst uses his mystical powers to contact Black Manta who frees him from prison. The two team up together to launch a brutal attack upon Atlantis. The mystical powers of the Thirst combined with the high-tech weaponry of Black Manta are devastating. Mera is miserable and filled with sorrow and unable to help Aquaman. Aquaman faces the threat accompanied by the Atlantean Guard. With the help of some large aquatic friends (think sharks and whales) Aquaman defeats the Thirst and enters into a brutal fistfight with Black Manta. Black Manta who at first seems to be winning the battle is defeated and knocked unconscious by Aquaman. The immobile and bleeding body floats upwards to the surface surrounded by sharks. It is unclear whether or not Black Manta survives.
Aquaman returns to Mera and is left with the decision of remaining in Atlantis or returning to the surface world. The end…?