Fans have flocked to see the blockbuster; which is now – globally – the highest-grossing effort in the DCEU’s patchy history, despite middling reviews. But there was one moment in it that got diehard fans talking for the wrong reasons. Arthur Curry (Jason Momoa) visits Atlantis for the first time in this film – despite appearing to be there to meet Mera (Amber Heard) in Justice League.
However, Wan has explained that the Justice League scene was somewhere else altogether.
“It wasn’t Atlantis,” he told Huffington Post.
“I spoke with Zack [Snyder, Justice League director] early on, and Zack mentioned that the location that Aquaman swims to in Justice League is an outpost.
“So when he told me that was his idea, I was like, ‘Oh great, then I can actually have Arthur go to Atlantis for the first time’.
“That’s very important for me, because he can go into it and have a wide-eyed approach to Atlantis and be in awe of it.”
He added: “It wouldn’t be the same if Arthur goes to Atlantis and he’s been here before and he’s kind of jaded about it.
“There’s nothing impressing him. Then you as an audience watching would not be impressed either.
“It’s that Spielberg approach, right? Seeing a character seeing something for the first time ― like in Jurassic Park when Laura Dern sees the dinosaur for the first time. The camera is pushing in on her look of awe and wonderment.
“That’s how you convey it to the audience and that’s how the audience comes along with the characters.”
Aquaman has so far made at least $887.6 million at the worldwide box office, a huge piece of good news for the DC universe – which had been struggling to find its way.
The film can now sit alongside Wonder Woman as one of its few success stories, although Shazam – out later this year – is also picking up some positive early buzz.
Aquaman is out now.