Patrick Wilson Explains Why Now Is The Perfect Time For ‘Aquaman’

Patrick Wilson is no stranger to comic book movies or James Wan, with Watchmen and the Insidious and Conjuring movies under his belt respectively. He’s rejoining the director on Aquaman, which stars Jason Momoa in the title role, as the superhero’s half-brother Orm aka the Ocean Master. Stopping by Good Morning America (via ComicBook), Wilson spoke about the role and his familiarity with the source material.

Like much of the moviegoing public, he said he wasn’t familiar with the mythology of the character when asked if was a fan prior to his involvement with the film.

“Ah, no. It wasn’t that I didn’t like Aquaman, but there weren’t any movies about it. Any movies of real significance. We finally reached a point where we can match the technology with the artistic desire.”

Wilson was handed a copy of the New 52 and an Aquaman action figure during the show and displayed knowledge of the current, revamped iteration of the DC comics universe.

Orm and Aquaman have a (half)brotherly relationship quite like Loki and Thor in the Marvel movies (or Diamondback and Luke Cage on that hero’s show, for that matter). While the latter are obviously the heroes, the former are jealous schemers with hidden origins that drive them to evil and madness against their own family. When making an archnemesis, it doesn’t get much easier to personalize the stakes than by making the hero and villain related.

Ocean Master, while rumored, wasn’t the first villain confirmed to antagonize the King of Atlantis, though the first cast. Black Manta is a normal human who hates Aquaman and was originally said to be the big bad of the movie. That role has been teased by Wan and remains uncast, if he is indeed involved in the film. If the character is, it is possible Orm is set up to turn evil in a sequel, much like Mordo (played by Chiwetel Ejiofor) in the recent Doctor Strange.

Aquaman hits theaters October 5, 2018 and co-stars Amber Heard as Queen Mera and Willem Dafoe as Nuidis Vulko, both of whom cameo ahead of time in next year’s Justice League.

Source: ComicBook