Aquaman 2 Director Explains How Canceled Spinoff Was Integrated Into the Sequel

Following the huge billion-dollar success of Aquaman, Warner Bros. and director James Wan started developing a spinoff about the Trench, one of the many areas in Atlantis that were explored in the first film.

Unfortunately, the plans for the project were eventually canceled and it was also revealed later on that the spinoff was going to center on Yahya Abdul-Mateen II's Black Manta.

With the cancellation of the project, fans were wondering whether some of the elements for the spinoff were integrated into the sequel, especially since Black Manta is returning to the film as the main villain this time around.

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Here's How Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom Integrated Elements from the Canceled Black Manta Spinoff

Credit: Warner Bros.

As reported by Collider, during the recent special press preview for the trailer of Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom, Wan confirmed that some of the elements from the canceled spinoff are in the sequel and explained how he integrated them.

"We had developed the Trench movie, and ultimately, like most things, you develop — if they work out, great, if they don't, then that's fine as well," he said.

"We didn't want that project to potentially step on the Aquaman films, but we came up with a lot of really interesting ideas and really cool stuff that I felt we could use it in this one. And so with the Trench movie, it was going to be a secret Black Manta, right?"

Wan added, "Initially, we announced it as a Trench movie, but ultimately, we wanted to surprise the fans because that was going to be a stand-alone Black Manta movie. And so when that didn't happen, some of those ideas kind of found its way into this there."

It is interesting to see what elements from the spinoff did they integrate into Black Manta's journey in the sequel and, based on what we've seen in the trailers so far, it looks like they are doubling down on the character as he becomes the main villain.

While it was unfortunate to hear the spinoff's cancellation at that time, it is great that some elements were able to make it in the sequel and, in some ways, the project is still alive in some capacity even if it's not the entire film itself.

Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom is set to release in theaters this December 20.

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