Assuming negotiations go according to plan, Kidman will play the titular hero’s mom, Atlanna. In the comics, she’s royalty from the underwater kingdom Atlantis who escaped and ended up falling in love with a lighthouse keeper. The combination of their genes is what gives their offspring, Aquaman (played by Jason Momoa), his special ability to survive underwater.
Kidman may only be 12 years older than Momoa, her would-be son, but we’ll give them a pass on this. Aging probably occurs differently when you hail from Atlantis. In any case, as his mother, she’d be returning to a DC film for the first time in more than 20 years. She previously played the Caped Crusader’s love interest in 1995’s Batman Forever.
Like Kidman, Abdul-Mateen hasn’t officially boarded the project yet. The actor got his official offer Monday, according to THR, and now negotiations are underway. The studio is looking to bring him on board as the villain Black Manta.
As Black Manta, Abdul-Mateen would play a dangerous, trident-carrying bad guy. The villain gained notoriety in the comics for his determination to end Aquaman. He wears a customized wetsuit that’s designed specifically for battling the hero. It even shoots rays out of its helmet.
Abdul-Mateen would come to the film after starring as Cadillac in Netflix’s musical drama series The Get Down. He got practice in the water when he filmed his upcoming role in Baywatch, starring Dwayne Johnson and Zac Efron. If he and Kidman join the Aquaman cast, they’ll star alongside Amber Heard, Willem Dafoe, and Patrick Wilson.
Aquaman, directed by James Wan, is slated to begin shooting in April in Australia.
