The DC Universe Can Fix A DCEU Villain Mistake That Ruined A Great Character's Potential

One DCEU villain was cementing himself as the franchise’s best antagonist before the DCU reboot, but the new DC Universe can still save him. Throughout its 10-year run, the DC Extended Universe featured the live-action movie debut of several DC characters, including heroes as famous as Aquaman and Wonder Woman, as well as villains as popular as Darkseid or as obscure as White Dragon. Some characters looked and acted quite different from usual, like Lex Luthor and Barry Allen, while others were incredibly faithful adaptations, like Harley Quinn and Amanda Waller.

It’s no secret that the DCEU ended before its time, with most characters’ stories left unfinished. The whole DCEU was rewritten in The Flash‘s final scene, and no character seems to have survived except Ezra Miller’s Barry Allen. Henry Cavill’s Superman only starred in one movie, Gal Gadot’s Wonder Woman and Jason Momoa’s Aquaman only had two solo movies, and Ben Affleck’s Batman never got his own solo installment. Similarly, many DCEU villains were left behind before they could have a final encounter with their respective enemies.

Yahya-Abdul Mateen II’s Black Manta Was A True DC Movie Supervillain

The DCEU’s Black Manta Has Been The One Of The Most Hateful DC Movie Villains Ever

Comic book villains often become popular due in great part to their recurring appearances. This is how rogue galleries like Batman’s and the Flash’s gain as much popularity as the heroes themselves. However, this usually isn’t the case in the movies. Live-action movie heroes tend to defeat their antagonists by the end of the movies the villains are introduced in, and it’s a rare occurrence to see a comic book movie villain return for a rematch. In the DCEU, Yahya-Abdul Mateen II’s Black Manta returned twice to exact revenge on Aquaman — once in James Wan’s Aquaman and once in Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom.

Some villains stand out due to their exceptional hatred for a specific hero. Superman has Lex Luthor, Batman has the Joker, and Flash has Reverse Flash. In the DCEU, Superman only faced Lex Luthor in Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, Batman only exchanged tense words with the Joker in Zack Snyder’s Justice League, and Reverse Flash never made a single DCEU appearance. On the other hand, Black Manta came back stronger and angrier every time Aquaman defeated him, and his only goal was ruining Aquaman’s life.

The DCEU’s Abrupt End Killed Black Manta’s Potential

Black Manta Could Have Broken A Superhero Movie Record

Black Manta and the Trench in Aquaman — Custom image by Nicolas Ayala

Had the DCEU continued, Black Manta could have been the first comic book movie villain to return three times in the role of antagonist. Black Manta could have also done some serious damage to Jason Momoa’s Aquaman and his loved ones. While Black Manta seems to die in Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom, the true extent of the Aquaman sequel’s script changes following the DCEU’s change of plans is unknown. After all, the DCU reboot was announced in January 2023 — almost a year before Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom‘s release.

With three Aquaman movies and a solo spinoff, the DCEU’s Black Manta could have been the best-developed comic book movie villain of all time

Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom‘s trailers made it seem like Black Manta was going to replicate his comic book counterpart’s biggest blow to Aquaman’s life. In the movie, Black Manta attacks Thomas Curry’s lighthouse and kidnaps Arthur’s baby son. However, Aquaman and his allies defeat Black Manta before he can kill the baby. Either in the unmade Aquaman 3 or in a version of Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom that didn’t end the hero’s DCEU journey so early, Black Manta would have probably ended up killing someone close to Arthur Curry; if not Aquaman’s son, then Thomas, Atlanna, Mera, Orm, or Vulko.

At one point, Yahya-Abdul Mateen II’s Black Manta was set to star in his own solo spinoff movie, set in The Trench. Little is known about the DCEU’s canceled The Trench movie, but it seems like Black Manta could have ventured into the most dangerous underwater kingdom and come out leading its monstrous inhabitants. With three Aquaman movies and a solo spinoff, the DCEU’s Black Manta could have been the best-developed comic book movie villain of all time.

The DCU Can Do Black Manta Justice Soon

The DCU’s Black Manta Can Hit The Ground Running In New Movies And Shows

While Black Manta’s wasted DCEU potential is disappointing, Aquaman’s archnemesis could return sooner rather than later. The DCU is establishing a vast universe filled with all kinds of heroes and villains rather quickly. Villains like Circe, Clayface, and Gorilla Grodd have already been introduced, even before their respective Justice League heroes made their official debut. Likewise, the DCU’s Black Manta may not need to wait until the DCU introduces its Aquaman in order to have his own on-screen battles and face different enemies.

In the comics, Black Manta has often made it clear that his sole motivation in life is to kill Aquaman.

James Gunn’s DCU doesn’t need to make any major changes to Black Manta’s design and characterization. The DCU’s several returning DCEU characters set the precedent for Yahya Abdul-Mateen II’s possible return as Black Manta, but a brand-new version of the character with a similar costume and similar motivations would fit the character just as well. Before his DCU story focuses on Aquaman, Black Manta could be part of the Legion of Doom, appear in flashbacks set in Arkham, or spend some time as a mercenary anti-hero.