I am convinced the DC Universe will copy what made the DCEU’s Aquaman so good after James Gunn’s recent comments. Regarding upcoming DCU movies, little has been mentioned about Aquaman. James Gunn’s Superman movie will kickstart the DCU’s cinematic ventures, with Gunn confirming that Batman and Wonder Woman will not be far behind. 2026’s Lanterns and Supergirl will then introduce more likely members of the franchise’s prospective Justice League, yet the likes of Aquaman, The Flash, and other usual heroes on the team’s roster have more uncertain futures.

The Aquaman actor from the DCEU’s extensive timeline, Jason Momoa, will appear in the DCU, only this time as the intergalactic bounty hunter known as Lobo. Therefore, a new actor will need to be found to portray the King of Atlantis, but whether that comes in the DCU’s Chapter One: Gods and Monsters remains to be seen. Whenever Aquaman is introduced, though, I believe the DCU will copy what made him so compelling in the DCEU, thanks to comments from the former franchise’s creator, James Gunn.

James Gunn Admits He Once Would Have Made Fun Of DC’s Characters

Including The Face Of The Franchise, Superman

These comments from Gunn came in an interview with Rolling Stone, intended to shed more insight into the creative process of the DCU, Superman, and the future of the franchise. Interestingly, Gunn shared the mindset he once had about characters like Superman, insisting that past versions of him would not have been able to write the hero without making fun of him: “In the past, I would’ve done it through making fun of the character, and I don’t think that’s what I do here…”

Admittedly, Gunn’s honesty here is refreshing. As someone responsible for ushering the creative side of the DCU into the future, admitting that he once would not have known how to write these characters is fairly bold. Moreover, it shows Gunn’s growth as a filmmaker that he is now able to approach an entire universe of DC characters without making fun of them. Aside from Superman, these comments immediately bring to mind another aforementioned major DC hero: Aquaman.

Aquaman Was Always A Character People Made Fun Of… Until The DCEU

Jason Momoa’s Aquaman Took A Different Direction

Before the days of the DCEU, Aquaman was a character that many people made fun of. Many found Aquaman to be somewhat bland, all while poking fun at his design and somewhat goofier comic book aspects that come with being the King of Atlantis. However, the DCEU changed this in a big way. 2018’s Aquaman is not only one of the better DCEU movies, but Momoa made the character much cooler than he ever was in the comic books by the time of Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom‘s ending.

This was partly what made the DCEU’s version of Arthur Curry work so well. Momoa’s version still had his sillier elements, such as riding into battle on a giant seahorse, but they were all handled with an earnestness that somehow blended well with the new “surfer dude” vibe the DCEU brought to the character. This earnestness and treatment of Momoa’s version meant that no one really made fun of the DCEU’s iteration of the hero, which the DCU could copy.

The DCU Looks To Be Copying What Made The DCEU’s Aquaman Work

Gunn’s Superman Thoughts Could Easily Translate To Aquaman

With all of this being said, it would be logical if Gunn thought about other DC characters in the same way he thought about Superman. If he once would have made fun of Superman, there is no denying he also once would have poked fun at a character like Aquaman who received such treatment from everyone else. Now, though, Gunn is in a different place, as is Aquaman after the DCEU’s depiction of him. Hopefully, this means the DC Universe will copy what made the DCEU’s Aquaman work, by treating him with the earnestness and sense of seriousness that Gunn brought to Superman.