Why Aquaman Holds The Key To The Future Of DC Extended Universe

Jason Momoa's Aquaman is one of the most awaited superhero films of the year. The film stars him as the Atlantean god and the heir apparent to kingdom who must come forward and lead his people while fighting off Patrick Wilson's Orm/Ocean Master who also happens to be his half-brother and the current ruler of Atlantis. The film releases on 21st December and the trailer will release during Comic-Con (19-22 July 2018). 

The film is directed by James Wan who is known for directing blockbusters with enchanting visuals such as The Conjuring and Furious 7. It features an all-star cast which also includes Amber Heard, Nicole Kidman, Willam Dafoe and Dolph Lundgren in the lead roles. Aquaman is expected to give the failing DCEU a much-needed shot in the arm and everyone is hoping the movie turns out to be great.

While the people at DC and Warner Brothers are calling Aquaman the finest DC film of all time and heaping praises after early screenings, the movie-going audience in now too smart to be enchanted by these early reactions as the early reviews of films like Suicide Squad, Batman V Superman, Justice League and Man of Steel were also positive but the end product was blasted by everyone. Here's why Aquaman holds the key to the future of DC Extended Universe (DCEU):

A fresh start: Aquaman will hope to erase all the bad memories of DC's previous installments barring Wonder Woman. Even with high-quality talent in terms of actors, Warner Bros. and DC still have not been able to figure out what and how exactly to build an impressive universe like Marvel. Many are thinking that Aquaman will give the DCEU a fresh start.

Saving grace: Jason Momoa's Aquaman was one of the bright spots in the otherwise underwhelming Justice League. The audiences and critics loved his portrayal and the wisecracking and arrogant persona of Arthur Curry was handled extremely well by Momoa. With people still coming to terms with Ben Affleck's disinterest in playing Batman and Henry Cavill's limited range as Superman, Jason Momoa gives them a hero to root for.

Less dark: Going by the early reactions and after Joss Whedon's inclusion in Justice League, the upcoming DC films will not be as dark as their predecessors which used to invite heavy criticism from all over. Aquaman is said to be the funniest DC film yet and the humor element always adds to the entertainment quotient of the film. 

Less pressure on Wonder Woman: Ever since her introduction in Batman V Superman, Gal Gadot's Wonder Woman has been doing all the heavy-lifting in DCEU films. She is the only bright spot in the otherwise heavily criticised DC universe. Aquaman's success would not only come as a sigh of relief for the executives but will also take off a bit off pressure from Gal Gadot's Wonder Woman. 

The ouster of Zack Snyder: Not that he's a bad filmmaker, he's just probably ahead of the time. Zack Snyder's being at the center of the DCEU has been called out as the main reason by many fans and the critics that why DC films are failing to perform. Zack has a knack for including heavy philosophies and god-man conflict in his narratives which burden the films. He was fired from the DCEU early this year and now the whole DCEU can be a bit lighter.