Fans Increasingly Clash Over DCEU Arc as Jason Momoa’s Aquaman 2 Ends Snyderverse For Good
With Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom now released, the decade-long saga of the DC Extended Universe has officially come to a close. The film marks one last hurrah for Jason Momoa’s aquatic superhero within the continuity that kicked off with 2013’s Man of Steel. But not all fans are happy to bid the DCEU farewell. Online debates rage between viewers celebrating the DCEU’s conclusion and those still holding out hope it could continue on streaming or elsewhere. Director James Wan himself seems ready to move in a new direction, with no locked plans to work in James Gunn’s new DC Studios era.
What Comes After the DCEU for Jason Momoa’s Aquaman?
While closing the book on his initial DCEU run, Aquaman 2 leaves Jason Momoa‘s future as the character uncertain. James Gunn and DC Studios have yet to announce any Aquaman projects as part of their new DC Universe slate.
According to Screenrant, James Wan said that Aquaman’s involvement going forward likely depends on how the Aquaman sequel performs and where DC Studios wants to take other characters first. With the wider DCU plans still developing, Aquaman may stay benched for now.
There are also rumors Momoa could return in the rebooted DCU as the popular antihero Lobo instead of Arthur Curry. So Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom seemingly signals the end of his tenure as the underwater superhero either way.
Online Debate Rages Over the DCEU’s Demise
Reactions online capture how divisive the DCEU franchise remained up to its finale. Some fans are overjoyed to move on from what they consider a disappointing era, applauding the slate getting wiped clean.
But Snyderverse die-hards cling to hopes that Zack Snyder’s vision could still continue somehow. They urge others to keep campaigning for the so-called Snyderverse to get a second life despite Warners’ clear break from the original interconnected universe. Here are some fan reactions to the news:
Goodbye DCEU, could have been the greatest connected Universe ever made but Warner Bros. hates DC so… #RestoreTheSnyderVerse #SellSnyderVerseToNetflix pic.twitter.com/zMiJQbOOYT
— 𝒮𝘢𝘮𝘮𝘪𝘦 🏳️⚧️ ★ ʀᴇʙᴇʟ ᴍᴏᴏɴ (@SnyderQueen_) December 18, 2023
Hope the MCU ends soon too pic.twitter.com/nXeKofOxEM
— 𝓓𝖗. 𝓥𝖔𝐱 𝓞𝖈𝖚𝖑𝖎 (@Vox_Oculi) December 18, 2023
Goodbye and good riddance
— Truly Pete (72%)👽 🔜 Some Rave Eventually (@AStateofPete) December 18, 2023
I’m sad to see Henry Cavill and Gal Gadot go as Superman and Wonder Woman, and think they could’ve done really well in a rebooted DCU, but good riddance to the rest. Especially Ezra, Amber, Ray, and the overall miserable tone of the DCU.
Not to say that I expect much from Gunn.…
— Thor Odinson (@Thor_Odinson) December 18, 2023
at this I don’t think anyone cares anymore, people have moved on from DCEU already
— sohom (@AwaaraHoon) December 18, 2023
What Comes Next for the DCU After Aquaman 2?
Now that the curtain has closed on the DCEU as the first DC shared universe experiment, attention shifts to what James Gunn builds from the ashes. The initial Phase 1 slate seems geared toward mostly new takes on characters like Superman, Batman, and the Suicide Squad rather than direct sequels.
But Aquaman remains one of DC’s most popular modern heroes. Once Gunn and co. move beyond those core pillars, an Aquaman revival seems likely. Though as noted above, that could mean Momoa in a different role within the rebooted continuity.
