Jason Momoa Was Convinced He Was Playing Lobo in the DCEU and Made a Disgusted Face When Zack Snyder Cast Him as Aquaman

It’s not always easy to land a dream role in Hollywood. An actor may go to an audition for one role but might end up being cast for an entirely new role, which sometimes even becomes career-defining. Jason Momoa’s run in the DCEU has been a perfect example of such a scenario.

Momoa’s journey in the DC Universe is one such story that involves two iconic characters- Aquaman and Lobo. From what fans know him today as the King of Atlantis, Momoa had the intention of being another DC character.

How Jason Momoa became Aquaman instead of Lobo

Lobo is an anti-hero who first appeared in Omega Men #3 in 1983 and is probably most notable for his violence and disregard for anyone but himself. Developed by Roger Slifer and Keith Giffen, this Czarnian alien bounty hunter sold really well during the 1990s.

The casting of DCEU started early when Zack Snyder and his wife Deborah saw Momoa featured in Game of Thrones. They initially thought that decision was rather radical, but they still could see that he would give the proper edge to the character. In an interview with LA Times, Deborah said,

We’re big ‘Game of Thrones’ fans…I remember Jason Momoa. Zack was like, ‘Jason would be the perfect Aquaman.’ I was like, ‘It’s so out of the box. But yeah!’ He can be tough. And he feels like he comes from the water.

However, Jason Momoa had different expectations when he got a call on the set. The actor was so sure about portraying Lobo that he mentioned it to Snyder. He revealed to Fandango,

I originally thought I was going to be playing Lobo in the very beginning. I auditioned for Batman, and I almost didn’t do it, because I was like, ‘This is silly. It’s not going to be me. Why am I auditioning for Batman?’ But it was just a run of the mill audition, and then I get called in right after Affleck gets announced, and I’m like, ‘Oh, f***. Of course I’m going to play the bad guy.’

The director dismissed Momoa’s aspirations, saying that Lobo wasn’t even in the universe. Momoa added further,

I got called in the office, and that was just like, ‘Well, do you know who you’re going to play?’ I’m like, ‘Yeah, Lobo! Of course. He’s the only one who can fight Batman and Superman.’ [Director Zack Snyder was] like, ‘What? Lobo? No, he’s not in this universe.’ I’m like, ‘What? Who the hell am I supposed to play?’ And then, I wish he would’ve taped it, because he’s like, ‘Aquaman.’ And I’m like [disappointed face].

However, when Momoa finally asked about Snyder’s plan for the Aquaman character, he came on board almost instantly, as his version was going to be different from the usual comic book portrayals, as seen in the movies. 

Jason Momoa finally gets his chance to play Lobo

According to Deadline, Jason Momoa has been confirmed to play Lobo in the upcoming Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow. The actor shared the news on Instagram with a screenshot of his past comments about wanting to play the character, along with a simple caption- “They called.”

Momoa has always been very open about how much he loves the character. He told Fandango,

So Lobo was… I collect comics, and I don’t do so much anymore, but he was always my favorite, and I always wanted to play Lobo, because I’m like, ‘Hello? It’s the perfect role. I mean, listen. If they call and ask me to play him, it’s a f**k yeah… I haven’t received that call, so I don’t want to put any fake news out there, but if they ever call me and ask me to play, or ask me to audition, I’m there.

Lobo is undoubtedly someone who can face off against the likes of big superheroes like Superman. He does have the basic powers of a Czarnian, like super strength, regeneration, and near invincibility. A bounty hunter who loves chaos and destruction, the character looks suited for Momoa’s muscular onscreen persona.

While plot details for Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow are being kept a secret, the project is assembling a promising cast. Milly Alcock has got the title role, and the main villain, Krem, will be played by Matthias Schoenaerts. Craig Gillespie will direct the movie from the script written by Ana Nogueira, with shooting starting on January 13.

Aquaman and Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom are available to stream on Max.