James Wan broke into Hollywood with one classic horror film after the next. He showed what he was capable of with the likes of “Saw,” “Insidious,” and “The Conjuring.” But he wouldn’t solely stay in the realm of horror for long as action blockbuster filmmaking was calling his name. He helmed “Furious 7,” which remains the highest-grossing movie in the franchise and was later brought on to direct “Aquaman” and its upcoming sequel, “Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom.”
Fans can definitely see those horror roots in his action films, especially with the trailer for “Aquaman 2” showcasing some sinister-looking monsters. But “Furious 7” also helped him craft the next installment of Arthur Curry’s (Jason Momoa) journey. Wan told ComicBook.com how Vin Diesel of “Fast & Furious” fame helped guide the superhero sequel, “I learned about family from ‘Fast and Furious,’ you guys, so it’s coming into play in a big way. You can see a bit of that played into this in a big, big way. [Laughs] No, seriously — you know, the family aspect in this film was something that was very important for me. And you can have Vin to thank for that.”
“Shazam! Fury of the Gods” directly referenced the “Fast & Furious” franchise, and it seems it’s influencing DC films in more ways than one.
Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom is all about brotherly bonds
Arthur and Orm looking at something
Warner Bros.
The first “Aquaman” movie certainly dealt heavily with family themes. After all, Arthur Curry goes to the ocean to deal with his cantankerous brother, Orm (Patrick Wilson), who wants to usurp Arthur’s throne. That movie ends with Orm getting defeated, but as the teaser for “Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom” shows, Arthur will need his help to deal with a powerful threat — Black Manta (Yahya Abdul-Mateen II), who now wields the Black Trident.
Aquaman has apparently learned a lot about family between the two movies. He’s married now and has a child, but that only gives the superhero more weaknesses for his enemies to exploit. In fact, many already assume “Aquaman 2” could adapt one of the darkest storylines from the character’s comics that would really test his resolve.
Wan’s comments are also interesting due to the different types of families featured in the two franchises. “Fast & Furious” is all about found family and how your friends and the people you spend time with can end up closer than blood relatives. Meanwhile, it looks like “Aquaman 2” literally deals with inner-personal familial conflicts. Will Aquaman and Orm be able to set aside their differences and become loving brothers toward one another? If Dom (Vin Diesel) could forgive Jakob (John Cena) in “Fast & Furious,” maybe there’s hope for Aquaman’s family yet.
