Director James Wan returns this Christmas with his DC superhero sequel Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom. We're reunited with Jason Momoa's brawny title character as he seeks to protect his fabled underwater kingdom of Atlantis.
With the first trailer now out, here's what we've learned and what you need to remember from the first film.
1. The Aquaman sequel keeps it in the family
At the end of the first Aquaman movie, our reluctant ruler-in-the-maker (aka Arthur Curry) had to overthrow the usurper to Atlantis' throne (more on whom momentarily).
Crowned the king of the deep, Arthur later reconciled and married the telepathic Mera (Amber Heard, barely glimpsed in this trailer). That's the starting point for the trailer for The Lost Kingdom: Aquaman/Arthur and Mera are now married and have a child.
Aquaman now bisects his time between the surface and the underwater kingdoms, allowing the re-introduction of his human father Tom (Temeura Morrison) and his Atlantean mother Atlanna (Nicole Kidman).
2. It retains Black Manta's mission of vengeance from the first movie
Our antagonist this time is a familiar one. Mercenary David Kane (Yahya Abdul-Mateen II) first clashed with Aquaman after the latter was embroiled in the death of David's stepfather aboard a Russian submarine.
Kane was later gifted an Atlantean body suit that made him largely impervious to damage. It was soon revealed that the villainous Prince Orm (Patrick Wilson – again, we'll get to him) hired David and his father to hijack the Russian submarine to win the support of Nereus (Dolph Lundgren), king of the Atlantean tribe of Xebel.
Eventually defeated in battle by Aquaman, Kane later re-imagined himself as Black Manta and vowed vengeance. In Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom, Black Manta is gunning for Aquaman's throne, and given he has a beef with Orm as well, we imagine he'll be doubling down on his targets.
3. Black Manta has upped the ante
In order to vanquish Aquaman, Black Manta has acquired the mystical Dark Trident. It's in direct opposition to Aquaman's Trident of Atlantan, which is designed for noble purposes.
No more details about Black Manta's weapon are forthcoming at this stage. But given it has dark in the name, we imagine it's not good.
4. Aquaman and Orm are now frenemies and allies
Again, to recap the first movie, Prince Orm claimed the throne of Atlantis via nefarious means, ousting the true ruler Aquaman. Orm is Arthur's Atlantean half-brother and was imprisoned following his crimes against Atlantis in the last film.
Aquaman now tracks down Orm (he's just Orm now) and they team up to stave off the threat of Black Manta. There's also an appearance from 300 and Troy actor Vincent Regan as Atlan, renowned as the first King of Atlantis.
What part will he play in the story? We'll have to wait and see. But it seems that James Wan and his filmmaking team are keen to explore the wider heritage of the underwater kingdom as everything comes to a head.
Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom is released on December 20th.
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