If there’s one thing we’ve learned about our DC cinematic universe superheroes so far, it’s that they love their mothers. Not wishing to be left out it seems that Jason Momoa‘s Aquaman will also rely on his mother. Stepping into the role of Princess Atlanna (finally a non-Martha) is none other than Nicole Kidman.
It seems that it was director James Wan that drew the Academy Award winning actress to the big-budget production. Speaking with Entertainment Weekly she admitted that she’s been keeping tabs on the fellow Australians career, and jumped at the chance to work with him. Especially as it meant she got to play a bad-ass mermaid warrior royal:
“The reason why I love [Aquaman] is James Wan is an Australian, and I’ve followed his career since he started. He’s a really good friend of mine, and he offered to let me play Queen Atlanna… As soon as he said I could wear mother-of-pearl and be a mermaid warrior, I said I’m done. Please. If there is one thing I have to do in my life, I have to be that.”
The backstory of Princess Atlanna, in the comics at least, is that she is the Princess of Atlantis. Whilst out exploring she falls in love with a lonely lighthouse keeper and gives birth to our titular hero.
This is an interesting casting choice when you consider that Kidman is only twelve years older than her ‘son’, but then this is Hollywood. It’s also not the first time that Kidman has dipped her toe into the DC pool, as she previously played Doctor Chase Meridian in Batman Forever. Whilst that film was camp and kitsch Aquaman will be much darker, and with James Wan at the wheel, probably pretty creepy.
Aquaman splashes into cinemas across the globe on 21st December 2018.
