‘Aquaman’s’ Yahya Abdul-Mateen II Teases the Return of Black Manta

Yahya Abdul-Mateen II, the actor best known for his role as Black Manta in the DCEU’s 2018 hit, Aquaman, teased the return of the villain in the movie’s sequel. The actor was as part of an Aquaman Live II panel at a Celebrity Fan Fest 2019 in San Antonio, joined by fellow co-stars Amber Heard and Dolph Lundgren.

According to SuperBroMovies, Abdul-Mateen II stated his iconic supervillain character Black Manta will definitely make an appearance in the upcoming sequel. He’s quoted as saying, “Black Manta is gonna come back with some strong vengeance!” If you haven’t seen Aquaman for whatever reasons, beware cause there are spoilers ahead.

‘Aquaman’ Mid-Credit Scene: Black Manta Return

In the first movie, Aquaman aka Arthur (Jason Momoa) and Mera (Amber Heard) head to Italy to retrieve the map which will lead them to the Trident of Atlan. But they aren’t the only ones who desire the trident. The trident is also wanted by Orm (Patrick Wilson), Aquaman’s half brother who is hellbent on ruling Atlantis no matter the cost. To avoid letting Aquaman get the trident and going on to rule, he enlists the help of Abdul-Mateen’s Black Manta. Thus during the mission, Aquaman and Hera are ambushed by Black Manta and his henchmen.

Aquaman and Hera manage to defeat Black Manta and during the fight, his suit is severely damaged and he is presumed dead after falling into the ocean. In the mid-credit scene, we see that isn’t the case. It appears that Black Manta has been rescued by Dr. Stephen Shin. Dr. Shin himself being a scientist and conspiracy theorist obsessed with the Atlanteans asks Black Manta to lead him to Atlantis. Black Manta agrees, but in exchange for his help, Dr. Shin would aid him in his quest for revenge on Arthur.

Black Manta: Comic Book vs Movie

Contrary to what we saw in the 2018 movie, Black Manta has a different origin in the comics. The identity of his parents is never disclosed as he is introduced as an orphan simply fascinated with Aquaman and seeks to rule Atlantis. In the comic books, his armor is created solely by himself without the help of Orm, as portrayed in the movie.

The movie displays the villain as somewhat sympathetic in a bid to perhaps to make his motives believable. The movie version of the character, however, shows a little bit of his backstory as we see his father die because Aquaman refuses to save him. This makes the character have a more compelling arc and a truly valid reason to want Aquaman dead. So with his father gone, Black Manta is vindicated in his quest for revenge at all cost.

Aquaman Sequel Release and Cast

A sequel to Aquaman was always inevitable following its box office haul of over one billion dollars. During the first movie’s post-production, director James Wan stated that the first movie intentionally left a host of storylines out to make rooms for a sequel down the line. Lead actor Jason Momoa further mentioned to SyfyWire in an interview that he had written a beginning for a sequel and had pitched it to the studio, who was totally receptive and enthusiastic about his ideas.

The cast for the next movie is nailed down with returning cast members like Jason Momoa, Amber Heard, the aforementioned Yahya Abdul-Mateen II, Dolph Lungren, and others. The director is yet to be confirmed as the studio is still courting James Wan to direct.

Warner Bros. has set a release date of December 16, 2022 for Aquaman 2.