A new image and piece of concept from Aquaman feature the Atlanteans heading into battle on the backs of some fearsome sea creatures. When Aquaman was first announced as heading to the DCEU with Jason Momoa in the role, the actor and Man of Steel director Zack Snyder tried valiantly to prove the character was tougher than his public perception. Back in 2014, Snyder promised Aquaman would be “badass” and Justice League went out of its way trying to paint the hero as the rockstar of the group. But for Aquaman, the film will have to sustain the image for a much longer period.

Thanks to EW’s coverage of Aquaman, we’ve finally been given some proper glimpses of the film ahead of the trailer release. Though the underwater world Aquaman will inhabit was teased in Justice League, new images and details from the solo movie have finally revealed more about the fabled location of Atlantis. Now, we have another look at the outskirts of the city along with a subversion of a classic Aquaman punchline.

EW revealed two new images today, highlighting a war between two kingdoms in Aquaman. We learned yesterday that Atlantis has seven kingdoms, but the new still from the film and concept art of the same scene show a brewing conflict between two of the factions. They also feature Atlanteans riding sharks and seadragons, echoing moments from the comics.

According to EW, the scene takes place in the ruins of The Council Of Kings. The seven statues are kings and queens of old, who each ruled over one of the underwater kingdoms. Now, the place is the meeting ground between King Nereus’ forces from Xebel on the backs of seadragons, with King Orm’s Atlantean army riding great white sharks. Orm himself is astride a tylosaur, a variation on the real-life tylosaurus which bridged a gap between sharks and crocodiles. We can also see Vulko next to Orm riding a black hammerhead shark.

Not only does the image give us a good look at the warriors of Atlantis and Xebel, but it also plays with some moments from the comics. Aquaman riding a shark is a classic concept from the page, so hopefully he’ll hop on the back of one of the creatures. The future King of Atlantis is also known for riding a seahorse, especially in the Super Friends TV show (which Adult Swim would later parody, adding to the negative view of Aquaman). The scenes show that the minds behind Aquaman are comfortable playing with perceptions, but whether they’ll swing too far in the other direction and land back in parody territory remains to be seen.

Yesterday, we got a better look at Orm in Aquaman (plus a brief glimpse of Vulko) and learned that Aquaman’s half-brother will be king of Atlantis when the film kicks off. That could mean this battle happens early in the film, before Arthur Curry emerges as the rightful ruler of the kingdom. It’s that conflict that will likely see Orm become the supervillain Ocean Master, at which point his legion of shark riders will certainly make a match for Momoa’s character and provide some unique action scenes for Aquaman.

MORE: The DCEU is Finally Generating Good Post-Justice League Buzz

Source: EW

  • Aquaman Release Date: 2018-12-21 Shazam! Release Date: 2019-04-05 Wonder Woman 2 Release Date: 2020-12-25