The DC live-action universe has had a fascinating tenure in theaters, full of peaks and valleys. Starting with 2013's Man of Steel, Zack Snyder's blockbuster ended up starting a massive franchise including DC's most beloved comic book characters. But not every movie in the DC universe has been a success, as Patty Jenkins' Wonder Woman was the only critical darling yet.
But that changed with James Wan's Aquaman. The acclaimed horror director brought a previously laughable superhero into the spotlight, and challenged filmmaking possibilities by setting so much of the film underwater. But there are some critics of Aquaman, and certain fans have taken to harassing those naysayers on social media. Wan has now addressed those moviegoers on Twitter, saying:
What a class act. While James Wan has no doubt gotten plenty of hate thrown at him for directing Aquaman, he doesn't recommend that type of behavior. Furthermore, he doesn't want the critics of Aquaman getting online hate.
James Wan's Tweet is just one of the latest ways the director/producer has communicated directly with his fans. Wan often uses social media to directly chat with cinephiles, especially when it came to his work on DC's Aquaman. Given the immense pressure to recover after the missteps of Zack Snyder and Joss Whedon's Justice League, all eyes were on what The Conjuring director would do with Arthur Curry. And he did plenty.
Aquaman hasn't always been a super popular DC superhero, mostly because of the character's power set. He might have been an OG member of the Justice League, but his ability to communicate with fish and ride a giant seahorse were often a punch line in popular culture. But all that changed when Jason Momoa was cast as the role, bringing a hulking physicality that nobody wants to mess with or heckle.
After Jason Momoa's Aquaman chewed the scenery in Justice League, the character was given his own movie and world with Aquaman. James Wan took a deep dive into Atlantis, and used clever filmmaking in order to get the myriad underwater scenes in the can. This included heavy wire work for the actors, and intense visual affects in order to give each characters' clothes and hair a sense of weightlessness.
His efforts seem to be appreciated by the moviegoing public, as Aquaman has made a ton of money at the box office, and offered the DCEU's second critical success. But comic book fans are extremely dedicated, and their passion for the genre can sometimes be taken into a toxic place. In addition to James Wan encouraging Aquaman's fans to lay off the naysayers, he also tells the haters to keep things civil as well.
You can catch Aquaman in theaters now. In the meantime, check out our 2019 release list to plan your trips to the movies in the New Year.
