Follow us on Google News
Get the latest updates directly in your Google News feed
James Wan’sAquaman(2018) proved a grand triumph for DCEU. The Jason Momoa starrer, which features the actor in the titular hero’s role, became the highest-grossing installment worldwide in the superhero franchise. With Wan at the helm, the film garnered the status of a historic blockbuster. But before the 46-year-old was assigned to direct the movie, another prominent filmmaker was asked to take on the project.
Read more:James Wan Reveals Why He Chooses One Actor for Most of His Movies!
We’re, of course, referring to Oscar-winning talent Peter Jackson, renowned for vividly bringing J. R. R. Tolkien’s magical Middle-earth to life on the big screen. Jackson is no stranger to big-scale commercial blockbusters. One would assume from his repertoire that the director-screenwriter has perfected it. However, when it comes to the world of superheroes, the 62-year-old is not so interested.
In fact, when he was approached to helmAquamanby former Warner Bros Entertainment CEO, Jackson had to turn down the offer—twice!
Peter Jackson Rejected HelmingAquaman(2018) Twice
Talking toEmpire, the helmer, writer, and producer behind the renownedLord of the Ringsand theHobbittrilogy, Peter Jackson, shared an anecdote of how he was approached to directJames Wan‘sAquaman. During the project’s development, former Warner Bros CEO Kevin Tsujihara made the offer to the Emmy-winning talent twice. And funnily enough, Jackson had to turn him down.Twice.
Following was the statement made by the legendary director:
“He said, ‘Are you a fan of Aquaman?’ I said, ‘No.’ Six months later: ‘Peter, are you a fan of Aquaman?’ I said, ’No, Kevin, I already told you this.’ I’m not a superhero guy. I read Tintin… Look, films are hard. I only want to make something that I have a deep passion for.”
Read more:James Wan’s Latest Revelation Might Upset DC Fans!
The sentiment affirmed was followed up with the admission that Jackson didn’t plan to undertake“making another theatrical film for a year or two.”This statement was made in 2019. Since then, the helmer has offered the world a 2021 documentary series namedThe Beatles: Get Back, revolving around the creation of the Beatles’ 1970 albumLet It Be.
There might still be some time till we see another large-scale pursuit tackled byPeter Jackson. Who knows? Perhaps in a few years, the audience will finally have the opportunity to witness the highly anticipatedThe Adventures of Tintinsequel. But superhero movies? That’s a no-no from the New Zealand film director.
James Wan’sAquaman(2018) Was Successful Nevertheless
While it’s enticing to imagine what a world with Peter Jackson’s iteration ofAquaman(as wild as it sounds) would’ve looked like, there’s no denying that James Wan’s efforts in helming the project paid off on the commercial front. According toThe Numbers, the 2018 superhero endeavor grossed $1.143 billion at the worldwide box office. This feat was achieved against a budget of $160–200 million.
It became Warner Bros.’ third-highest-grossing film worldwide, just behind the 2023 lucrative giantBarbieand 2011’sHarry Potter and the Deathly Hallows – Part 2.In an interview withSlash Film, Wan opened up on the liberties he was allowed to take in the second installment,Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom, after the mind-blowing success of the first film. Turns out, the absurdity of the endeavor was welcomed more wholeheartedly:
“I think, from a creative standpoint, having done it in the first film, is really the idea that we can lean into the more absurd aspect of the “Aquaman” world. All the strange and quirky characters and the world itself.”
Read more:Saw 11: Lionsgate Confirms James Wan’s Body Horror Franchise to Return for Sequel
He then affirmed that the second time around, he wasn’t required to explain himself as much as he needed to for the first film. This is because people were now on board with the absurdity of specific elements without questioning them.
Although it is yet to be seen howAquaman and the Lost Kingdom(2023) fares at the box office, whether or not it manages to reach the heights of its predecessor, critics’ reviews for the endeavor do not seem too kind. On Rotten Tomatoes, theJason Momoastarrer currently sits at a 39% rating from 72 reviews.
It remains to be seen what the audience thinks of James Wan’s latest outing.
Aquaman(2018) is available for streaming on Max. Meanwhile,Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom(2023) is set to hit the theatres on 23 August 2025.
Debdipta Bhattacharya
Articles Published :659
Debdipta Bhattacharya is a content writer at FandomWire, where she has written more than 500 articles on various topics of interest. She possesses a sincere passion for popular culture, anime, film production, and the evolving world of YouTube and streaming culture which has allowed her to be a devoted and well-informed writer. Debdipta holds a bachelor’s degree in Mass Communication. She has honed her skills and expertise in content writing with over two years of experience and strives to learn and grow daily.
