Descriptions of the Aquaman teaser trailer screened at CinemaCon 2018 praise the footage from Warner Bros. and DC Films’ upcoming movie. Last year marked both a massive success for DC Films with the release of Wonder Woman, and an unequivocal misstep with Justice League. However, the superhero franchise continues on with at least three movies on its upcoming slate. Next year will see the release of both David F. Sandberg’s Shazam! and Patty Jenkins’ Wonder Woman 2. Before that, though, James Wan’s Aquaman hits theaters this year.

Fans are eager to see a trailer for Aquaman, which stars Jason Momoa as Arthur Curry. But as explained by Wan recently an Aquaman trailer simply isn’t ready for release yet due to the VFX work needed. Unfinished Aquaman footage screened at SDCC last summer, though it was never released online. Now, DC Films showed a rough Aquaman trailer during the Warner Bros. presentation at CinemaCon 2018 in Las Vegas, Nevada. Descriptions of and reactions to the footage soon made their way online.

According to reports out of CinemaCon, the trailer and footage focuses on the clash between Momoa’s Aquaman and Patrick Wilson’s Ocean Master. The footage includes shots of Atlantis cityscapes and armored seahorses, plus a gladiator-like coliseum. In this coliseum, Ocean Master is seen hyping up a crowd and rallying them against Aquaman, who will challenge his brother for the throne. Further, Momoa also displays his physicality as Aquaman, wielding a quindent and lifting a submarine out of the water.


The footage additionally features Ocean Master delivering the line, “The war is coming to the surface and I am bringing the wrath of the seven seas with me!” teasing the conflict confirmed in the Aquaman synopsis. Plus, Amber Heard’s Mera pleads with Arthur, saying, “Unless you help us, millions will die.” But the trailer doesn’t solely focus on the conflict between Arthur and his brother. It also features quips from Momoa, including, “I’m a blunt instrument, and I am damned good at it.” Lastly, the footage includes a shot of Black Manta (Yahya Abdul-Mateen II), which is described as being extremely close to the character’s comic book appearance.

Those who viewed the Aquaman teaser at CinemaCon also offered their own reactions to it, with many praising what they saw. Despite the footage having unfinished visual effects, it was described by many as “epic,” teasing a much bigger movie than any DC Films has delivered in the past. Certainly, with the amount of time Aquaman is expected to spend underwater, it’s sure to be much different than any other superhero movie fans have seen.

Based on the footage description and reactions out of CinemaCon, it seems DC Films is looking to come back after Justice League with an exceptionally ambitious undertaking. Hopefully, Wan’s take on Aquaman delivers a hit akin to Jenkins’ Wonder Woman. Certainly, it sounds like Aquaman has potential to be a success, but those unable to attend CinemaCon won’t get to see any footage until the trailer is officially released. Since Wan screened a teaser at CinemaCon, perhaps an official trailer will be ready soon.

KEY RELEASE DATES
Aquaman release date: Dec 21, 2018
Shazam! release date: Apr 5, 2019
Wonder Woman 2 release date: Nov 1, 2019