Aquaman star Patrick Wilson remains optimistic about the future of DC’s movie universe, despite its recent troubles. As you’re surely aware by now, Justice League failed to live up to expectations. The fourth entry in the DC Extended Universe fell flat with critics , and it may even end up losing money for Warner Bros. when all is said and done. Fans are left pointing fingers every which way, with some calling out studio meddling, while others are blaming the director(s). Whether it’s a case of thinly written characters, subpar CGI, and even thinly written characters made up of subpar CGI , everyone seems to have a bone to pick with Justice League.

Worse yet, the movie’s underwhelming performance has called the entire DCEU film slate into question. No official adjustments have been made to the shared universe’s schedule as of yet, but it’s hard to imagine that every project they currently have in development will end up getting the green light. At the very least, films like Lobo , Birds of Prey, and Justice League 2 are looking at significant delays.
One project we do know is coming is the Aquaman solo movie, which is due out next December. And for all of the DCEU’s struggles, at least one cast member isn’t particularly worried about the shared universe’s future. In a recent sitdown with Metro, star Patrick Wilson expressed confidence in what’s to come.

As a fan, I sit back and see the choices that they make for directors and they are very strong, focused, individual directors and that takes confidence. It easy to hire someone that is just a yes man. And they’re certainly not, which is very exciting.

Wilson wisely sidestepped the publication’s query of whether or not the DCEU gets a bad wrap, choosing instead to focus on the projects and directors he’s been involved with. (He also provided the voice of the U.S. president in Batman v Superman.) In doing so, he certainly makes a solid point about DC’s willingness to take risks. Their shared universe is young, but it’s already taken some significant gambles, like Suicide Squad and even Wonder Woman . DC just needs to start delivering on these risks more frequently.

Wilson’s optimism isn’t misplaced, however. He’s set for a meaty role in Aquaman — he’s playing the hero’s half-brother, the villainous Ocean Master — under the direction of James Wan, a talented filmmaker who has experience helming crowd-pleasing blockbusters. Wan was an inspired pick for the job . Here’s hoping that Warner Bros. and DC truly allow him to realize his vision and avoid another Justice League debacle