The sequel to James Wan-directed Aquaman is set to bow on December 22, 2022, Warner Bros studios has announced. The development comes barely a fortnight after Aquaman co-writer David Leslie Johnson-McGoldrick was tapped in to pen the new installment.

According to Variety, Wan and Peter Safran are attached as producers.

It is currently unclear whether Wan would come back to direct. Johnson-McGoldrick co-wrote Aquaman with Will Beall.

The film, last November, turned out to earn USD 1.12 billion globally. It is Warner Bros.’ first DC movie to pass the USD 1 billion mark since 2012’s The Dark Knight Rises.

Aquaman had Jason Momoa play the title role, with Amber Heard, Willem Dafoe, Patrick Wilson, Dolph Lundgren, Yahya Abdul-Mateen II, and Nicole Kidman in supporting parts.

The studio is also developing horror spin-off from the Aquaman series, titled The Trench.

Meanwhile, Will Smith has exited the sequel of his 2016 DC-Warner Bros hit film Suicide Squad.

Even though his return had not been made official, sources told variety.com that Smith, who played Deadshot in the original, is not expected to return for the upcoming sequel. They say scheduling was the ultimate factor and that the decision was made on amicable terms between both sides with no hard feelings.

Though the studio has never confirmed who would be returning for The Suicide Squad, insiders say the studio has always wanted its biggest stars like Smith and Margot Robbie, who played Harley Quinn in the first installment, to return while figuring out other casting decisions along the way.

The studio is still fully behind the sequel after the original did so well, bringing in $746 million at the box office.

(With IANS inputs)

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First Published: Feb 28, 2019 18:43 IST