Patrick Wilson on Whether He Wanted to Do More ‘Aquaman’ Movies: “I’m happy with that ship sailing.”
DCEU has reached its end, and one of the franchise’s actors, Patrick Wilson, is okay with that. Wilson, who brought Orm Marius—also known as Ocean Master—to life, believes the character’s story has run its course after two films.
Wilson played the half-brother of Jason Momoa’s Aquaman, starting as a villain in the first movie and turning into more of an ally in the sequel. When asked about the idea of another film, he didn’t see a clear path forward for Orm.
“Was I hoping it would be more? I don’t think so,” he said. “I mean, I say this as a guy who’s done several Insidious movies, several Conjurings, a couple Aquaman. It’s not like there’s a stigma to me against sequels. It’s just when you look at the structure of Orm — bad guy in the first one, basically a good guy in the second one — I don’t know where else he goes. I wasn’t signed on for a third. There was no frustration. I don’t know where the story would go. I wouldn’t be opposed to it.” For him, the character’s journey feels complete.
The first Aquaman film, released in 2018, was a massive hit, pulling in $1.15 billion globally and becoming the DCEU’s biggest earner. It featured a strong cast, including Amber Heard as Mera, Dolph Lundgren as Nereus, Yahya Abdul-Mateen II as Black Manta, Willem Dafoe as Nuidis Volka, and Nicole Kidman as Atlanna. Despite a decent 66% rating on Rotten Tomatoes, it won over audiences.
The sequel, The Lost Kingdom, didn’t reach those heights, earning $439.4 million worldwide and a lower 33% on Rotten Tomatoes. It faced challenges, including negative attention tied to Heard’s legal battle with Johnny Depp, but later found success on the streaming platform Max.
Wilson, who enjoyed his time on the sequel, has no regrets. “We had a great time shooting the second one. I had the best time. I feel really fortunate to have my two forays into superheroes be these bizarre characters of Night Owl Two [in Watchmen] and Ocean Master. It’s strange and odd and weird, and I dig that. I’m not going to lie. So, I’m happy with that ship sailing,” he said.
He’s also open to returning if the right opportunity comes up. “Would I go back to it? I mean, if it’s good. Who’s directing it? What’s the story?” he added. Still, he recognizes DC is moving in a new direction and feels satisfied with his contribution.
In my view, it’s refreshing to see an actor like Wilson embrace the end of a franchise without pushing for more just for the sake of it. He seems to value a good story over endless sequels, which is rare in today’s blockbuster world.
The Aquaman series had its moment—huge success with the first, a solid wrap-up with the second—and maybe that’s enough. What do you think? Should DC leave Aquaman behind or find a way to bring Orm back someday? Share your thoughts in the comments below!
