It Moist Be Love: How Did James Wan Persuade Nicole Kidman to Return to DC for 'Aquaman'

Well, it looks like production is well underway on #JamesWan's #Aquaman, the next film hoping to make a splash in the great ocean that is the #DCEU. As the cast sun themselves while filming on Australia's Gold Coast, stars like #JasonMomoa, #AmberHeard, and #WillemDafoe are sure to be hard at work. However, away from Heard's casting as the female lead Mera, another dazzling starlet has been grabbing the headlines. #NicoleKidman's inclusion as Aquaman's mother, Atlanna, marks the actress's second foray into the world of DC after playing Dr. Chase Meridian in the lackluster Batman Forever

Given Kidman's acting credentials in the likes of Moulin Rouge!, Eyes Wide Shut, and The Others, she is certainly one of Hollywood's leading ladies and a welcome addition to the production. Just as Kevin Feige has promised that the MCU will up its A-list actors for future films, the DCEU is keen not to be beaten on star power either. So, how did James Wan recruit the fiery red-haired Aussie to go down under the sea?

Better Down Where It's Wetter

Speaking to Deadline, Kidman gushed over her chance to play Arthur Curry's mother and said that all it took was a costume idea and Wan had reeled her in:

"When he said 'female warrior from the sea' who wears mother of pearl, I went 'Yes. Female warrior from the sea. Me like."

She also revealed that she has wanted to work with Wan for a long time. Despite this, Aquaman is certainly a move away from his usual horror fare with films like Saw, Dead Silence, and Insidious:

"Well, James Wan is Australian, and he’s a friend of mine. I think he’s going to make an amazing movie. We’ve always circled each other, so when he came to me, I was like, ‘James, I’ll do anything for you.’”

Set after the events of #ZackSnyder and #JossWhedon's upcoming #JusticeLeague, Aquaman promises to be a nautical nightmare as our titular hero is pitted against long-term villains like Ocean Master and Black Manta. Given Momoa's seemingly comedic role in Justice League, expect Aquaman to be similarly light in tone, however, expect Kidman to carry her usual stoic stance and be one to watch as the (former) Queen of the Seven Seas.

Personally, I can't wait to see Kidman cast off the shackles of Chase Meridian and reinvent herself for a more grown-up era of #superhero films. Sadly, Atlanna normally meets a grim fate on the pages of Aquaman, but at least it means we can probably expect Kidman to get some dramatic underwater action scenes instead of being relegated to the sidelines.

Given a boom from DC in female-first films like Wonder Woman and Batgirl, it is refreshing to see that the fairer sex is going head to head with the macho world of Batman and Superman, as well as actors like #BenAffleck and #HenryCavill. Powehouse actresses like Robin Wright in Wonder Woman and Kidman in Aquaman show that you don't have to wear your Y-Fronts outside your clothes or have an ill-fitting codpiece to pull in the crowds. Let's just hope Kidman and Aquaman are catch of the day instead of a damp squib that causes the smell of rotten fish to waft over the DCEU once more!