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Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom arrives in theaters on December 20, 2023. A few weeks before the release, it seemed interesting to us to return to Black Manta, an atypical villain who should be at the heart of this second part. Here are 3 things to know about this character. (Spoiler Alert: the rest of this article reveals elements of the story)
Who is Black Manta?
Black Manta has several origins depending on the comics and the writers. In this article we will focus on the one mentioned in the first film. Thus, the latter has the name David Kane in civilian life. Along with his father, Jesse, they are a duo of mercenaries who run clandestine hacking operations to make ends meet.
King Orm (Aquaman's half-brothers) hires the two men to capture a Russian submarine. The operation ultimately fails because of the superhero, and that's where a tragedy plays out: the ship is damaged and Jesse Kane finds himself trapped on board. David witnesses the death of his helpless father and he thirsts for revenge.
An angry villain
As we saw in the first film, this desire for revenge fails , and Aquaman beats his rival soundly. In the post-credits scene, we even see the latter wandering like a lost soul on the Mediterranean Sea.
Nothing is lost, however, and in this new film, Black Manta hopes that the Black Trident, a formidable weapon that we have already seen in action in the trailers, will allow him to take his revenge. Meanwhile, Aquaman will join forces with his half-brother Orm to try to save his kingdom.
Who is Yahya Abdul-Mateen II, his interpreter?
Born in 1986 , Yahya Abdul-Mateen II is a rising star in Hollywood. We owe him in particular certain notable roles in Baywatch: Baywatch, but also and above all in the excellent The Chicago Seven released on Netflix. And how can we not mention his interpretation of Cal Abar in the HBO series Watchmen which earned him an Emmy Award in 2020.
After a successful debut as Black Manta in the first part, he convinced DC Comics and Warner Bros to trust him by placing him as one of the major figures in this sequel.
Are you thinking of going to see the next Aquaman in the cinema? Feel free to express your point of view in the comments.
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