With just a few days left before the premiere of Aquaman in theaters, Actor Yahya Abdul-Mateen II sat down for an interview in which he discusses what fans can expect from his portrayal of Black Manta. Warner Bros also released a series of videos meant for both US and overseas markets that highlight Aquaman’s arch nemesis.
Recently website ComicBook.com shared a video that has Abdul-Mateen talking about Black Manta. One thing to note about this video is that it is not unusual for promotional materials that are meant for overseas audiences to feature extended explanation of characters or the plot. In the US, we tend to see trailers that tend to focus on tone and style and only use plot points as a last resort to excite audiences.
Take a look at the videos for yourself:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=157&v=gaCrcuPQ944
Abdul-Mateen discussed in his interview that Black Manta isn’t your typical ‘trying to take over the world villain’. His motivation is more personal than that. He had this to say:
“We meet Black Manta at a time where, it’s just him and his dad, and he’s riding on high, you know. He’s just come off of his wind, and there’s a changing of the guards, so to speak. And then, this guy, Aquaman, comes in, and crashes the party.
“He’s so relentless. And so, in a fight, he’s never down, and he’s never out. And you think that he’s done, but he comes back. And it’s like, ‘Hey, I finished you! I proved my point! I’m stronger than you. Stop it! Stop it! Stop it! Why are you still here?’ You know?
“He doesn’t want to take over the world, he doesn’t have this grand scheme of, like, monopolizing something for his own personal benefit. He’s very much on the line. And so, he has this very strong moral code that he will not compromise, and that he will not negotiate on.”
Black Manta is shaping up to be one of the better parts of the Aquaman movie. Abdul-Mateen’s approach to the character is setting up a really enjoyable challenge to Jason Mamoa’s titular hero.
Here’s hoping audiences agree.
Aquaman premieres on December 21st, 2018
Image credit: Screenrant.com
