George Miller’s Canceled Justice League Aquaman Star Opens Up About Recasting After 20 Years

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Summary

  • Santiago Cabrera almost played Aquaman in a shelved
    Justice League
    movie..
  • Warner Bros used diverse casting with Cabrera and Jason Momoa for Aquaman, moving away from traditional comic portrayal.
  • Cabrera is open to being part of the Marvel Cinematic Universe and the new DCU, potentially as a villain instead of a hero like Aquaman.

As a gamer and huge fan of comic book movies, I’m always intrigued by behind-the-scenes stories like Santiago Cabrera almost playing Aquaman in “Justice League Mortal.” It’s fascinating to imagine how things could have turned out differently. Cabrera’s experience shows us that the casting process for these films is not a straightforward one, and there are often many twists and turns along the way.

Jason Momoa may be well-recognized for his portrayal of Aquaman, but he wasn’t the initial choice for the part in feature films. In fact, as early as 2007, George Miller, director of “Furiosa: A Mad Max Saga,” came extremely close to helming a Justice League film titled “Justice League Mortal.” The production was well on its way, with casting underway, and actor Santiago Cabrera, fresh off his success in the popular TV show “Heroes,” had even been selected for the movie. However, the project was unfortunately shelved due to multiple complications behind the scenes, including the WGA Strike of 2007-2008 and alterations to Australian tax incentives.

In an exclusive interview with The Hollywood Reporter during the promotion of my newest project, “Land of Women,” I opened up about my past experiences, including my involvement in the canceled “Justice League: Mortal.” I expressed my eagerness to join both the Marvel Cinematic Universe and DC’s new DCU. Should the opportunity arise, I would be thrilled to take on a heroic role once more, but I must confess, the allure of portraying a villain is equally enticing. Here’s what I had to say:

In 2007, I had the role of Aquaman before the writers’ strike occurred. I was in Australia working with George Miller, whom I admire greatly. We had a brief conversation prior to the strike. My friend Tom Burke, who gave an excellent performance as Furiosa, relayed a message from George. It felt like being invited to become a superhero. Unfortunately, the writers’ strike halted the production of Justice League: Mortal.

At Wētā, Peter Jackson’s special effects company, I had the opportunity to try on the costume. The experience was incredibly lifelike for a moment. Yet, despite this feeling of reality, I couldn’t help but remind myself that until the production is complete and we’re discussing it publicly, like I am now, it remains unreal. My excitement for this role was palpable, and if offered another chance, I would gladly explore the villain side of things. It holds an appealing allure to me.

Warner Bros. History With Aquaman

In “Justice League: Mortal,” Miller intended to bring together a fresh and promising group of actors for the leading roles, hoping they would continue portraying these characters in future projects. The movie was planned to stand alone from “Batman Begins” and “Superman Returns.” The ensemble featured D.J Cotrona (“Shazam!”) as Superman, Armie Hammer (“The Social Network”) as Batman, Megan Gale (“Mad Max: Fury Road”) as Wonder Woman, Common (“John Wick: Chapter 2”) as John Stewart/Green Lantern, Adam Brody (“The O.C.”) as Barry Allen/Flash, Hugh Geays-Bryne (“Mad Max”) as Martian Manhunter, Teressa Palmer (“Lights Out”) as Talia Al’Ghul, Jay Baruchel (“How to Train Your Dragon”) as Maxwell Lord, and Anton Yelchin (“Star Trek”) as the future Flash, Wally West.

Warner Bros.’ decision to cast Cabrera and eventually Momoa as Aquaman in the mid-2000s signaled a shift away from the long-established blonde Aquaman portrayal in comics. This trend was hinted at earlier on HBO’s “Entourage,” where Adrien Grenier’s character Vincent Chase was cast as Aquaman, despite his physical differences from the comic book image. Although this casting choice was made partly for comedic effect on the show and Grenier is of Spanish and Mexican descent, it seems that Warner Bros. was open to exploring more diverse representations of Aquaman. With Cabrera being Chilean and Momoa of Polynesian descent, this move reflected a commitment to expanding the character’s ethnicity beyond the traditional blonde depiction.

In the ever-evolving world of DC films, Momoa’s tenure as Aquaman may be coming to an end with rumors of his potential casting as Lobo in “Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow.” This opening paves the way for a new Aquaman in James Gunn’s DC Universe. Notably absent from Gunn’s DC announcements are key Justice League members, including Aquaman, Wonder Woman, and The Flash. Although it is unclear if Cabrera will reprise his role as Aquaman, the prospect of him joining a superhero project hasn’t been completely closed following the abandonment of “Justice League: Mortal.” Interestingly, two of Cabrera’s former “Justice League” co-stars, Cotrona and Brody, have appeared together in both “Shazam!” and “Shazam! Fury of the Gods.” With the DC Universe in its infancy and a multitude of villains already established in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, there is no dearth of opportunities for Cabrera to explore new roles.

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2024-07-14 04:03