We can be pretty certain that Jason Momoa will be a part of the DCU in one way or another, though it remains to be seen if that will see him continuing on in this new universe as Aquaman or perhaps playing a different character, such as the long-rumored Lobo. In any case, fans haven’t seen the last of Momoa’s run in the role of Arthur Curry just yet. After the smash success of Aquaman, Momoa is set to lead the cast of the sequel Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom. After undergoing multiple delays, the sequel is currently scheduled to be released in movie theaters on Dec. 25, 2023.

Aquaman 2 was in the can long before it was announced that Peter Safran and James Gunn would be scrapping the majority of the DCEU’s future plans. They will shift focus to their new DC universe, dubbed the DCU. Momoa has previously revealed he met with Safran and Gunn, teasing that they had big plans in store for him. However, he didn’t say precisely what those plans were, and it still remains a mystery how he’ll be involved in the DCU.

In any case, Momoa feels very confident that the Aquaman character will be a part of the DCU. He says as much in a new interview with Total Film, though he slyly avoids saying specifically that it will be his Aquaman, or another incarnation of the superhero. Maybe that depends upon how well Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom performs in theaters, as Momoa goes on to stress how much he wants fans to check out the film. From the interview:

“Peter [Safran]’s my producer [on Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom], and is a dear friend. I absolutely think Aquaman will be involved in the DCU. It’s on, bro – there’s no one bigger than Aquaman! But, also, I hope people are excited to see the new one. It’s fun. I really enjoy doing comedy. There’s some really funny stuff with Patrick Wilson. I really adore him. We had a great time working together. It’s like we’re brothers. There’s a lot of cool stuff happening in this one.”

Related: DCU: Is Shazam: Fury of the Gods Worth Including in James Gunn’s New Universe?

Is Shazam! Fury of the Gods Bombing a Bad Sign for Aquaman 2?
Warner Bros.

While the first Aquaman was a big success at the box office, the sequel faces some major problems ahead of its arrival. One of its stars, Amber Heard, has had her reputation severely tarnished as a result of her legal battle with former husband Johnny Depp, resulting in a popular petition for her to be removed from the movie. Some filmgoers have said they refuse to watch the movie if she’s a part of it.

Meanwhile, Shazam! Fury of the Gods coming up short at theaters with its recent release could be seen as a sign of fans choosing to skip what’s left of the DCEU-set films that are still coming out, following Safran and Gunn taking over with the DCU. Some may see it as pointless to invest more time into those films knowing that any teases for sequels will likely go nowhere, as was the case with Black Adam setting up Henry Cavill’s Superman return.

There’s no way of knowing just how much these or other reasons will affect the theatrical performance of the sequel, but we’ll find out come this holiday season. Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom hits theaters on Dec. 25, 2023.