James Wan has been trying to bring Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom back to calmer waters.
Wan has already addressed rumors Amber Heard‘s role superhero flick was reduced, and has now responded to further noise around the production. The director told Empire that reports over reshoots didn’t capture the real picture of events on-set.
“We probably did seven or eight days [of reshoots], which is nothing for a movie of this size,” said Wan. “It was just spread out because it’s so hard to get your actors back once you’ve finished the initial shoot.”
Wan added he had “built an entire franchise from a reshoot,” in relation to The Nun, which benefitted from last-minute additional photography. “I’m not the kind of person that says, ‘This movie has to turn out exactly how I planned it on day one.’ Your art will never be organic if you’re locked into that mentality.”
However, Wan did admit he needs to be “more Zen in dealing with all the noise around me” in relation to stories that emerge about productions. “I’m a pretty private person,” he added. “I don’t get on social media and have fights, but it’s difficult because this narrative has emerged that is not the reality. The noise is fun to write about, and it gets clicks, but people don’t know the truth.”
The first Aquaman pic was a major hit for DC, grossing over a billion dollars at the box office and installing star Jason Momoa as genuine leading man. However, stories about reshoots and studio interference have plagued the sequel in the midst of delays.
“Look, I’m a collaborative filmmaker — I welcome people’s thoughts and opinions, but ultimately, I feel I have more than proven myself, so, it was like: ‘This is the movie I want to make,’” Wan told Empire.
Elsewhere in the interview, Wan said he was open to directing a third instalment of the Aquaman franchise, though he noted he was “not sure what direction” DC Studios co-chiefs Peter Safran and James Gunn wanted to take it. “I’ve learned to never say never,” added Wan.
