Dolph Lundgren Joins Jason Momoa in ‘Aquaman’ (Exclusive) (original) (raw)
Dolph Lundgren is making his return to studio movies by diving deep into the world of comic book films.
The veteran action star, whose credits range from Rocky IV to the recent Expendables movies, has joined Aquaman, Warner Bros.’ big-screen take on DC Comics’ underwater-breathing superhero.
James Wan is sitting in the director’s chair for the big-budget tentpole, which is eyeing a May production start in Australia.
Jason Momoa is starring as the title character, and the film’s call sheet includes Amber Heard as Mera, Aquaman’s royal love interest; Nicole Kidman as Aquaman’s mother; and Patrick Wilson as Orm, a villain who happens to be Aquaman’s half-brother.
Willem Dafoe is playing Aquaman’s adviser, scientist Dr. Vulko; Yahya Abdul-Mateen II is classic villain Black Manta; and Temuera Morrison is Aquaman’s father.
Lundgren will play King Nereus of the aquatic kingdom of Xebel, who claims Mera as his own and wants to kill Aquaman.
Lundgren made his acting debut with the James Bond movie A View to a Kill (1985), but punched his impression on pop culture playing Soviet boxer Drago in 1985’s Rocky IV. Among his other notable roles were playing He-Man in 1987’s Masters of the Universe and playing Marvel Comics antihero Frank Castle in 1989’s The Punisher.
Starring roles in movies such as 1992’s Universal Soldier became more of a rarity as studios changed the model for action pics in the early 2000s, but appearing alongside other action vets in Sylvester Stallone’s Expendables movies raised Lundgren’s profile once again.
He takes center stage in the video for the new Imagine Dragons song “Believer,” and he starred in an ad for Nat Geo’s Brain Games TV show.
Lundgren is repped by Gersh, manager Craig Baumgarten and Bloom Hergott.
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