First appearing in 1941 in DC Comics storylines, Aquaman was adapted to television with cartoons such as The Superman/Aquaman Hour of Adventure and Super Friends.

In 2004, FilmJerk.com reported that Sunrise Entertainment's Alan and Peter Riche planned to bring Aquaman to the big screen for Warner Bros., with Robert Ben Garant writing the screenplay.

Actor Jason Momoa was cast as Arthur Curry/Aquaman in the DC Extended Universe after the success of Man of Steel,[10] with Geoff Johns telling Variety that Aquaman was a priority character for the studio once the DCEU was greenlit.

"[9] Momoa also notes similarities between his character and himself, such as "feeling a connection to water" with his paternal Native Hawaiian ancestry, being raised by a single parent, and living in two drastically different locations in his youth, namely Hawaii and Iowa.

[18] Unlike traditional comic book portrayals of Aquaman, the DCEU iteration of the character has a drastically different appearance, including being covered in tattoos and carrying a gruff demeanor.

[9] Like other superheroes in the DCEU such as Superman/Clark Kent and Batman/Bruce Wayne, Arthur faces self doubt, in part due to feeling alienated from both mankind and the Atlanteans for his half-Atlantean, half-human heritage, but does not suffer a tortured psyche like the other two.

[19][20] Arthur hides his insecurities and troubled past behind a tough and intimidating attitude, choosing to alienate himself from others and almost never showing sympathy towards anyone.

He is notably reluctant to embrace his potential as a king and join in on heroics, initially declining requests for help from Bruce Wayne and Mera.

Atlanna entrusts her son Arthur to her trusted advisor Nuidis Vulko for training, leaving him her trident, and voluntarily goes back to Atlantis, where she is sentenced to certain death by banishment to The Trench for Curry's illegitimate birth.

While growing up, Curry is unable to control his abilities, such as communicating with sea creatures and breathing underwater, and later discovers them while fending off bullies.

[a] In 2015, through files Bruce Wayne takes from Lex Luthor, footage of Curry attacking an NSA drone that was following him in the Pacific Ocean is shown.

In 2017, Wayne and Prince follow up on their plans to recruit the metahumans named in Luthor's files to form a team of superheroes in Superman's absence, especially after a global threat emerges when Steppenwolf arrives in an attempt to destroy all life on Earth.

Despite Wayne revealing his secret identity as Batman, Curry angrily declines Bruce's offer until he notices Steppenwolf's parademons invade Atlantis.

As the team resolves to confront Steppenwolf once more without Superman, Curry gives an impassioned speech, expressing gratitude for meeting the other metahumans and being part of something bigger than himself in the event they die.

Curry takes a part in the battle, protecting Cyborg as he attempts to pull apart the Mother Boxes, though the team's plan is foiled by Steppenwolf.

Superman arrives, however, allowing the team to defeat the demon, who, overcome with fear, retreats back to Apokolips when his own minions attack him.

Curry also expresses concern for Stone carrying out the final attack on the Mother Boxes mere hours after the death of his father, Silas.

One year after Steppenwolf's defeat,[b] Curry begins to engage in more vigilantism, officially gaining the moniker Aquaman from the media much to his chagrin.

Nereus notes that if Orm unites all four kingdoms, he will receive the title of Ocean Master, commander of the most powerful force on the planet.

Curry is caught off-guard and injured, but manages to defeat David and Mera destroys a tracking device from Orm disguised as a bracelet gifted to her.

At their destination, Curry and Mera fend off amphibious monsters of the Trench and a wormhole transports them to an uncharted sea at the center of the Earth.

agents in their fight against an alien parasitic species, the Butterflies, alongside fellow Justice League members Diana Prince, Clark Kent, and Barry Allen.

[23] After Barry Allen changes history by preventing his mother Nora's death, he finds himself in an alternate 2013 about to be invaded by General Zod's forces.

David's forces raid Atlantis for Orichalcum and burn it to drastically increase the Greenhouse effect, also unleashing a plague that kills several citizens including Vulko.

From Orm briefly touching the Black Trident, he learns of the history of the Lost Kingdom, Necrus, and how David needs a blood sacrifice from a descendant of Atlan to free Kordax from imprisonment.

In visions of the future that Stone and Wayne receive, Darkseid personally murdered Arthur at some point while enslaving the Earth and corrupting Superman into his minion, prompting Mera to join Batman's resistance force to seek revenge.

[20] In addition, some analysts have noted similarities between Momoa's Aquaman and Chris Hemsworth's Thor in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.