‘Aquaman’ is shaping up to be intriguing

DC Comics has its highly anticipated solo film on the way in June’s “Wonder Woman.” But looking beyond that, “Aquaman” is shaping up to be the next big fish that could help DC’s cinematic fortunes.

From the outset, Jason Momoa has been hailed as an inspired pick to play the title role, with Patrick Wilson (villainous half-brother Orm), Amber Heard (Aquaman squeeze Mera) and Willem Dafoe (wise Dr. Vulko) also aboard.

Now comes word that Yahya Abdul-Mateen II (“The Get Down”) has been cast to play the evil Black Manta — on the heels of the actor having been shortlisted to play young Lando Calrissian in Star Wars’ Han Solo spinoff (the part went to Donald Glover). Also this week: The Hollywood Reporter says that Nicole Kidman is in talks to play Aquaman’s mother for her fellow Aussie, director James Wan.

So while many DC fans have trained their focus on the forthcoming “Justice League” and a solo Batman film (starring Ben Affleck, the movie now has no director), “Aquaman” is coming together in ways that boost our hope for what the “Saw” and “Furious 7? filmmaker can deliver in creating his own Atlantis.

Plus, big-screen Aquaman will be introduced to many superhero fans this November in “Justice League.” As one of the strongest metahumans around, Momoa’s hero should figure quite prominently in the action.

This is the slated DC project that we predict will be the biggest surprise over the next two years (the film is set for October 2018).

The biggest reason for our belief? Because in Wan, the film boasts a director who can juggle the storytelling threads within an action film — the weakest aspect, by contrast, of Zack Snyder’s skill set.

Now, if only someone of Forest Whitaker’s caliber would be cast as Aquadad.