New Delhi

Actor Yahya Abdul-Mateen II has said that working in superhero movies like 'Aquaman' is 'clown work' and contrasted it with more serious movies like 'The Trial of the Chicago 7'. He said in a recent interview with Vulture that it is important for him to balance his work in more serious productions.

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“Everything should be about getting to the truth. But sometimes you got to know which movie or genre you’re in. Something like Aquaman, that’s clown work. Aquaman is not The Trial of the Chicago 7. You have got to get over yourself," Abdul-Mateen II said.

"In order to survive (as an actor) and to do it well, you have to play that game and then be crafty about when you want to surprise the audience, the director, or yourself with a little bit of 'Wow, I didn't expect to see a Chekhovian thing or August Wilson and Aquaman, but I did'," he added.

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In 2018's 'Aquaman', Abdul-Mateen II played the villainous role of David Kane or Black Manta. He is after Jason Momoa's superhero and Justice League member Arthur Curry or Aquaman for the death of his father. The actor will return in the role in the sequel, titled 'Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom'.

James Wan, the director, comes back as well. David Leslie Johnson-McGoldrick has penned the script. Willem Dafoe, Patrick Wilson, Dolph Lundgren, Yahya Abdul-Mateen II, Temuera Morrison, and Nicole Kidman will also return.

The first movie was a huge success for DC, raking up more than a billion dollars worldwide. It also received mostly positive reviews with a score of 65 per cent on the review aggregation site Rotten Tomatoes. The critical consensus read, "Aquaman swims with its entertainingly ludicrous tide, offering up CGI superhero spectacle that delivers energetic action with an emphasis on good old-fashioned fun."

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'Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom' will release on December 25, 2023.