Skip to main content
  • TotalFilm
  • Edge
  • Newsarama
  • Retrogamer
GamesRadar+ GamesRadar+
US EditionUS CA EditionCanada UK EditionUK AU EditionAustralia
Sign in
  • View Profile
  • Sign out
  • News
  • Reviews
  • Features
  • More
    • PS5
    • Xbox Series X
    • Nintendo Switch
    • Nintendo Switch 2
    • PC
    • Platforms
    • Tabletop Gaming
    • Comics
    • Toys & Collectibles
    • Newsarama
    • Retro Gamer
    • Newsletters
    • About us
    • Features
Trending
  • Best Netflix Movies
  • Movie Release Dates
  • Best movies on Disney Plus
  • Best Netflix Shows
Don't miss these
Alan Ritchson as 81 in War Machine
Sci-Fi Movies Alan Ritchson says Reacher was the most physically demanding role he'd ever played before signing on to War Machine
Adam Driver as Kylo Ren in Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker
Animated Movies Adam Driver accidentally "invented this thing that changed animation forever" as Kylo Ren: the Adam Driver bar
DCU Chapter One explained: James Gunn smiling.
Superhero Movies DCU Chapter One: Every movie and show in the new DC cinematic universe
Dune 2
Movies Upcoming movies: The most exciting new movies coming in 2026 and beyond
Alan Ritchson as 81 in War Machine
Sci-Fi Movies War Machine director says practical FX was "paramount" to make the sci-fi action movie feel as real as possible
A Na'vi draws a bow in Avatar: Fire and Ash
Sci-Fi Movies James Cameron says Avatar 4 is still "very likely", despite Fire and Ash making $870 million less than The Way of Water
Alan Ritchson in War Machine
Sci-Fi Movies War Machine star Alan Ritchson says the film's most dangerous stunt was "pretty terrifying," as he ziplined over rapids
Oona Chaplin as Varang in Avatar: Fire and Ash
Sci-Fi Movies Avatar: Fire and Ash review: "Still a technical marvel, with some of the year's best action filmmaking"
Ryan Gosling as Ryland Grace in Project Hail Mary
Sci-Fi Movies Project Hail Mary director clarifies that "'no green screen' doesn’t mean 'no VFX'" and confirms use of practical sets
Mortal Kombat
Action Movies Mortal Kombat 2 release date, trailer, cast, plot, and more news
The first trailer for Markiplier's Iron Lung adaptation is here
Horror Movies Markiplier ditched Iron Lung VFX company over budget and turned his bathroom into "render farm" with servers from eBay
Jack Black in A Minecraft Movie
Adventure Movies A Minecraft Movie 2 release date, cast, plot, and everything else we know so far about the block-tastic sequel
Robert Pattinson in The Batman
Superhero Movies Upcoming DC movies and TV shows: Every DCU title coming soon
Neytiri and Jake Sully in Avatar: Fire and Ash
Sci-Fi Movies Avatar 4 release date, cast, plot, and everything else you need to know
Superman kisses Lois Lane in James Gunn's Superman
Movies The 20 best movies on HBO Max to watch right now
  1. Entertainment
  2. Movies
  3. Superhero Movies

Aquaman director James Wan says new technology made filming the sequel less painful for actors

News
By Emily Garbutt published 28 April 2022

"On the first movie, we really put the actors through a lot of physical pain"

When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission. Here’s how it works.

image of Jason Momoa as Aquaman
(Image credit: Warner Bros.)
  • Facebook
  • X
  • Pinterest
  • Flipboard
  • Email
Share this article
Join the conversation
Follow us
Add us as a preferred source on Google
Get the GamesRadar+ Newsletter

Bringing all the latest movie news, features, and reviews to your inbox


By submitting your information you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over.

You are now subscribed

Your newsletter sign-up was successful


An account already exists for this email address, please log in.
Subscribe to our newsletter

Aquaman director James Wan has admitted that filming the first movie put Jason Momoa and his fellow DCEU actors "through a lot of physical pain." However, it seems like the upcoming sequel, Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom, saw a big improvement for its stars using new 3D technology. 

"On the first movie, we really put the actors through a lot of physical pain, you know hanging them on wires and what we call tuning forks," Wan explained during the currently ongoing CinemaCon (via CinemaBlend). 

"It was not the most comfortable apparatus to be strapped into. With this film we were able to now embrace new technology where we literally captured… literally putting like 100 cameras on the actors, capturing their performances and then taking what they do and then applying that to a 3D version of themselves."

You may like
  • Sigourney Weaver as Kiri in Avatar: Fire and Ash Aquaman director James Wan says he'd "love to take a crack" at James Cameron's Avatar
  • Alan Ritchson in War Machine War Machine star Alan Ritchson says the film's most dangerous stunt was "pretty terrifying," as he ziplined over rapids
  • Oona Chaplin as Varang in Avatar: Fire and Ash James Cameron responds to criticism of 3D and high frame rate in the Avatar movies

He added: "It’s less painful for the actors, which makes it easier for me as well, because they’re not screaming and yelling at me… but the most important thing is it really frees up the filmmaking to really do things I’ve never been able to do before. And that is exciting."

Alongside Momoa, who reprises the role of Arthur Curry (AKA Aquaman), Amber Heard, Patrick Wilson, and Dolph Lundgren will also return as Mera, Orm, and King Nereus, while Yahya Abdul-Mateen II is back as antagonist Black Manta. 

Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom arrives on the big screen on March 17, 2023. In the meantime, check out our list of the best superhero movies of all time.

Sign up for the Total Film Newsletter

Bringing all the latest movie news, features, and reviews to your inbox

By submitting your information you agree to the Terms & Conditions and Privacy Policy and are aged 16 or over.
Emily Garbutt
Emily Garbutt
Social Links Navigation
Entertainment Writer

I’m an Entertainment Writer here at GamesRadar+, covering everything film and TV-related. I help bring you all the latest news, features, and reviews, as well as helming our Big Screen Spotlight column. I’ve previously written for publications like HuffPost and i-D after getting my NCTJ Diploma in Multimedia Journalism.

Read more
Sigourney Weaver as Kiri in Avatar: Fire and Ash
Aquaman director James Wan says he'd "love to take a crack" at James Cameron's Avatar
 
 
Alan Ritchson in War Machine
War Machine star Alan Ritchson says the film's most dangerous stunt was "pretty terrifying," as he ziplined over rapids
 
 
Oona Chaplin as Varang in Avatar: Fire and Ash
James Cameron responds to criticism of 3D and high frame rate in the Avatar movies
 
 
Sam Worthington as Jake Sully in Avatar: Fire and Ash
James Cameron left strict instructions on how theaters should play Avatar: Fire and Ash
 
 
Dune
Jason Momoa says you haven't seen anything yet from Timothee Chalamet: "Wait until you see him in Dune 3… I'm serious"
 
 
Kelly Gale in the first Deep Water teaser
Shark horror is so back as Deep Blue Sea director returns to the genre with action-packed first trailer for Deep Water
 
 
Latest in Superhero Movies
Hannah John-Kamen as Ghost, Lewis Pullman as Sentry, Florence Pugh as Yelena Belova, and Wyatt Russell as US Agent in Thunderbolts
Marvel star Lewis Pullman puts Avengers: Doomsday cameo overload fears to rest: "Every character has their moment"
 
 
Delroy Lindo as Delta Slim in Sinners
Sinners star Delroy Lindo told director Ryan Coogler that he wants to be in Black Panther 3 "if the stars line up"
 
 
Ben Affleck in Zack Snyder's Justice League
Zack Snyder would "still make Dark Knight Returns as a film" even though he admits he did "steal" from the comic
 
 
Doctor Strange wearing cape
10 years on, Marvel fans are still confused over the Doctor Strange post-credits scene: "Did Marvel forget about that?"
 
 
Aaron Taylor-Johnson as Sergei Kravinoff in the upcoming movie, Kraven the Hunter.
Sony CEO confirms Spider-Man spin-off universe will get total reboot, but says partnership with Marvel is "great"
 
 
Tom Hardy as Venom symbiote in Venom 2018
Sony's Venom lives on with new animated movie from Final Destination: Bloodlines directors and producer Tom Hardy
 
 
Latest in News
Peak mesa biome
Peak came about after a bet between Content Warning and Another Crab's Treasure leads to see whose game would sell more
 
 
Jin, Mugen, and Fuu standing in a row
Samurai Champloo is getting a live-action Netflix series from One Piece studio, and the original creator is on board
 
 
Bill Skarsgård as Pennywise in the It: Welcome to Derry finale
It: Welcome to Derry season 2 is officially in the works, as showrunner promises "something greater" than season 1
 
 
Mass Effect
"F***ing Colonel Shepard dies in Mass Effect 3, and that makes us the Worst Company in America," former EA exec laments
 
 
a ditto human sitting on some logs with pikachu and pichu
Pokopia's unhinged dialogue is tempting me away from Animal Crossing: "It's a pretty nice butt, don't you think?"
 
 
A lady looks shocked.
55-year industry vet made the first CRPG, got laid off, went bankrupt, but "I don't care": "Business does not love you"
 
 
LATEST ARTICLES
  1. Peak mesa biome
    1
    Peak came about after a bet between Content Warning and Another Crab's Treasure leads to see whose game would see more
  2. 2
    Samurai Champloo is getting a live-action Netflix series from One Piece studio, and the original creator is on board
  3. 3
    It: Welcome to Derry season 2 is officially in the works, as showrunner promises "something greater" than season 1
  4. 4
    "F***ing Colonel Shepard dies in Mass Effect 3, and that makes us the Worst Company in America," former EA exec laments
  5. 5
    55-year industry vet made the first CRPG, got laid off, went bankrupt, but "I don't care": "Business does not love you"

GamesRadar+ is part of Future US Inc, an international media group and leading digital publisher. Visit our corporate site.

Add as a preferred source on Google Add as a preferred source on Google
  • Terms and conditions
  • Contact Future's experts
  • Privacy policy
  • Cookies policy
  • Accessibility statement
  • Careers
  • About us
  • Advertise with us
  • Review guidelines
  • Write for us
  • Accessibility Statement

© Future US, Inc. Full 7th Floor, 130 West 42nd Street, New York, NY 10036.

Please login or signup to comment

Please wait...