'Aquaman' is making a change to Mera's relationship with King Nereus from the comics

In the Aquaman comics Mera and King Nereus get engaged, but the movie is giving them a completely different relationship.

In a new interview with Las Vegas Review-Journal, Dolph Lundgren, who plays King Nereus in Aquaman, revealed that Amber Heard's Mera will be his daughter.

You’re playing King Nereus in the new “Aquaman.” Is it good to be king?
It is good to be king. Basically, I try to keep the peace down there along with Amber Heard, who plays my daughter. She’s trying to convince me to join the right side. Then you have Nicole Kidman as Aquaman’s mother. We’re trying to avoid war between the surface dwells and the people of Atlantis.

What do you make of Aquaman changing up the relationship between Mera and King Nereus? Let me know in the comments below.

SOURCE: Las Vegas Review-Journal

105 comments

Nightwing Fan J

February 20, 2018

I don't mind this change.

Oyarzun Kramer

February 20, 2018

Good enough for me

kan

February 20, 2018

More of the DCEU not staying true to the characters we have grown up reading. They will never learn.

Nightwing Fan J
February 20, 2018
This really isn't a big deal. You're upset about nothing.
1. kan
  February 20, 2018
  That is your opinion, not mine.
  1. Nightwing Fan J
    February 20, 2018
    I'm sorry. I had no idea that Mera's relationship to Nereus was such a huge deal.
    1. Nightwing Fan J
      February 20, 2018
      I just realized how douchey that sounds. I didn't mean to sound like that.
    2. kan
      February 20, 2018
      It does to many comic readers. My words also speak to a larger systemic problem with the DCEU, mostly from Snyder's vision, but also in SS. They give us a Bruh-Aquaman, a Superman who snaps necks, acts like a petulant child acting out revenge (semi in MoS and destroying the US drones,) and a Flash who is basically Spider-man and so far from the comic version. It is why the DCEU is in such a mess.
    3. Nightwing Fan J
      February 20, 2018
      Superman only acts as a new, learning hero would. And how else would you handle Zod in that situation? I completely agree with you on the Flash though... He was absolutely horrible.
    4. kan
      February 20, 2018
      I would handle Zod just like the comics do. Superman has stopped him many times throughout his past...all without killing him. Snyder only draws from the comics to use as weak plot devices in his movies. He is not above killing and using his movies as political statements (Superman taken to court, undercurrent themes of alien vs a nation and armies.)
    5. Mark
      February 20, 2018
      He has also killed him... see Zod's Wikipedia page for an example. I distinctly remember when they did the post-Crisis reboot (Byrne-era) that "Superman never kills" was something they were deliberately doing away with.
    6. i_amtheo_n_e
      February 20, 2018
      Supes killed Zod in the comics too. In fact he's killed him at least 3 different times. What DC did you grow up reading? He also killed Zod in that shitty Reeves movie that everyone d!ck eats
    7. NinjaGamer13
      February 20, 2018
      He didn't kill Zod in Superman II, he was shown to have survived and later being arrested.
      Superman killed Zod once in canon in a pocket dimension, that's it. Special circumstances. Unlike in MoS.
    8. i_amtheo_n_e
      February 20, 2018
      When he killed Zod in the pocket dimension, he also killed both of his parents. He also killed Zod 2 other times. Once on Krypton in an alternate time line and again on Earth, with is part of the new-52 continuity. And when Zod went to jail, that was in the 2nd Directors cut of Superman 2. In the theatrical cut, Zod was killed. Supes has killed dozens of his enemies in the comics
    9. NinjaGamer13
      February 24, 2018
      Dude, you're reaching. Alternate universes, timelines and canon don't mean jack shit. We all know Superman is not a killer. That's the point.
      And the theatrical cut is not a different movie, it is just missing scenes that give clarity.
    10. Sassybat
      February 20, 2018
      The Dark Knight trilogy wasn't exactly comic accurate but it is still damn good. it doesn't need to be comic accurate, just needs to be well done. As long as it fits in the story they are telling and the story is good, the change won't be noticeable. i have faith in James Wan that the story will be good
    11. Hunter Zolomon
      February 20, 2018
      I don't agree with how Snyder made him kill Zod but in fairness in that moment there wasn't much Supes could do to stop him without killing him.
    12. kan
      February 20, 2018
      It is called changing the script and sending him back to the phantom zone. There is a lot Snyder could have done with that scene, but he chose to show Superman as a killer...which if you really read the comics, you know he is not.
    13. Hunter Zolomon
      February 20, 2018
      Yeah i agree the script should have had Supes send him to the Phantom Zone but ignoring that and going by what we had what else could he do? I mean its far worse in Superman 2 where Supes quite happily kills a powerless Zod.
    14. kan
      February 20, 2018
      And the killing in Supes 2 goes to my point, the whole DC/WB is flawed because they keep changing their characters for cheap thrills and box-office $$ payouts, weak plot devices.
    15. AnonymousHero
      February 20, 2018
      Well said and agreed. Way to stay the course kan. Facts are facts and what you said is the overall truth.
      No matter the few times where comics have had Supes kill to change things up, you inherently know throughout his entire history that at the core of Superman, he is NOT a killer and wants to always find another way to stop his foes. That was one of the things that made Smallville so great. Clark was always trying to find another way to save someone or stop someone without killing the antagonist. It was even frustrating at times but it built his character and made him stand for something as the powerful hero that he is.
      I remember reading The Man of Tomorrow when he intentionally killed Mxyptzlk by splitting him in different dimensions and he was so mortified by how he had to stop him that he took a hold of gold kryptonite and ceased being Superman. For the few comics that folks could reference Supes having killed, just as Bats did early on, it is well known in pop culture and fandom that characters like Supes and Bats don't kill. It's one of the few things that separate them from their enemies and it's something they never want to turn into after seeing so many suffer the same fates.
    16. kan
      February 20, 2018
      Yes to all this! Couldn't have said it better...and thank you. The Superman we know is not about "Truth, Justice and Killing!"
    17. Mark
      February 20, 2018
      Clark always found a way to solve the problem without killing because the writers always gave him an out. Frequently that was a Phantom Zone projector that just happened to be within reach, a cop-out that effectively killed the person from an Earth perspective without making him actually kill them. "Whatever Happened to the Man of Tomorrow?" was deliberately the goodbye to that whole version of Superman.
    18. AnonymousHero
      February 20, 2018
      I'm not sure what you're trying to get across but it doesn't change anything that's been stated. We are saying that Superman's core persona is built on the fact that he doesn't kill and it is generally well established to many as a character that won't go past that line. Plain and simple.
      In comics, he may have done so a handful of times as written by different writers to mix things up for readers and throw the character a real curve and character conflict within himself. Man of Tomorrow was me just citing one example. But just as writers found the way for Clark to solve the problem without killing in Smallville or plenty of other comics for that matter, be it a phantom zone solution or not, it was the fact that he stuck to his guns and found a way that was impressive when he has the clear ability to simply end whomever comes against him. He is written that way because he is as an extremely powerful but noble character that does not cross that all-too easy line.... that finds his way around it.... a character who holds himself to the highest standard and doesn't simply do whatever he wants.
    19. Mark
      February 21, 2018
      "We are saying that Superman's core persona is built on the fact that he
      doesn't kill and it is generally well established to many as a character
      that won't go past that line."
      What I've been saying is that, while that idea may be "well established to many," the fact remains that DC changed Superman's core persona in the comics to NOT include "he never, ever kills" as a precept as long ago as 1986.
    20. AnonymousHero
      February 21, 2018
      Thanks for your clarification. But I also went on in my past comment to expand on that same fact as to why writers included that dynamic to do something new with the character. Many characters in DC over time have gone re-imaginings, what ifs, and new ideas to spice up things a bit and give the hero some change or new conflict. Detours from the core concept of what we all know them to be. Comics would struggle without it at times if trying out some new things and testing the waters didn't happen over over the decades.
      Batman had a gun starting out early on shooting down criminals and in TDKR via Frank Miller (which is actually cited as rubber bullets that was used in that comic). But we all know the Bat's history in Crime Alley with the killing of his parents and it is widely established over his many decades, that guns is not part of his arsenal and killing is a line he will not cross in administering justice. That is the Bat largely as a BRAND. While Supes has had his few detour stories in past comics where he has been seen making a fatal move, that is a drop in the ocean compared to what his character has been built on for decades.
      Part of Supes overall BRAND is he does not kill. He doesn't cross the line and the few stories that has had him do so doesn't compromise his entire legacy as a character and hero across the board with die-hard and casual fans all over the world. Same can be said for many other DC characters where a handful stories don't define them from who they are known to be and what they stand for.
    21. Bill Agans
      February 20, 2018
      Superman HAS killed in the comics, dumbass.
    22. WaylanderPK
      February 20, 2018
      Those are exceptions not the rule. You can keep your tarnished Superman, mine is better than that.
    23. ShobiNaq
      February 21, 2018
      You mean like twice in 75 years (which btw was rebooted and no longer part of canon... So technically he hasn't killed).
    24. Mark
      February 21, 2018
      Convergence meant that everything is canon. And if part of Rebirth is undoing Flashpoint then we're back to the post-Crisis world.
    25. Oreole
      February 20, 2018
      Chris Nolan was actually against Superman killing Zod as the original MOS script just had him sent to the Phantom Zone but neither Snyder nor Goyer felt it was a satisfying resolution to the Zod-Kal-El conflict therefore they opted for the more controversial alternative. Nolan eventually came around to the decision after some convincing though.
    26. Oreole
      February 20, 2018
      Eh, depends. Golden age Supes has zero compunction about killing criminals and he also killed Zod and other criminal Kryptonians in a story from John Byrne’s run.
    27. NinjaGamer13
      February 20, 2018
      He had Zod in a headlock. Why not fly him up to space? Or to an undeserted area?
    28. Mark
      February 21, 2018
      Because Zod was a trained combatant and a better fighter. Clark had never been in a fight (why would he?) so he was lucky to get Zod in the position that he did. I honestly believe that Zod wanted to force Clark to kill him, just to make Clark kill.
    29. Hunter Zolomon
      February 20, 2018
      Look they are never going to go into the full story of Aquaman and his world in the films, Mera being a daughter instead of lover most likely makes sense film and story wise, making her engaged and all that would just add more love drama what frankly none of this really want beyond Arthur and Mera's relationship. Its not like their making her Arthur sister or something as drastic as that, its a pretty small change what hardly matters in the long run.
    30. Bill Agans
      February 20, 2018
      The DCEU version of Aquaman is badass. Superman killed Zod in the comics. What does him destroying a drone have to do w/ revenge?
    31. ShobiNaq
      February 21, 2018
      He killed in the John Byrne run but that was rebooted and no longer actually part of canon. Do you want the same for MOS? Post flashpoint he never killed?
    32. Bill Agans
      February 21, 2018
      It doesn’t bother me if he kills. He didn’t have much of a choice in the movie, cuz Zod wasn’t gonna stop trying to kill people here on Earth.
    33. ShobiNaq
      February 22, 2018
      Yeah but why not throw him into the phantom zone instead of killing thousands in collateral damage
    34. Bill Agans
      February 22, 2018
      Do u really think Zod would make it that easy?
  2. Blockhead Jr.
    February 20, 2018
    Say your piece. I'm curious why Nerus as her father in Xebel vs potential suitor bothers you. No judgement.
2. HyperMolecular
  February 21, 2018
  ITS STILL REAL TO YOU DAMN IT!!!!
Jesse Hernandez
February 20, 2018
70 percent of the people that don’t read the comics won’t even know there was a change.
1. kan
  February 20, 2018
  True. I am speaking about the fans that do read comics...and care.
  1. Jesse Hernandez
    February 20, 2018
    I mean I don’t think it bugs people. It’s not a SIGNIFICANT change from the comic. I’m not going to be watching this movie and be bothered all the time knowing that the relationship isn’t correct.
    1. Blockhead Jr.
      February 20, 2018
      Us who read the comics know what an elseworld is. Which is neccesary to have a successful film adaptation. This isn't like it's giving Arthur a brother, and even if they did its a whole other earth?
    2. Sassybat
      February 20, 2018
      Arthur does have a brother in the comics (new 52)
  2. Mark
    February 20, 2018
    Well, you have to find the subset of the audience who not only read comics, but who a) care about Aquaman, and b) care about Aquaman's appearances since 2013. So that lets out anyone whose interest is predominantly pre-New 52, and that's a lot of people even before you get to finding the people who care about Aquaman.
    1. Sassybat
      February 20, 2018
      true, Geoff Johns run on New 52 made me like aquaman to where i am still reading aquaman comics
  3. TheHummuss
    February 20, 2018
    so does Marvel and fox-marvel.
    I am sure you really wanted that kid orgy in It: Chapter 1 to be shown in theaters too?
Hunter Zolomon
February 20, 2018
This is hardly a big change, i don't mind small changes if they make sense, its when they make massive with no sense character changing changes that i have a problem with.
Godspeed
February 20, 2018
so you rather have Amber Heard being together on screen with a guy that could be her fucking father ? Lundgren is 60 YEARS old. You wanna see that shit just so it "stays true" to the comics ? The hell is wrong with you people
1. kan
  February 20, 2018
  Well if you have issues with Kings marrying young women, then you better stay clear of actually reading history. You are in for a shocker. LOL.

Jesse Hernandez

February 20, 2018

Doesn’t bug me. There’s always changes from comic to film to fit the story.

Ben Dutchover

February 20, 2018

Just please make a good movie in Aquaman. I barley saw JL, this weekend, and actually enjoyed it. Very little of Aquaman's story was revealed. I really liked Cyborg's character, and would have loved to see a solo movie of his 1st, before JL. Who knows where the DCEU is headed to now though, after Aquaman. so much ruined by rushing out their team up movie. Dang you WB. Dang YOU!!!!!!!!!!

Bill Agans
February 20, 2018
Barely*

Guy

February 20, 2018

That's a pretty weird change (reading about it), but I dont know enough of the Aquaman mythos to care

Amber Heard is still sexy AF in that photo, though

Sassybat
February 20, 2018
in the new 52 comics, she was to marry nereus and be queen of xebel after her secret mission. the secret mission was to infiltrate Atlantis and kill aquaman, but she falls in love with aquaman and stays in Atlantis instead of going back to xebel.
1. Godspeed
  February 20, 2018
  yeah but in the comics Nereus is not 30 years older then Mera.

Hunter Zolomon

February 20, 2018

Doesn't bother me as i don't read Aquaman beyond his JL stuff but it is weird how they are making his lover in the comics into his daughter in the film. Quite looking forward to this and i'm looking forward to seeing Kidman as his Mother.

kan
February 20, 2018
a Freudian slip. ;-)

Reverse_Flash

February 20, 2018

Regardless if people read the comics or not, why not respect the source material?

I know movies change things but at least they should respect the core of the characters.

Bill Agans
February 20, 2018
They do. The movies r a separate universe from the comics.
1. kan
  February 20, 2018
  No they don't.
  1. Bill Agans
    February 20, 2018
    Yes, they do. They don’t have to follow the comics though, cuz they’re different universes w/ different continuities.
    1. kan
      February 20, 2018
      And how is that working out for them so far? Wonder Woman is the only film that pretty much stayed close to her comic book character, and it was well received.
    2. Bill Agans
      February 20, 2018
      All live action comic book movies & TV shows r different universes than the comics w/ different continuities w/ the exception of The Watchmen.
    3. Ezee23
      February 21, 2018
      Hear Hear!!!
    4. kan
      February 21, 2018
      Thanks Captain Obvious! The point is, those movies that were closer to their comic characters, do well. Snyder created characters that were so far from the comics, and then doused them with contradictory actions that ran against the themes he was trying to convey. He is not a good storyteller, nor character developer, and he only uses character elements from the comics (half-assed Doomsday plot) that suit his "agenda." Most of his characters, story writing 101 here, are the same people at the begging of his films, as at the end. There is hardly any growth. Not enough to matter....or make us care.
    5. Bill Agans
      February 21, 2018
      What agenda?
    6. Ezee23
      February 21, 2018
      That's a weird question. And Wonder Woman didn't do well just because she didn't stray too far from her comic-book lore.
2. Reverse_Flash
  February 20, 2018
  Nope.
  1. Bill Agans
    February 20, 2018
    Yes, they r.
    1. Reverse_Flash
      February 20, 2018
      Proof?
    2. Bill Agans
      February 20, 2018
      The proof is there on screen. They all deviate from the comics & all have different timelines. They’re part of the multiverse.
    3. Reverse_Flash
      February 21, 2018
      You said "they do" as an answer to "why not respect the source material?", didn't you?
      They're clearly not respecting the source material by completely changing the role of a character.
    4. Bill Agans
      February 21, 2018
      Yes, I did say that. There’s not just 1 version of every character. Each universe has their own versions of the characters. The DCEU has its own versions to fit the universe. Just like Earth-X had evil versions of Ollie & Kara.
3. MrEddyG
  February 26, 2018
  *are*
Godspeed
February 20, 2018
people REALLY need to let go of the notion that the movies have to do everything like the comics do. The movies are essentially an alternate universe. Treat it as such.
1. Reverse_Flash
  February 20, 2018
  Except I never said they had to do everything like the comics.
Nahuel Benvenuto
February 20, 2018
Strange a non troll comment coming from you, most comic movies have barely to do with the source material anyway
1. Reverse_Flash
  February 21, 2018
  "most comic movies have barely to do with the source material anyway"
  Oh really?
  Then why is live action Superman an alien from Krypton? Why does he fly, have super speed, super strenght, X-Ray vision, etc.?
  Why is live action Batman always a billionaire called Bruce Wayne? Why were his parents murdered? Why does he dress like a bat?
  Seems like the movies do have a lot to do with the comics, at least when it comes to the essence of the characters.

lowdevil

February 20, 2018

I hope there are POC in Atlantis or theres gonna be problems... because you know, feelings.

NinjaGamer13

February 20, 2018

Awkwaaard lol :P

Kouglof

February 20, 2018

Marvel had the chance to re-adapt their heroes for movies, who did hear about the Gardians of the Galaxy before James Gunn adapted it ? How comic-book accurate are Marvel movies ?

Common people don't give a shit about comics, but they knew Superman and Batman way before with Richard Donner/Christopher Reeve era, Tim Burton/Michael Keaton era, Batman TAS and Justice League TAS era. People have their own Batman and Superman standards in mind.

What I mean is that unless you're a true fan of comic books, most of the people won't care and will be unaware about details concerning heroes like Shazam, Aquaman, or Cyborg who didn't get important adaptations before. Those unknown heroes will be the standard of tomorrow.

Mike 201
February 20, 2018
Well said. Out of the millions of fans EVERYONE has their own vision of who they want to see play their hero, what they think the costume should look live, what version from the comics they want to see on screen and how much they want or don’t care how close the movie is to the comic. I for one really didn’t care that Batman and Superman killed a few bad guys. To me the ends justify the means. Shit happens in crime fighting. So the movie doesn’t follow the comic exactly bfd, just give me a good movie good story. Batman 89, not a perfect adaption, but it, for its time was a great move. TDK, off a bit from the comics, ie: the Joker, but yet a great movie. BvS, hero’s looked like the comics version, not bad on the acting, but the story sucked. Liked it over all but, didn’t love it like I wanted to.
We will NEVER get a Batman or Superman or any hero movie everyone agrees upon. To much history in these hero’s to make everyone happy!!
1. Kouglof
  February 20, 2018
  About the "killing" thing. I love Batman TAS, but have you noticed that every time Batman push a bad guy from a balloon, the bad guy fall on a tree or a river?
  Some people prefer to close their eyes about the killings behind the scenes...
Ezee23
February 21, 2018
This is an underrated comment.
To emphasize your point; I remember reading what was then one of the latest Guardians of the Galaxy books, in the lead up to the first movie. I still dont know who that guy Batista is playing is supposed to be. Maybe he's an older interpretation of the character but he's nothing like the Drax in the book I read.

February 20, 2018

It sucks, make mera be engaged to king nereus like the comics, cause what u guys r doing is a HUGE change in the aquaman movie

Godspeed
February 20, 2018
Lundgren is 30 years older then Amber. You REALLY wanna see that ?!

Godspeed

February 20, 2018

This is not a big deal, chill out. Its not like that relationship changes Arthurs story all that much. I mean how many people even knew about Nereus before the movie ? It`s not like they turned Dolphin into Arthurs daughter or something (If you don't know who Dolphin is then you have no right to complain about Nereus lol)

Lundgren is just awesome. Loved him on Arrow last year when he played russian crime boss Kovar. Hope he fares better against Aquaman then he did against Oliver though lol

Also it would be super weird if Lundgren would play Amber Heards fiance in the movie. He is literally TWICE her age. Did you really want to see them as a couple on screen ? Yuck.

jrvc

February 20, 2018

I just came here to see Mera's pictures
https://uploads.disquscdn.c...

(although a tad disappointed for the lack of her in the comments, so I'll be good and add some from my private gallery)

https://uploads.disquscdn.c... https://uploads.disquscdn.c... https://uploads.disquscdn.c...

Ezee23
February 21, 2018
You're doing Gods work...
https://uploads.disquscdn.c...
Thank You.

Mike 201

February 20, 2018

Why is it when the comics changes things, crisis, new 52, rebirth etc, no on gives a crap. We get movies with changes from the comics people go nuts. Go figure!

ItzSilentStorm
February 20, 2018
They do. The new 52 was very controversial
1. kan
  February 21, 2018
  VERY controversial. They were making changes to characters, costumes, backgrounds, deleting characters...it was not a good time. Oh, and DC did this with a "we know best" attitude, that was until the subscriptions dropped and the readers were frustrated...and enter Rebirth. I have enjoyed Rebirth, and its slow return to the classics with a modern storytelling approach. That is not to say all the writing was bad in New 52, but there was a lot of shit to weed through to get to it.
  1. ItzSilentStorm
    February 21, 2018
    there were definitely some things that I quite liked in the new 52 personally. I really enjoyed Snyder's run on Batman, court of owls being one of my all time favorites. However I will NEVER be able to fathom what they were thinking with Lobo. Rebirth has been pretty good. Lots of ups. A few downs. One instance of the new 52 doing something right though wa batgirl I think. Batgirl was pretty badass in the Gail Simone run and she had a great costume but then Rebirth changed her into something...very odd. No idea what happened tbh
    1. kan
      February 21, 2018
      Snyder's run was the bomb and I love how they are expanding on the Court of the Owl's theme even today. There were some gems under all that rubble. I liked Geoff's Aquaman and GL run also.
Ezee23
February 21, 2018
The New-52 doesn't get the credit it deserves.

Alejandro Polina

February 20, 2018

Nereus has only appeared more or less in 5 issues in Aquaman from 2013. And in DC Bombshells. That´s all. This change is not a big problem.

Oreole
February 20, 2018
Yeah, it’s not like making The Joker the killer of Bruce Wayne’s parents or something like that. I like this change quite a bit, I generally don’t like love triangles in movies so it’s fine by me.

Nahuel Benvenuto

February 20, 2018

Kidman is miscast

Ezee23
February 21, 2018
How could you possibly know that?

kan

February 21, 2018

Many believe they are showing the first test screening of Aquaman today. Tickets are now gone, but it still exists on the iOTA website where people bought tickets for an advanced screenings of JL.

https://image.ibb.co/iuxA8H...

https://1iota.com/Show/739/...