Yahya Abdul-Mateen II’s remarks to Collider at San Diego Comic-Con make even more sense when we look at all of the groundwork that DC has laid in recent years.
Moreover, he’s also frequently portrayed as a member of the Legion of Doom a.k.a the Injustice League — an organization that was teased at the end of Zack Snyder’s Justice League.
As the actor noted in his comments, Black Manta has appeared in comic book runs of Suicide Squad over the years, and he has also appeared on shows like Young Justice.
There are several different directions to take this character that doesn’t merely rely on the Aquaman solo franchise, and Yahya Abdul-Mateen II seems interested in moving forward to explore all of these different angles.