History YMMV / Aquaman2018

** Early reactions to the first trailer praised it for having humor and a much lighter and more colorful visual palette, which has excited people who didn't like the DarkerAndEdgier look and feel of previous DCEU films, particularly those directed by Creator/ZackSnyder. The previous movies that attempted to be lighter (like ''Film/{{Suicide Squad|2016}}'' and ''Film/{{Justice League|2017}}'') were done through hasty reshoots and post-production editing to less-than-stellar results. ''Aquaman'''s tone seems like it has been built from the ground up and in a more thought-out and relevant way than what was done to the two aforementioned movies.

** Early reactions to the first trailer praised it for having humor and a much lighter and more colorful visual palette, which has excited people who didn't like the DarkerAndEdgier look and feel of previous DCEU films, particularly those directed by Creator/ZackSnyder. The previous movies that attempted to be lighter (like ''Film/{{Suicide Squad|2016}}'' and ''Film/{{Justice League|2017}}'') were done through hasty reshoots and post-production editing to less-than-stellar results. ''Aquaman'''s tone has been built from the ground up and in a more thought-out and relevant way than what was done to the two aforementioned movies.

** Early reactions to the first trailer praised it for having humor and a much lighter and more colorful visual palette, which has excited people who didn't like the DarkerAndEdgier look and feel of previous DCEU films, particularly those directed by Creator/ZackSnyder.
** To the older DCEU movies, which were filled with so much DarkerAndEdgier grit that some were reminded of the UsefulNotes/TheDarkAgeOfComicBooks.
** The previous movies that attempted to be lighter (like ''Film/{{Suicide Squad|2016}}'' and ''Film/{{Justice League|2017}}'') were done through hasty reshoots and post-production editing to less-than-stellar results. ''Aquaman'''s tone has been built from the ground up and in a more thought-out and relevant way than what was done to the two aforementioned movies.

** Early reactions to the first trailer praised it for having humor and a much lighter and more colorful visual palette, which has excited fans who didn't like the DarkerAndEdgier look and feel of previous DCEU films, particularly those directed by Creator/ZackSnyder.

* MemeticMutation: " Good movies work better." [[labelnote:Explanation]]After positive reaction to early edits of the film, from the crew, cast, and test audiences, the chairman of Warner Bros. says this. Fans were quick to note [[CaptainObvious how odd it was that it was only now that he realized this]].[[/labelnote]]

* SpecialEffectFailure: The [[http://cdn.collider.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/07/aquaman-poster-teaser.jpg teaser poster]] has a sense of scale that's all over the place, and still manages to make Aquaman look ridiculously huge.

* MemeticMutation: " Good movies work better." [[labelnote:Explanation]]After positive reaction to early edits of the film, both from the crew, cast, and test audiences, the chairman of Warner Bros. says this. Fans were quick to note [[CaptainObvious how odd it was that it was only now that he realized this]].[[/labelnote]]

** Add to that the fact that James Wan and new DC Films producer Walter Hamada know each other very well and worked well together in the past on ''Film/TheConjuring'' films, meaning there probably won't be [[ExecutiveMeddling behind-the-scenes shenanigans]], the very kind of things that caused most of the {{Troubled Production}}s in previous DCEU films.

** Creator/YahyaAbdulMateenII playing Black Manta, one of the first black supervillains, is amusing given that he auditioned for a role in ''Film/BlackPanther'' prior to being cast here.

** Judging from reactions, [[http://comicbook.com/movies/2018/02/24/aquaman-movie-action-wonder-woman-justice-league/ test screen audiences]] think the movie is just as good, if not better, than ''Wonder Woman''.

** Quite a few male ([[EvenTheGirlsWantHer and female]]) viewers declare they will watch the movie just to see [[MsFanservice Amber]] [[Creator/AmberHeard Heard]] in Mera's [[FormFittingWardrobe skin-tight outfit]].

* ToughActToFollow: ''Film/{{Wonder Woman|2017}}'', since it was the last solo DCEU film prior to this one, and the most well received film in the setting to this day.

** Creator/JasonMomoa previously played [[Film/ConanTheBarbarian2011 Conan]], a Cimmerian, descendant of Atlantean colonists. Now he plays ComicBook/{{Aquaman}}, a.k.a. Orin of Atlantis. And he also had a role in ''Franchise/{{Stargate}}'' '''''[[Series/StargateAtlantis Atlantis]]'''''.

** Rupert Gregson-Williams composing the score. His scoring of ''Wonder Woman'' was much appreciated, building on what Music/HansZimmer established in ''Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice'' compared to the divisive scoring of ''Justice League'' by Music/DannyElfman.

* AuthorsSavingThrow: The air bubble Mera summons underwater to talk to Aquaman in ''Film/{{Justice League|2017}}'' has been quite divisively received. Creator/JamesWan [[https://heroichollywood.com/aquaman-james-wan-air-bubbles/ has assured this trick won't be used in his film]].

** Momoa as Aquaman is viewed as utterly inspired casting, combined with James Wan as an exciting directorial choice and an impressive supporting cast that seem genuinely enthusiastic about the film. So there is a lot of hope for the movie, despite (or especially after) the ''Justice League'' debacle. It helps too that it hasn't been under the same amount of scrutiny (and constant reports of TroubledProduction) as the other DCEU films.
** Add to that the fact that James Wan and new DC Films producer Walter Hamada know each other very well and worked well together in the past on ''Film/TheConjuring'', meaning there probably won't be [[ExecutiveMeddling behind-the-scenes shenanigans]], the very kind of things that caused most of the TroubledProduction in previous DCEU films.

** Yahya Abdul-Mateen II playing Black Manta, one of the first black supervillains, is amusing given that he auditioned for a role in ''Film/BlackPanther'' prior to being cast here.

** Add to that the fact that James Wan and new DC Films producer Walter Hamada know each other very well and worked well together in the past on ''Film/TheConjuring'', meaning there probably won't be behind-the-scenes shenanigans that caused most of the TroubledProduction in previous DCEU films.

** Add to that the fact that James Wan and new DC Films producer Walter Hamada know each other very well and worked well together in the past on ''Film/TheConjuring''.

** Once again, Creator/WillemDafoe plays the [[CoolOldGuy experienced mentor]] [[WesternAnimation/FindingNemo to an underwater character]].

* WinTheCrowd: Momoa as Aquaman is viewed as utterly inspired casting, combined with James Wan as an exciting directorial choice and an impressive supporting cast that seem genuinely enthusiastic about the film. So there is a lot of hope for the movie, despite (or especially after) the ''Justice League'' debacle. It helps too that it hasn't been under the same amount of scrutiny (and constant reports of TroubledProduction) as the other DCEU films. Add to that the fact that James Wan and new DC Films producer Walter Hamada know each other very well and worked well together in the past on ''Film/TheConjuring''.

* WinTheCrowd: Momoa as Aquaman is viewed as utterly inspired casting, combined with James Wan as an exciting directorial choice and an impressive supporting cast that seem genuinely enthusiastic about the film. So there is a lot of hope for the movie, despite (or especially after) the ''Justice League'' debacle. It helps too that it hasn't been under the same amount of scrutiny (and constant reports of TroubledProduction) as the other DCEU films.

* ToughActToFollow: ''Film/{{Wonder Woman|2017}}'', since it was the last solo DCEU film prior to this one, and the most well received to this day.

* FriendlyFandoms: While some people have tried to turn it into the [[FandomRivalry usual rivalry]], fans excited for this film are also excited for and have gotten along well with fans of [[Film/BlackPanther2018 Black Panther]] due to both being the first films in the MCU and DCEU with non-white leads and directors, giving the superhero genre some much needed diversity.