Aquaman’s Council of the Kings Revealed in New Photo & Concept Art

Another new Aquaman photo has arrived online (via EW) revealing a face-off between King Orm (Patrick Wilson) and King Nereus (Dolph Lundgren) in the underwater world. A piece of concept art of the scene has also been released, and you can check them both out in the gallery below!

In the photo and concept art, King Orm and King Nereus are meeting in an ancient location called The Council of the Kings that’s fallen into ruin. The statues in the backdrop of the scene represent the original kings of the Seven Kingdoms. On the right side of the image, you can see the Atlantean army riding on great white sharks. The center-right of the photo reveals King Orm sitting on his massive alligator-like “tylosaur” with Vulko (Willem Dafoe) positioned behind him while seated on a giant black hammerhead shark.

Opposite the Atlantean army on the left is Nereus’ men of his Xebel kingdom riding sea dragons. Producer Peter Safran says that director James Wan “wanted to create these fearsome creatures… as a way of subverting the comic image of Aquaman riding a seahorse.”

An icon for over 70 years, Aquaman is the King of the Seven Seas. This reluctant ruler of Atlantis, caught between a surface world constantly ravaging the sea and Atlanteans looking to lash out in revolt, is committed to protecting the entire globe.

The Aquaman cast includes Jason Momoa (Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, Justice League) as the titular King of Atlantis, with Amber Heard as his wife Mera, Willem Dafoe as Nuidis Vulko, Temuera Morrison as Tom Curry, Dolph Lundgren as King Nereus, Yahya Abdul-Mateen II as Black Manta, Ludi Lin as Murk, Patrick Wilson as King Orm/Ocean Master, Academy Award winner Nicole Kidman as Atlanna and Michael Beach as Jesse Kane.

Directed by James Wan from a script by Will Beall, Geoff Johns and Wan, the film is being produced by Peter Safran, with Zack Snyder, Deborah Snyder, Rob Cowan, Jon Berg and Geoff Johns serving as executive producers. Rupert Gregson-Williams (Wonder Woman) will compose the music.

Aquaman opens on December 21 in theaters everywhere.