Aquaman star Jason Momoa is set to join forces with writers Kaz and Ryan Firpo, who also worked on a number of films including Marvel Studios Eternals. The new project from Momoa and the Eternals writers, titled The Executioner, will be a blending of different genres, including a mystery aspect where fans have to figure out who the killer is.
Aquaman is set to get a theatrical sequel release for the iconic DC superhero. Because of Zack Snyder and James Wan, this character has received new life thanks to his redesign, which took the character much more seriously. Having Momoa play this character is also a marketing tool, as the actor is likable amongst popular culture fans due to his appearance in notable projects such as Game of Thrones.
Deadline reports Momoa took The Executioner off the market after Warner Bros. secured the rights after an "intense" bidding war. Given the film's title and the fact that it stars Momoa, many should expect a bloodbath of brutal fights. The film is described as a "fun action murder mystery in the spirit of Knives Out meets The Lord of the Rings." Momoa is often seen as a funny or fun person outside of film, so something like this fits right in the actor's resume.
Given the Lord of the Rings comparison, The Executioner could likely be set during a medieval period, which means that laws aren't strict. There aren't detectives with access to criminology techniques or modern-day tools, so if somebody dies, it's going to take a lot to find the murderer. During this period, all someone had to do was kill somebody and just not be near the body. Hopefully, this means that The Executioner will really have fans having to pay attention to the tiny details in order to find the answer.
Knives Out was a highly praised film during the time of its release, so if The Executioner were to pick anything to be inspired by, that film is a great choice. The premise sounds like it won't only combine action and mystery, but it will also throw comedy into the mixture as well.
Momoa's career has only got better since being in DC. The actor is finding more and more success as more people are taking his talent much more seriously in terms of his ability to portray these characters on screen. Hopefully moving forward, the actor will continue to get more roles that complement his ever-growing talent, like the upcoming Minecraft movie from Warner Bros.
The Executioner is currently in development at Warner Bros.
Source: Deadline