The new Supergirl trailer only proves what fans have already suspected: Lobo, not Aquaman, is the DC Comics role Jason Momoa was meant to play!
Jason Momoa has been dominating one franchise after another. Since his breakout in Baywatch: Hawaii to playing Ronon in Stargate: Atlantis and Khal Drogo in Game of Thrones, Momoa is also known for movie series such as Conan the Barbarian, Fast & the Furious, and Dune, and is going to play Blanka in the upcoming Street Fighter reboot. All he needs is a Star Wars or Marvel role to be a franchise king.
Of course, Momoa is also famous for playing Aquaman in the DCEU. After stealing scenes in Justice League, Aquaman became one of the few truly smash hit DCEU films in 2017, with fans hailing how Momoa made this often-joked-about character into a fantastic hero.
Sadly, 2023’s Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom ended up being the final DCEU entry. However, the actor is getting a second shot in the Supergirl film, playing long-time fan-favorite bounty hunter character Lobo. And even in this brief time, Momoa has shown this is one of the most perfect castings of any comic book film ever!
Why Jason Momoa fits Lobo perfectly
A key reason why Momoa is so great as Lobo is that the actor has been campaigning for the role for years. It’s obvious he loves this bizarre alien, and that’s evident in how eagerly he embraces the role.
Lobo himself has long been DC’s biggest anti-hero. The last member of his Czarian race (because he killed all the rest), Lobo is psychotic, brutal, wise-cracking, and insanely violent and enjoys a good time of a brawl, drinking, and smoking a cigar. A bounty hunter who rides a space motorcycle, Lobo does have an odd code of honor and a love for space dolphins.
The trailer shows Lobo off more with Momoa nailing his gruff tones, the wild action, and that sardonic attitude. It’s astounding how he just imbues the role, looking and sounding just like the character stepped off the comic book pages. His chemistry with Supergirl (Milly Alcock) is terrific, and it’s obvious Momoa is having the time of his life in the part.
Contrast this with Aquaman, and it’s no surprise which role Momoa was better suited for. Yes, his Aquaman was a tough warrior and needed to finally erase decades of jokes about the character being useless. Yet, while a great warrior, Momoa couldn’t quite sell the aspect of Aquaman as a king and leader. It got worse in the second movie, which played things too much for comedy, and Momoa couldn’t save the bad script.
Purists might have preferred someone athletic but not so muscular to sell Arthur Curry using his brains more than brawn to save the day in Aquaman. So an underwater hero meant to be sleek and cool under fire may not have been the best choice for Momoa. But an intergalactic brawler with a wild side who loves a fight while still helping for a price? That’s a role Moama was born to play, and it shows.
We’ll be seeing how it unfolds when the movie premieres, but it’s wonderful that Momoa finally gets a chance to play his dream role and pay off on the fan hopes of the Main Man getting his due on the big screen!