Aquaman 2: Yahya Abdul-Mateen II is back in Black Manta shape in new image

August 3rd 2021, 10:14am

Last Updated on August 10, 2021

Your move Jason Momoa! The actor's Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom co-star, Yahya Abdul-Mateen, is set to return as Black Manta in the DCEU sequel and he has taken to Instagram to show that he's in perfect shape for his return.

Abdul-Mateen plays David Kane, aka, Black Manta and he is the antagonist of 2018's Aquaman. In that film, he and his father are pirates hired by Aquaman's (Momoa) brother Orm (Patrick Wilson) to hijack a Russian submarine. When Aquaman attempts to stop them, a battle ensues and David's father is killed in the process. This leads David to swear vengeance on Aquaman and thus Black Manta is born. Abdul-Mateen appears to be in fighting shape for his next round with Aquaman as you can see in his Instagram post below!

View this post on Instagram

A post shared by Yahya Abdul-Mateen II (@yahya)

As you can see, the actor is back in the gym and there is a TON of weight on the bar beside him. The caption reads "BLACK MANTA Back Under Construction!" If this is under construction, I assume he still has gains to make which is insane because Abdul-Mateen already looks pretty jacked in the photo. After viewing the picture, I suddenly feel like I need to make multiple trips to the gym soon to feel better about myself.

Director James Wan is back at the helm of Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom which sees the return of Momoa, Abdul-Mateen II, Patrick Wilson, Amber Heard, and Dolph Lundgren. Filming on the sequel began back in June and is set to arrive in theaters on December 16, 2022. The release date is similar to that of the first film which hit screens on December 21, 2018, and ultimately grossed a staggering $1.148 billion worldwide.

Yahya Abdul-Mateen II can be seen next in Nia DaCosta's Candyman sequel and the upcoming fourth installment of The Matrix. The actor is not only making gains at the gym but also in Hollywood where he has quickly become an actor to watch.

What do YOU hope to see from Yahya Abdul-Mateen II when he returns as Black Manta in Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom?