Nicole Kidman in Talks for ‘Aquaman’

Nicole Kidman is in talks to star in Aquaman.

The 49-year-old actress – who is nominated for the Best Supporting Actress Oscar at the upcoming Academy Awards for her performance in Lion – is reportedly in talks to play the superhero’s mother Atlanna who, in the DC Comics, hails from royalty in the underwater kingdom of Atlantis but falls in love with lighthouse keeper and gives birth to the titular superhero Arthur Curry.

According to The Hollywood Reporter, director James Wan has also had “numerous meetings” with The Get Down actor Yahya Abdul-Mateen to play supervillain Black Manta, a character that first appeared in the DC Comics series in 1967.

If the pair do sign up for the DC Extended Universe film – on which shooting is due to start in April – they will join a star-studded cast which already includes Jason Momoa as Aquaman, Amber Heard as Queen of Atlantis Mera, Patrick Wilson as the titular character’s evil half-brother the Ocean Master Orm Marius, Willem Dafoe as a friend and adviser to Aquaman named Vulko and John Cleese in an unknown role but one that has been described as a “significant part”.

Aquaman will be properly introduced in the DC Extended Universe film Justice League in which the superhero will appear alongside Ben Affleck as Batman, Gal Gadot as Wonder Woman, Ezra Miller as The Flash, Ray Fisher as Cyborg and Henry Cavill as Superman.

Aquaman will be released by Warner Bros. Pictures on October 5, 2018.