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Aquaman type Movie genre Action Adventure Where to watch Close Streaming Options

Nicole Kidman hasn’t been in a superhero movie since she played Bruce Wayne’s girlfriend, Dr. Chase Meridian, in 1995’s Batman Forever. Since that not-so-beloved movie, the Australian actress has won an Academy Award for her role in 2003’s The Hours, and been nominated for three more, including a supporting actress nod for last year’s Lion. She is currently enjoying overwhelming acclaim for her role as Celeste Wright in HBO’s buzzed-about miniseries Big Little Lies.

Image zoom Frazer Harrison/Getty Images

So it might not the most obvious choice for Kidman to return to the superhero genre, but she’s about to reenter those waters; she confirmed to EW Friday that she will in fact play Aquaman’s mother, Queen Atlanna — who in the Aquaman comics is the Princess of Atlantis who falls in love with a lonely lighthouse keeper and gives birth to the titular hero — in the upcoming DC film from director James Wan (Insidious).

And she has good reason for doing so.

“The reason why I love [Aquaman] is James Wan is an Australian, and I’ve followed his career since he started. He’s a really good friend of mine, and he offered to let me play Queen Atlanna,” she says. “As soon as he said I could wear mother-of-pearl and be a mermaid warrior, I said I’m done. Please. If there is one thing I have to do in my life, I have to be that. [Laughs] Because, you’ve got to have some fun.”

Before Kidman tackles that role, she will star in Yorgos Lanthimos’ follow-up to The Lobster, The Killing of a Sacred Deer, with Colin Farrell and Alicia Silverstone, and Sofia Coppola’s The Beguiled, which opens at the end of June.

“The truth of it is I love auteurs and I love philosophical filmmakers,” she says of her eclectic taste in roles. “That’s why I love that Big Little Lies got made. That’s why I’ve gone back to a very subversive film with The Killing of a Sacred Deer. I like the high-wire act of it. I believe in not towing the line. Conformity is what I run from.”

…right into the arms of Aquaman.

The series finale of Big Little Lies airs on HBO on Sunday. To hear Kidman’s full interview, tune into EW Radio on Tuesday on Sirius XM Channel 105.

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