Aquaman proved that Black Manta didn't need to be a power-hungry character to be a good antagonist. The film was a notable bright spot for the DC Extended Universe, a franchise that produced a motley of flawed superhero films ever since its 2013 inception. The DCEU boldly transformed iconic DC characters, like Superman and Batman, into darker and edgier versions of their comic book counterparts. But as a result, audiences and comic book fans critically panned the DCEU's films for being unable to capture the optimism of DC's characters. James Wan's Aquaman film thus broke the franchise mold by celebrating the adventurous spirit of its titular hero. The DCEU's fresh take on Aquaman was so critically and commercially successful that it spawned a sequel. That being said, Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom may face a serious dilemma with its Black Manta villain.
Source：https://www.cbr.com/aquaman-2-black-manta-films-greatest-strength/
