Aquaman end credits scene explained: Do the Justice League appear?

Aquaman is heading into its opening week in the UK in good spirits. The DC Comics adaptation has already raked in profits in China, a notoriously important market. Along with Wonder Woman, Aquaman hopes to steer the Warner Bros ship in the right direction for its DC Extended Universe (DCEU). As fans in the UK head to the cinema to see Aquaman, it’s important to know whether you should stay seated through the credits.

Does Aquaman have a post-credits scene?

Warning: Spoilers ahead of Aquaman

Back in November, movie website ReRelease reported Aquaman would have an after credits scene.

They were right, in a manner of speaking as Aquaman technically has a mid-credits scene.

The prediction at the time was the after credits scene would set up another DCEU group movie.

However, The Justice League do not appear in the mid-credits scene. 

Now, with Aquaman in UK cinemas today December 12, we can confirm the mid-credit scene does not point towards another ensemble film.

Instead, the clip hints at the plot for a potential Aquaman sequel.

Fans can expect to be treated to a brief animated credits scene, which is worth sitting through for on its own.

After these animated credits finish, the mid-credits scene begins with Black Manta (Yahya Abdul-Mateen II).

He is injured and floating in the ocean on a piece of driftwood, stranded and helpless.

In a good twist of fate, Black Manta is eventually discovered by someone on a fishing boat.

The fishing boat, however, doesn’t belong to a mild-mannered fisherman but Dr Stephen Shin (Randall Park).

Dr Shin appears briefly in the movie, visible on a TV screen, and is an Atlantis truther.

As Manta rouses, he looks around to take in Shin’s makeshift lab.

One wall in the lab is covered in clips, photos, articles, in a classic mad-villain way, all centred on Aquaman and his home of Atlantis.

While examining Black Manta’s helmet, Dr Shin accidentally fires the lasers, prompting him to ask where Manta got the Atlantean technology.

Manta agrees to tell him how he got his hands on it, but only if Dr Shin does something for him in return.

Dr Shin must help Black Manta find Aquaman.

AQUAMAN: WHO IS THE VILLAIN IN THE AQUAMAN MOVIE?

So, all in all, it seems like the sequel will focus on Dr Shin and Black Manta as they hunt down Aquaman.

The plot has some foundation in the comic books and Dr Shin himself is a character from the New 52 DC comics reboot in 2011.

However, Dr Shin in the comic book differs greatly to what the mid-credits scene shows.

How he will come to fruition in the sequel remains to be seen but for now, you can delight in the first Aquaman movie in cinemas.

Aquaman is now playing in cinemas.