For years, global audiences identified Jason Momoa almost exclusively with one towering comic-book role: the trident-wielding king of Atlantis in the billion-dollar Aquaman franchise. His larger-than-life charisma, massive physical presence, and rebellious energy helped redefine the character for an entire generation of DC fans. But according to James Gunn, the role Momoa truly spent over a decade fighting for was never Aquaman at all.
It was Lobo.
Gunn recently dismantled the widespread belief that Momoa’s upcoming portrayal of the infamous intergalactic mercenary in Supergirl: Woman of Tomorrow emerged from some sudden executive decision or last-minute creative reshuffling. In reality, Momoa had reportedly been pursuing the role for more than ten years behind the scenes, aggressively lobbying Warner Bros. to let him embody the cigar-smoking, ultra-violent antihero he had adored since childhood.
For Momoa, the obsession ran incredibly deep.
Long before Hollywood transformed him into a blockbuster superstar, he was reportedly fascinated by Lobo’s anarchic personality and unapologetically brutal attitude. Unlike traditional polished superheroes, Lobo existed as pure chaos — a wisecracking cosmic bounty hunter with immense strength, savage humor, and absolutely no interest in moral perfection. The character’s lawless energy immediately resonated with Momoa.
According to Gunn, the actor never stopped talking about the role.
Even while filming enormous DC projects and becoming synonymous with Aquaman, Momoa continued pushing for the opportunity to portray Lobo whenever discussions about future DC storytelling surfaced. Industry insiders long viewed the actor as a natural physical and emotional fit for the character, but for years the possibility remained trapped in development limbo.
What many fans misunderstood was the emotional connection driving the pursuit.
Momoa reportedly grew up collecting comic books featuring the character, particularly Omega Men #3, the 1983 issue that introduced the Czarnian antihero to DC lore. That early fascination stayed with him throughout adulthood. While Aquaman eventually made him globally recognizable, Lobo represented something more personal — the realization of a lifelong comic-book fantasy.
James Gunn’s arrival as co-CEO of DC Studios dramatically changed the equation.
Known for embracing unconventional, chaotic, and emotionally unpredictable comic-book characters, Gunn immediately recognized why Momoa had spent so many years obsessed with Lobo. The filmmaker reportedly understood that the casting would not feel forced or artificial because the actor’s natural personality already carried much of the same wild, rebellious energy associated with the infamous bounty hunter.
When Gunn finally approved the transition, Momoa reacted less like an actor securing another job and more like a fan whose impossible childhood dream had suddenly become real.
The announcement instantly ignited massive excitement across comic-book communities because many fans had secretly imagined Momoa as Lobo for years. His towering frame, gravelly voice, and unpredictable charisma seemed almost perfectly engineered for the role. Some even argued he looked more like the classic comic version of Lobo than nearly any superhero character previously adapted for live-action cinema.
The casting also symbolized a fascinating turning point within DC’s evolving cinematic universe. Rather than remaining permanently attached to Aquaman, Momoa was now being allowed to reinvent himself through a completely different corner of DC mythology — one far darker, stranger, and more chaotic.
For James Gunn, the decision was never random casting.
It was the culmination of a decade-long mission from an actor who had spent years waiting for the chance to finally become the comic-book outlaw he had idolized since childhood.