Momoa appears in Beijing on Nov 18 to promote the film, which will premiere in China two weeks earlier than in North America. [Photo provided to China Daily]

In the past, such a tentpole would usually come to China after being released in other countries, or be released in China at the same time as in the United States.

Following his appearance as Aquaman in the 2016 film, Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, and the 2017 ensemble, Justice League, the 1.93-meter-tall Momoa reprises his role of the king of the seven seas in the upcoming film.

His biggest challenge while making the movie, he says, was "just staying fit and not getting too injured".

Speaking about why he likes the Aquaman role, he points to the action sequences and adds that the nontraditional hero, who embodies many taboos, has a distinct personality. He also says that his character is the kind of guy who will probably punch Batman in the face if he gets mad.

Momoa, who was born in Honolulu, Hawaii, and educated in Iowa, where he majored in marine biology, says he has a deep connection with the ocean.

Aquaman is one of the most enduring superheroes in DC Comics' history. His origin story has been treated differently over the years.

The half-human, half-Atlantean figure, who can talk to fish, debuted in 1941. But the new movie is based on the Aquaman comic series done by Geoff Johns since 2011.

In the film, the son of a lighthouse keeper and a former queen from Atlantis, the fictional underwater civilization, Arthur Curry, aka Aquaman, struggles with his identity. He's trapped between two worlds-the land and the ocean. But he has to step forward to lead his people in the deep sea with the assistance of Mera, an Atlantean woman, who becomes Aquaman's wife.

Speaking about the film, Wan, the Australian director born in Malaysia, says: "It's super exciting to adapt a character that is really popular in pop culture but has never had the opportunity to have a life of its own on from a cinematic standpoint."

Wan, who is known for The Conjuring franchise and Furious 7, is considered one of the most promising Asian faces in Hollywood. So, it's quite a surprise to his actors when he says that the Beijing event marks his first visit to China.

The 41-year-old of Chinese-Malaysian descent also says that he is fascinated by Chinese mythological superheroes, such as the Monkey King from the 16th-century novel, Journey to the West, thanks to his grandparents.