Who's Jake Hyde aka Aqualad? Origin explored as the second Aquaman gets HBO Max series thanks to Charlize Theron

The pool of DC characters is expanding as Aqualad prepares to make his big-screen debut. The second person to helm the title of Aqualad, Jake Hyde, is splashing his way to HBO max with the adaptation of a popular young adult graphic novel titled, You Brought Me the ocean. The novel tells the story of Jake Hyde, son of the famous Aquaman villain Black Manta.

We follow Jake, who struggles to come out of the closet, make new friends and discovers his mysterious connection with the ocean. Academy Award-winning actress Charlize Theron, who has starred in multiple movies adapted from graphic novels like Atomic Blonde and Old Guard, is a fan of the story and is looking forward to spearheading the project as a producer.

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Despite being a superhero, Aqualad’s story is grounded in reality in the graphic novel

Released in 2020, You Brought Me the Ocean is written by Alex Sanchez, known for comics like Gargoyles, The Spectacular Spider-Man, and the series Young Justice. Illustrator Jul Maroh, creator of the acclaimed graphic novel Blue is the Warmest Color that went ahead to become a successful feature film, has worked on the artwork for You Brought Me the Ocean.

The story reinvents an already established character, Jackson Hyde, the second Aqualad, and adds details to his backstory that can be enjoyed and related by young adults. Jake lives with his mother in the desert town of New Mexico. Having undergone genetic modifications during birth which make Jake an amphibian, Mrs. Hyde instills fear in Jake and asks him to stay away from water bodies, especially oceans.

However, Jake’s curiosity about his mysterious connection with water is unquenchable as he secretly applies for an oceanography course at the University of Miami. Jake’s friend Maria Mendez has a crush on him while the Aqualad is still in the closet.

The story follows Jake as he develops a deep relationship with Kenny Liu, who helps him unravel his identity and the mystery of his newfound hydrokinetic powers. Aqualad’s story was well received by fans, with one of them being Charlize Theron. The series has great potential as high school drama meets superhero action.

Denver and Delilah film’s A.J. Dix, Beth Kono, and Andrew Haas will produce the series along with Theron. However, there is neither any news about the cast of the project nor do we have any information about the writer or director for the series. You Brought Me the Ocean is available for sale on the DC Comics website as well as other online stores.