Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom may have quietly and surprisingly ended the DCEU on a high note, with the film recently making waves by setting a new box office record. The sequel to 2019’s Aquaman has reportedly raked in nearly $115 million domestically since its release during the last holiday season – an impressive feat after a spate of Hollywood bombs.
This marks a significant achievement, as the movie has made double the earnings of any other DCEU sequel in North America. For comparison, Shazam! Fury of the Gods trails waaaaaaaaaaaaaaay behind with $57.6 million, followed closely by The Suicide Squad at $55.8 million.
With a global gross of $398 million and expectations of breaking the $400 million mark by the end of its theatrical run, Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom appears poised to at least recoup its production costs after the weak Christmas debut. Not quite a rousing success, but it’s better than a flop.
Weekend Box Office Estimates: #MeanGirls $11.7M #TheBeekeeper $8,4M #WonkaMovie $6.4M https://t.co/XmN4oTAFhZ pic.twitter.com/bFIFgXdPFA
— Box Office Mojo (@boxofficemojo) January 21, 2024
It recently surpassed Black Adam’s global earnings of $393 million, securing its place as the seventh-highest-grossing DCEU movie worldwide, with the theatrical version of Justice League (2017) leading the pack at $657.9 million. And it certainly buries the MCU’s The Marvels disappointing worldwide box office which sits at $206 million.
The storyline of The Lost Kingdom revolves around the complex alliance between Arthur Curry (played by Jason Momoa) and his troubled brother Orm Marius (Patrick Wilson), as they face off against the formidable Black Manta (Yahya Abdul Mateen II) to protect their family. The cast also included returning stars such as Amber Heard, Dolph Lundgren, and Nicole Kidman.
However, the movie’s negative press during and after the production, ranging from unfavorable test screenings to on-set drama involving Momoa and Heard, contributed to the sequel’s underperformance compared to the original Aquaman, which grossed an impressive $1.15 billion worldwide.
The competition with other superhero films also played a role in shaping The Lost Kingdom’s box office outcomes. For comparison, Black Adam faced tough competition with the Marvel Cinematic Universe’s highly anticipated film Black Panther: Wakanda Forever shortly after its release, impacting its performance.
In contrast, Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom navigated a relatively light January release schedule, allowing it to continue its box office momentum, and had the benefit of being released in China. In all likelihood, the Chinese box office is the key factor that pushed Aquaman 2 past the box office performance of Black Adam.
Prior to Aquaman 2’s theatrical debut, speculation loomed over the future of the Aquaman franchise, with director James Wan suggesting that a third installment would only materialize if there’s sufficient fan interest.
Given that the DCEU underwent an “overhaul” into the DC Universe, led by DC Studios co-CEOs James Gunn and Peter Safran, the likelihood of a third Aquaman film starring Momoa is pretty much nil.
However, Momoa himself may have a place in the new DCU. Rumors link him to the role of Lobo, a character he has expressed interest in portraying. The underwhelming performance of the Aquaman sequel has increased the likelihood of Momoa shifting from the iconic aquatic hero to the rugged intergalactic mercenary.
Despite being the best-performing DCEU entry since the first Aquaman, The Lost Kingdom was digitally released earlier than expected. Digital availability on platforms such as Prime Video and Vudu began on January 23, 2024. Warner Bros. also made the first 10 minutes of the film available on YouTube. This will be followed by a 4K UHD, Blu-ray, and DVD release on March 12.
