The Big Picture
- Surprisingly strong performance in overseas markets, particularly in China, is boosting the box office numbers for Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom.
- The film has already passed $100 million domestically and $300 million worldwide, with a strong international haul of $234 million.
- Despite troubled production and mixed reviews, Aquaman 2 is set to finish with a final gross of over $400 million, solidifying its success in the superhero genre.
Thanks to a surprisingly solid performance in overseas markets, especially China, the final film in Warner Bros.’ now-defunct DC Extended Universe, Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom is delivering stronger-than-expected numbers at the box office. This weekend marked a double-win for the superhero sequel, which debuted to soft results in December. But all is not lost; Aquaman 2 has now passed the $100 million mark domestically, and the $300 million mark worldwide.
The film grossed over $10 million domestically this weekend — although this number could decrease once tomorrow’s actuals are reported — and another $50-odd million from overseas markets over the last week. Aquaman 2’s international haul now stands at $234 million, which takes its cumulative global total to $334 million. The movie has been especially successful in the IMAX format, grossing a combined total of over $30 million, of which $10 million has come from the Middle Kingdom. Aquaman 2 has already overtaken recent superhero misfires such as The Marvels and The Flash, which concluded their global runs with $205 million and $270 million, respectively. The movie will now set its sights on passing 2022’s Black Adam, which concluded its theatrical run with a little more than $390 million worldwide.
Thanks to a strong international performance, a $400 million-plus final gross is on the cards for the film. Directed by James Wan, Aquaman 2 had a troubled production, with behind-the-scenes change-ups in the DCEU affecting the story. Both Michael Keaton and Ben Affleck, for instance, reportedly filmed cameos as their respective versions of Batman, but neither appear in the final film. Aquaman 2 concludes the much-maligned DCEU, which began in 2013 with Zack Snyder’s Man of Steel.
‘Aquaman 2’ Is Ending the DCEU On a Hopeful Note
|
Recent Superhero Bombs |
Global Box Office |
|---|---|
|
The Marvels |
$205 million |
|
The Flash |
$270 million |
|
Black Adam |
$393 million |
|
Shazam! Fury of the Gods |
$132 million |
|
Blue Beetle |
$128 million |
Produced on a reported budget of over $200 million, Aquaman 2 stars Jason Momoa in the titular role, most likely for the final time. Momoa first appeared as the character in 2017’s Justice League and reprised his role in the first Aquaman movie, which was released to resounding box office success in 2018. Also directed by Wan, Aquaman remains the highest-grossing DC film of all time, with over $1.1 billion in global grosses. In the best-case scenario, Aquaman 2 will finish with a fraction of that amount. Reviews for the film weren’t exactly terrible, but they weren’t ecstatic either. Aquaman 2 sits at a “rotten” 35% score on the aggregator website Rotten Tomatoes, although the audience reception is far more positive with an 81% score.
But the writing was on the wall; the superhero genre has been struggling in recent months, with both Marvel and DC delivering high-profile bombs. In addition to The Marvels and The Flash, Shazam! Fury of the Gods, Blue Beetle, and Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania all underperformed at the box office. The DCEU will be rebooted in 2025 as the DC Universe, with director James Gunn’s Superman: Legacy.
You can watch Aquaman 2 in theaters, and stay tuned to Collider for more updates.
Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom
Arthur must enlist the help of his half-brother Orm in order to protect Atlantis against Black Manta, who has unleashed a devastating weapon in his obsessive quest to avenge his father’s death.
- Release Date
- December 22, 2023
- Director
- James Wan
