Jason Momoa is all in to reprise the titular character in Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom. With the DCEU slate coming to an end, DC Studios has already unraveled its plans for the near future with a reboot. Given the records of previous DC movies, many are anticipating the results of this one. But, is it going to end the franchise’s misery? There are a few reasons why this movie is expected to struggle at the box office after the success of its first installment.
2018’s Aquaman raised the bar high as it grossed over $1 billion worldwide, making it the highest-grossing DCEU film. Now, here’s why the second movie is going to struggle for the same success.
Why Jason Momoa’s Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom Would Struggle at the Box Office?
After the success of the first Jason Momoa’s Aquaman movie, many are highly anticipating its sequel, Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom. However, several factors affected the audiences’ interest which would affect the box-office numbers as it can either make a new record for DC Studios or bring the movie into the list of its box-office disappointments.
While it faces several issues before its release, one can’t argue that actress Amber Heard, who plays Mera in the movie, has garnered negative attention due to her personal issues. Her highly-publicized defamation lawsuit involving her ex-husband, Johnny Depp not only tarnished her reputation but also led many demanding to remove her from the movie. Given that the teaser barely showed her, even her small part in the movie can likely affect its entire box office.
Now that the movie is releasing in the holiday season after several delays, it would not face major competition at the box office. However, it might be unable to give a proper send-off to the DCEU given the superhero fatigue everyone is facing now. With the superhero movie genre moving at a fast pace, many are tired of what the franchise has to offer which affected the box office numbers. It is well known that the previous movies were unable to impress the audience whether it be Black Adam, The Flash, or Blue Beetle.
Another crucial factor is the titular actor, Jason Momoa‘s confirmation that the movie is going to conclude the DCEU era. Not just that, he has also teased about his future in James Gunn‘s DCU.
In his appearance on The Tonight Show Starring Jimmy Fallon, he mentioned,
“I mean this is kinda like the end of – this DC universe. I mean things have happened before so I guess if people like it, there will always be a place for me at DC – they like me.”
There have been whispers going around about Momoa being the perfect contender to play Lobo in the new DCU. While it is yet to be known whether this would be true or not, ending Aquaman’s arc is surely going to have an impact on the movie’s performance at the theatres.
Jason Momoa’s Aquaman 2 Box Office Prediction
Since the first Jason Momoa solo superhero flick, the franchise has witnessed a series of box-office bombs. With many hoping to witness whether the upcoming DCEU movie will be able to resurge the franchise’s popularity or not, a new report shares a disappointing update.
As per BoxOfficePro, the upcoming Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom is expected to debut in the $32 million-$42 million range in its opening weekend at the domestic box office. This prediction is surely another upset for the fans as its predecessor performed incredibly well, even making new records for the franchise.
Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom will be released on December 22nd, 2023.
