Warner Bros’ final installment for the DC Extended Universe just hit theaters, and critics feel underwhelmed with how Aquaman 2 turned out. The Jason Momoa-led film was reported to have extensive reshoots which director James Wan previously denied.
He noted that there were only a couple of days spent on some minor reshoots, but because of the actors’ conflicting schedules, it took them almost a week. Either way, fans aren’t happy with the film’s editing and overall visuals.
James Wan Clarified The Rumored Extensive Reshoots For Aquaman 2
James Wan shut down rumors of lengthy reshoots for Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom and admitted it took a week because of scheduling problems and not some major changes in the plot whatsoever. He told Empire magazine:
“We probably did seven or eight days [of reshoots], which is nothing for a movie of this size. It was just spread out because it’s so hard to get your actors back once you’ve finished the initial shoot.”
Wan is not afraid of changing his mind or welcoming new ideas from time to time in the middle of production. He admitted creating a horror franchise out of reshoots, referring to The Nun, and he also stated that he isn’t the type of person who would go and say, “This movie has to turn out exactly how I planned it on day one.” For the Australian filmmaker, that mentality only spoils the art.
He also confessed that whatever the box office result is for Jason Momoa’s Aquaman 2, his desire to helm a third installment remains solid. However, with James Gunn and Peter Safran taking over DC Studios, the plan for a third film seems unlikely now.
“I haven’t directed a third movie [in a series] before, so I’d be open to doing another [Aquaman] if I got the same freedom I’ve had on these first two. I’m not sure what direction [Gunn and Safran] are going in, though, so who knows? I’ve learned to never say never.”
Wan did not deny that Warner Bros and James Gunn shared their inputs on Aquaman 2, though he failed to mention whether the reshoots were ordered by them. He confessed in the same interview that he is a “collaborative filmmaker” and he welcomes suggestions from others. Still, he claimed that Aquaman 2 is still his project.
DC Fans Are Disappointed With Warner Bros’ Aquaman 2 Reshoots
Fans seem upset with the supposed reshoots in Aquaman 2 as pictures of Jason Momoa as the King of Atlantis look heavily edited. Many noticed how it does not project an image of a reshoot but rather a VFX edit. Check out the photos and the reactions below:
The clips I’ve seen look nothing like Wan’s style. It’s shameful what they did to his film
— SnyderBot Steve (@StevMcClev) December 21, 2023
The left image was sooo much better what?? Never let gunn cook
— 𝒮𝘢𝘮𝘮𝘪𝘦 🏳️⚧️ ★ ʀᴇʙᴇʟ ᴍᴏᴏɴ (@SnyderQueen_) December 21, 2023
It’s not even reshot it’s redone CGI
— ∞ Lukah ∞ (@DarkStoic) December 22, 2023
Good lord 🤣🤣
WB reshoots = add cringe quipy humour & make it more colourful 💀
— George_TeamLH🇬🇧 (@George_Taylor94) December 21, 2023
Wow WB and James Gunn you guys really like sabotaging other director’s work and vision
James Wann deserves better I hope his cut of the film will be released soon not later but sooner
— Romello Malone (@RomelloMalone) December 21, 2023
If you’ve ever been swimming in the ocean then you know that the image on the right is too bright for an underwater universe, the image on the left is more realistic because of the sun hitting the natural debris in the water 💙🩵🤍🧜🏻♀️
— Amber Dillon (@rockaddict420) December 21, 2023
Momoa’s final DCEU project is now under scrutiny from fans and critics, and with all the controversies surrounding the film and some of the cast members, it might be a struggle to surpass the success of the first installment.
