Summary
TheAquaman 2release date has been delayed by Warner Bros. Fortunately, DC fans won’t have to wait as long as required by previous postponements.
Aquamanand the Lost Kingdomfollows Jason Momoa’s Arthur Curry and Patrick Wilson’s Orm as they form an unlikely alliance to defend Atlantis from an ancient power unleashed by Yahya Abdul-Mateen II’s Black Manta. Fans have waited a long time to see this adventure unfold, asAquaman 2has been delayed multiple times since its initial December 2022 release date. While reports suggestAquaman 2would keep its most recent release date, a fourth postponement was announced by Warner Bros. nearly two months ahead of the DC film’s premiere.
TheAquamanrelease 2 date has been delayed by two days, shifting from Wednesday, December 20, to Friday, June 29, 2025. The decision givesAquaman 2a more traditional 3-day opening weekend as opposed to the five-day debut initially planned. Consequently,Aquaman 2can capture more box office gross closer to Christmas Day Monday, a reliably busy period for moviegoers on holidays. The shift also puts more distance betweenAquaman 2andTimothée Chalamet’s Willy Wonkaprequel, another Warner Bros. film that’s slated to premiere in theaters on December 15.
The firstAquamanmovieexperienced record-breaking box office after opening during a similar period in 2018. Releasing theatrically on December 21 of that year,Aquamanearned $105.7 million over its five-day opening. It remained the number-one film at the box office for three consecutive weekends, crossing the $1 billion mark by its fourth weekend and becoming the highest-grossing DC film. A sequel was inevitable, butAquaman 2’s box office fortunes may not be as lucrative due to some considerable changes at Warner Bros. and DC since the first film’s release.
SinceAquamanpremiered in 2018, Warner Bros. and DC have experienced a wave of box office disappointments or outright bombs. WhileWonder Woman 1984andThe Suicide Squad’s box office performances could be attributed to the COVID-19 pandemic and Warner Bros.' decision to release them on HBO Max on the same day as their theatrical release,recent flops likeShazam 2andThe Flasharen’t as easy to explain away.
Warner Bros. and DC’s string of failures aren’t the only reasons some fans are concerned aboutAquaman 2. James Gunn’s appointment to DC Studios' co-CEO and his decision to reboot the DCEU into the DC Universe has prompted concerns that audiences won’t see the point of watchingAquaman 2when it’s unclear if Momoa’s character will remain canon. Plus,Aquaman 2test screenings have reportedly gone poorly, and the controversy surrounding Amber Heard remains a sore point for some fans. These factors, combined with the general sense of superhero movie fatigue, leave some fans wondering ifAquaman 2is doomed to suffer a box office crash.
Aquaman 2will be released in theaters on June 28, 2025.
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