2018 seems like such a long time ago, but it’s only been half a decade since Aquaman became the highest-grossing DC movie ever. The film’s $1.152 billion worldwide total easily earned it a sequel, which is arriving this week in theaters under the title Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom.
Director James Wan returned for the sequel, which notably features almost every cast member from the first film. Jason Momoa is reprising his role as Arthur Curry/Aquaman, with Patrick Wilson as Orm Marius, Amber Heard as Mera, Yahya Abdul-Mateen II as Black Manta, Randall Park as Dr. Stephen Shin, Dolph Lundgren as Nereus, Temuera Morrison as Tom Curry, Martin Short as Kingfish, and Nicole Kidman as Atlanna.
While the first film featured Arthur taking on his half-brother, Orm, for the throne of Atlantis, the sequel will force the siblings to team up when Black Manta gains enough power to threaten both Atlantis and the rest of the world with total destruction. It is also the final DC Extended Universe film before the upcoming DC Universe reboot begins in 2025 with Superman: Legacy.
Is Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom streaming?
No, not yet. Superhero movies have been having enough problems this year. Saddling Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom with a day-and-date theatrical and streaming release would have been the kiss of death for this sequel. No one really expects this movie to match the original Aquaman‘s success, but the early tracking currently has The Lost Kingdom slated to make only $40 million this weekend. For comparison’s sake, The Marvels opened to $46 million last month on its way to becoming Marvel Studios’ biggest bomb to date. If Aquaman 2 opens even lower than that, then DC is in even worse shape than we thought.
Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom could defy those terrible numbers if it pulls in stronger-than-expected business over the long Christmas weekend. But at the moment, it sure looks like Aquaman is going to sleep with the fishes, so to speak.
Will Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom be available to stream at home?
Yes, Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom will be heading to Max at some point. The earliest that will happen is February. But even in the event of The Lost Kingdom bombing in theaters, Max will likely wait until March or April before giving the film a streaming debut.
Will Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom go on to other streamers as well? Warner Bros. Pictures licensed out several of its 2022 movies to Netflix and Prime Video earlier this year, including DC films like The Suicide Squad, The Batman, and Black Adam. The key part of that deal was that those were last year’s films. Max probably won’t loan out Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom to another streamer in 2024, but that may change in 2025.
Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom is now playing in theaters.
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