The film "Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom" premiered with lower-than-expected earnings in North America at $28.1 million but managed to claim victory at the domestic weekend box office. Across the Christmas holiday weekend, it's projected to make $40 million domestically. Internationally, the picture fared better, raking in an additional $80.1 million, which contributes to its worldwide total of $120.1 million. Despite lagging behind its predecessor and other contemporary superhero films, "Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom" stands as the final installment in the now-sunset DCEU before the arrival of the new DCU led by James Gunn and Peter Safran. The movie's critical reception is mixed with a 36% rating on Rotten Tomatoes, though audience scores are higher.
Meanwhile, the "Wonka" prequel maintained a strong second place, while newcomer "Migration" took third. "Anyone But You" and the Indian Telugu-language epic "Salaar Part 1 - Ceasefire" completed the top five.
Is "Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom" performing as well as the original "Aquaman"?No, "Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom" is not performing as well as the original "Aquaman" which had a stronger opening weekend and ultimately garnered over $1.1 billion globally.
"Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom" follows the 2018 film "Aquaman," which was a significant commercial success. The original "Aquaman" represented a shift in tone for DC films, favoring a lighter, more adventure-centric narrative. It introduced audiences to the underwater kingdom of Atlantis, focusing on the origin and ascension of Arthur Curry, played by Jason Momoa, as the rightful ruler of the seven seas. Directed by James Wan, who is also at the helm of "Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom," the first film was praised for its visual effects and Wan's direction, setting high expectations for its sequel.
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Comments
Looks like Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom is treading water compared to its predecessor, which is a bit surprising given the splash the first movie made. With the DCEU's curtain call and mixed reviews, it seems moviegoers might be a little more hesitant to dive back into Atlantis this time around.
Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom diving into some choppy box office waters isn’t too surprising given the mixed signals fans have been feeling from the DCEU lately. Although it couldn't make the same splash as the first film, it proves there's still an appetite for Atlantean adventures, especially overseas - maybe international fans are less hung up on universe continuity and just ready for a good popcorn flick.
Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom swimming into theaters with less splash than its predecessor is a reminder that box office tides can be as unpredictable as the sea, especially during transition periods like the DCEU's shift. Still, it's cool to see fans showing up with higher audience scores, keeping the current (and Atlantis) alive for now, before James Gunn's DCU reboot takes the plunge.