Jason Momoa starrer Aquaman remains the highest-grossing film in the DCEU, which is now revamped into DCU under James Gunn. Following the massive success of Aquaman, a sequel was announced, titled Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom. Fans were highly anticipating the release of the film, but the buzz surrounding the film has slowly died down.
A recent insider report suggests that James Gunn has given up on the project. The disappointing box office performances of The Flash and Black Adam proved too much for Warner Bros., and the studio is reportedly scaling back its marketing efforts for the film.
James Gunn And Warner Bros. Reportedly Have No Interest In Promoting Aquaman 2
With Aquaman 2 set to release in theatres in just three months, fans have been questioning why no trailer has been released yet. In answering one fan query, a Twitter account which goes by the name KC Walsh, suggested that James Gunn and Warner Bros. have no intentions of allocating a large budget to the movie’s marketing, knowing that it’s bad. The studio had earlier experienced considerable losses in the marketing budgets for The Flash and Black Adam. KC Walsh wrote on X/Twitter:
This rumored report could be a possibility considering the DC Extended Universe is nearing its end and the Aquaman character may have no future in Gunn’s DCU. Regardless of the studio’s concerns about the marketing budget, Aquaman 2 deserves a winning chance at the box office, to not end up like Blue Beetle. Interestingly, the production budget for Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom is reportedly more than $200 million.
Aquaman 2 Was A Movie Made Amidst Challenging Circumstances
The much-hyped sequel to the blockbuster Aquaman was hit with several challenges. In early 2022, Amber Heard, who plays Mera in the movie, faced severe backlash after the publicized defamation trial with Johnny Depp. Many fans called for Heard’s removal from the Aquaman production. Surprisingly, the Never Back Down actress was retained in the sequel.
In November 2022, James Gunn and Peter Safran took over as the new CEOs of DC Studios, resulting in the scrapping of the DCEU in favor of building the new DCU. Later that year, reports emerged suggesting that the studio was recasting Jason Momoa as another DC character, Lobo. However, Gunn did confirm at the time that the Aquaman sequel would happen and could potentially pave the way for the first DCU film, Superman Legacy.
In 2023, DC Studios faced commercial failures with its DCEU ventures, including the sequel to the previously successful Shazam!. Despite receiving positive reviews, the setbacks affected the box office performance of DC’s latest movie, Blue Beetle. The final nail in the coffin came with the WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikes, which proved costly for the studio in the case of Blue Beetle.
Aquaman 2 will see the return of director James Wan. Wan conceived the story for a sequel along with Momoa and screenwriter David Leslie Johnson, during the production of the first film. As of now, Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom is scheduled to be released in theaters on December 20, 2023.
Source: KC Walsh – X/Twitter
