Did ‘Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom’ Mark Another Box Office Disappointment for the DCEU?

Was ‘Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom’ another superhero letdown, or did it close the DCEU with a modest box office victory?

The sequel to ‘Aquaman,’ titled ‘Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom,’ marked the fifteenth and final entry in the DC Extended Universe (DCEU). ‘Aquaman’ holds the distinction of being the highest-grossing film in the DCEU franchise. While the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) boasts ten films that have surpassed the $1 billion mark at the global box office, ‘Aquaman’ stands as the sole DCEU film to achieve this milestone. However, ‘Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom,’ initially anticipated to join the billion-dollar club, fell short of expectations, casting a shadow over the franchise’s conclusion.

The disappointment of ‘Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom’ adds to Warner Bros. and DC’s recent string of box office underperformance, following ‘Blue Beetle,’ ‘The Flash,’ and ‘Shazam! Fury of the Gods.’ Although the film saw a slight uptick in ticket sales during the holiday season, it failed to match the success of its predecessor. Its comparative success against other 2023 DC releases is more indicative of their poor performance than ‘Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom’s’ triumph. Moreover, the film’s lackluster box office performance mirrors the overall struggles of the now stagnant DCEU, which some argue was doomed from the start and is now banking on a fresh start with James Gunn’s ‘Superman.’

Was ‘Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom’ a box office bomb, a hit, or something in between?

Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom’s Box Office Journey:

During the holiday season, ‘Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom’ reigned supreme at the box office, surpassing other Warner Bros. Pictures releases like ‘The Color Purple’ and ‘Wonka.’ However, this victory felt hollow amid a lackluster holiday box office period. Despite projections of $30 million domestically over the traditional three-day weekend and $40 million over the four-day Christmas weekend, the film fell short, grossing approximately $27.7 million and $38.3 million, respectively.

By comparison, the original ‘Aquaman’ raked in approximately $27.7 million domestically on its wide release opening day in 2018, ultimately grossing $67.9 million domestically over its opening weekend. ‘Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom’ struggled to maintain its dominance, ceding the top spot to ‘The Color Purple’ on Christmas Day. With a production budget of $205 million, compared to $100 million for ‘The Color Purple’ and $125 million for ‘Wonka,’ ‘Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom’ entered the holiday box office as the presumed victor, given the blockbuster success of its predecessor.

However, the sequel’s momentum dwindled, dropping to second place at the box office in its second weekend, and falling out of the top 10 by its fourth week. Upon its arrival on streaming platform Max on February 27, 2024, the film had grossed $124 million domestically and $434 million worldwide.

Contextualizing ‘Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom’ within the DCEU:

In assessing ‘Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom’s’ performance within the DCEU, its domestic gross surpasses that of 2023’s DC disappointments like ‘The Flash,’ ‘Blue Beetle,’ and ‘Shazam! Fury of the Gods.’ However, it falls short of the heights achieved by earlier franchise entries like ‘Man of Steel’ and ‘Wonder Woman.’ On the global stage, it outperforms certain films like ‘Black Adam’ domestically, yet trails behind the original ‘Aquaman’ and other early DCEU successes.

‘Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom’s’ middling box office reception exemplifies the broader struggles of the DCEU, marked by inconsistent quality and declining audience favor. While external factors like the COVID-19 pandemic impacted films like ‘Birds of Prey’ and ‘Wonder Woman 1984,’ audience reception to various films within the franchise remained mixed. Even the original ‘Aquaman,’ despite its commercial success, faced mixed reviews from audiences, setting a challenging precedent for the sequel’s reception.

Ultimately, the DCEU’s decline reflects its troubled business trajectory, with dwindling box office returns and diminishing audience enthusiasm. The franchise’s fate now hinges on the success of upcoming projects like James Gunn’s ‘Superman,’ which aims to steer the DCEU into a new era of cinematic success.

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