AQUAMAN AND THE LOST KINGDOM's Rumored Runtime Will Make It One Of The Shortest DCEU Movies Ever

AQUAMAN AND THE LOST KINGDOM's Rumored Runtime Will Make It One Of The Shortest DCEU Movies Ever

The first trailer for Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom will splash down later today and we now have news on the troubled sequel's runtime...and it currently looks set to be one of the shortest DCEU movies yet!

By JoshWilding - Sep 14, 2023 07:09 AM EST

While a recent Entertainment Weekly article about Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom has attempted to portray the troubled sequel in a better light, news of poor test screenings, extensive reshoots, and Mera's trimmed-down role remain fresh in the minds of fans. 

Now, ahead of today's trailer release, we have details on the sequel's current runtime: 1 hour and 55 minutes. 

While not final, this comes from a reliable source and, if correct, makes Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom one of the shortest DCEU movies to date. 2018's Aquaman was 2 hours, 23 minutes, but 1 hour and 55 minutes would place the sequel between Harley Quinn: Birds of Prey (1 hour, 49 minutes) and Justice League (2 hours).

After all those reshoots, you'd be forgiven Warner Bros. probably have 6 hours of footage. Unfortunately, most of it probably isn't usable. That's one explanation for this surprisingly short runtime with the other being that trimming off 20 or 30 minutes means it can play in a larger number of screens and make more money. 

If claims Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom is a disaster are correct, then every penny will count. With any luck, the movie will exceed expectations and end the DCEU on a positive note, something that would come as a much-needed win for the franchise after the past year.

Be sure to check back here later for that trailer. 

Director James Wan and Aquaman himself, Jason Momoa - along with Patrick Wilson, Amber Heard, Yahya Abdul-Mateen II and Nicole Kidman - return in the sequel to the highest-grossing DC film of all time: Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom.

Having failed to defeat Aquaman the first time, Black Manta, still driven by the need to avenge his father’s death, will stop at nothing to take Aquaman down once and for all. This time Black Manta is more formidable than ever before, wielding the power of the mythic Black Trident, which unleashes an ancient and malevolent force. To defeat him, Aquaman will turn to his imprisoned brother Orm, the former King of Atlantis, to forge an unlikely alliance. Together, they must set aside their differences in order to protect their kingdom and save Aquaman’s family, and the world, from irreversible destruction.

All returning to the roles they originated, Jason Momoa plays Arthur Curry/Aquaman, now balancing his duties as both the King of Atlantis and a new father; Patrick Wilson is Orm, Aquaman’s half-brother and his nemesis, who must now step into a new role as his brother’s reluctant ally; Amber Heard is Mera, Atlantis’ Queen and mother of the heir to the throne; Yahya Abdul-Mateen II is Black Manta, committed more than ever to avenge his father’s death by destroying Aquaman, his family and Atlantis; and Nicole Kidman as Atlanna, a fierce leader and mother with the heart of a warrior. Also reprising their roles are Dolph Lundgren as King Nereus and Randall Park as Dr. Stephen Shin.

The screenplay is by David Leslie Johnson-McGoldrick, from a story by James Wan & David Leslie Johnson-McGoldrick and Jason Momoa & Thomas Pa'a Sibbett.

Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom will be released on December 20.

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KWilly
KWilly - 9/14/2023, 7:39 AM
If the Flash was the DCEU's swan song, then this is their epilogue lol
Spidernoir
Spidernoir - 9/14/2023, 7:43 AM
Finally a superhero movie that’s just under 2 hours!
Hopefully it will also be good.. or at least entertaining 🤞🏼
Taonrey
Taonrey - 9/14/2023, 8:30 AM
@Spidernoir - there have literally been multiple superhero movies under 2hrs.
Venom 112min
Venom 2 97 minutes
Morbius 104 minutes
Thor 4 119min
birds of prey 109 minutes
into the spider verse 117 minutes.
The marvels is also rumored to be under 2hrs
bobevanz
bobevanz - 9/14/2023, 9:42 AM
@Taonrey - 5 of those are shit, sorry 4 and a soon to be fifth
Taonrey
Taonrey - 9/15/2023, 4:18 AM
@bobevanz - I mean his post wasn't about quality, he literally says "finally a superhero movie that's just under 2 hours"
rychlec
rychlec - 9/14/2023, 7:46 AM
Shave off another hour and 55 minutes and I'm there!
ChimiFnChangas
ChimiFnChangas - 9/14/2023, 7:46 AM
“Reliable source”

I’m tempted to create a random Twitter account and make up some shit to see if Josh reports it as ‘news’
Arthorious
Arthorious - 9/14/2023, 8:14 AM
@ChimiFnChangas - I’d say go ahead, he already post fan art and fan casting choices as “news” so why not
braunermegda
braunermegda - 9/14/2023, 8:21 AM
@Arthorious - but don't forget: the fan art must be terrible, truly awful, so he can call it "jaw dropped art"
bobevanz
bobevanz - 9/14/2023, 9:52 AM
@JoshWilding I know you have me blocked, I just want to say you suck. Wanker
IronSpider101
IronSpider101 - 9/14/2023, 7:50 AM
At the very least it'll be better than any of the year's Marvel junk, that's for sure.
Urubrodi
Urubrodi - 9/14/2023, 8:13 AM
@IronSpider101 - Keep dreaming. Guardians 3 was released this year (directed by the guy that is meant to be DC's savior now). But then again the comment is coming from someone with a Superman avatar.
JRM1995
JRM1995 - 9/14/2023, 8:39 AM
@IronSpider101 - Agreed, everything except Guardians 3 has been garbage from Marvel, I'm sure this will be better than all of that crap.
IronSpider101
IronSpider101 - 9/14/2023, 8:55 AM
@Urubrodi - Oh yeah, I forgot Guardians 3 was this year. That was the best one of these in years. And I say that as someone who also wasn't even huge on Phase 3.
Urubrodi
Urubrodi - 9/14/2023, 9:15 AM
@JRM1995 - If we're talking all of Phase 4 you've got things like Spider-Man NWH, Shang-Chi, Black Panther 2, Guardians 3, some of the series and specials... if we're talking just this year than the rest of the content is comprised of Ant-Man 3, Guardians 3, a movie not even out yet and 2 series (one of which will probably be really good, Loki, judging by the first season). Regarding movies, maybe Aquaman 2 is better than Ant-Man 3 and Marvels... but considering that the DCEU is still worse than Marvel in their worst phase, not sure where all this confidence comes from, the first Aquaman is far from a masterpiece.
bobevanz
bobevanz - 9/14/2023, 9:43 AM
@Urubrodi - you take the bait every time lol
RitoRevolto
RitoRevolto - 9/14/2023, 7:53 AM
More movies should be 90 minutes, wrap that shit up.
Spike101
Spike101 - 9/14/2023, 7:57 AM
I guess that’s after Gunn cut all the bits out that linked to actors and storylines he’s killed off. I could laugh at it if they did just that and just made cuts with no attempt to edit them out coherently. You never know if they actually fid that it might make cult status and do better at the box office.
CaptainCheese
CaptainCheese - 9/14/2023, 8:03 AM
Is this a scene from "DUNE", "SEE", "JLA" or "GOT"? Jason Momoa is a chameleon in his roles.
Urubrodi
Urubrodi - 9/14/2023, 8:20 AM
If there is one thing they should keep from this version, is the suit. One of the best in CBMs.
FireandBlood
FireandBlood - 9/14/2023, 9:26 AM
@Urubrodi - The suit is perfect, nobody can deny that.

Fogs
Fogs - 9/14/2023, 8:24 AM
Actually this is a good thing. The DC films are usually longer than needed.
slickrickdesigns
slickrickdesigns - 9/14/2023, 8:41 AM
Hey look it’s the next DC movie. Aka flopper.
Matador
Matador - 9/14/2023, 8:55 AM
@slickrickdesigns - Damn he must have been watching soccer!

IronSpider101
IronSpider101 - 9/14/2023, 9:01 AM
@slickrickdesigns - I think you mean... Flounder
ImBatman4realz
ImBatman4realz - 9/14/2023, 8:49 AM
I find it interesting that Josh’s title of this post-icle is titled nearly identical to Mark’s previous article.

Could it be that we’ve found another one of Josh’s aliases? Does anyone really care about the length of a movie, and/or episode of a tv show enough to have an entire run-on about it?
dragon316
dragon316 - 9/14/2023, 8:52 AM
As long doesn’t make feel bored watching it under two hours is good see movies be two hours now not always good thing
bobevanz
bobevanz - 9/14/2023, 9:51 AM
2.5 hour runtimes for superhero movies are played out. Too much padding and worthless dialog, cheap looking cgi. When it comes to superhero movies, nowadays I can't wait to get out of the theater. Everything else gets a pass. I started watching Halloween movies, starting in the 30's with the Universal Monsters. Most of them are an hour 20, maybe hour 45.. the pacing is perfect, you get the meat and potatoes, then it ends. No movies are too [frick]ing long and they waste time on purpose. Except for Oppenheimer and Avatar, like 1% of 2.5 hour movies are truly worth the runtime. I praise this for being under two hours.. but it's still going to suck. They drastically cut time from Marvels and this because they get more showings, and maybe they'll get clowns to double dip because it isn't as long and played out
bobevanz
bobevanz - 9/14/2023, 9:54 AM
I gotta get my Disney Shill bingo card out pretty soon lol it's always fun seeing them make excuses for making 10 bucks on a 500m dollar budget HAHAHA. Marvels has a 500m budget.... let that sink in
DocSpock
DocSpock - 9/14/2023, 10:13 AM

If a movie is great, almost no one gripes about the run time. (Avengers Infinity War)

If a movie kinda sucks, you always feel like it ran too long. (Eternals)

If a movie totally sucks, any run time is too long. (Black Adam)







carloswithak
carloswithak - 9/14/2023, 10:28 AM
Why is this article up but not the actual trailer? I had to go to YouTube to check out the trailer. *SPOILERS* Looks like the red head mermaid dies and get cremated?
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