Is AQUAMAN AND THE LOST KINGDOM Destined To Be The Next - And Final - DCEU Failure?

Is AQUAMAN AND THE LOST KINGDOM Destined To Be The Next - And Final - DCEU Failure?

With negativity continuing to surround Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom, is the sequel destined to be another DCEU disaster? We look at the evidence and what's led to the movie being in so much trouble...

Feature Opinion
By JoshWilding - Sep 12, 2023 01:09 PM EST

The last year has been a disaster for the DC Extended Universe. You might think it all started with Black Adam, but the irony is that the critically panned movie ended up being a bigger commercial hit than Shazam! Fury of the Gods, The Flash, and Blue Beetle

While the latter received better reviews than the rest, 2023 has not been good for this franchise and all signs point to the year ending on a bum note thanks to Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom. A sequel to 2018's $1.1 billion Aquaman, it should be a hit, but we've been hearing nothing but bad things. 

In this feature, we're delving into everything we know about the movie, taking a deep dive into what's gone wrong and why there's a strong chance it will be the next - and final - disaster for the DCEU. Oh, and why that might, to some extent, even be DC Studios' fault! 

To read through our breakdown, all you need to do is click on the "Next" button below. 
 

5. Disastrous Test Screenings

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We've been hearing bad things about Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom's disastrous test screenings since the start of the year and the narrative on that front has never really changed. Even the trades have confirmed the results from those were "uninspired."

As recently as yesterday the sequel was described as "f***ing boring" even after a third round of reshoots were said to have taken place this past summer. Throw in claims it's now a largely standalone movie and the fact not even the action is any good, and it doesn't sound like the movie has any real redeeming qualities. 

We'd always advise taking rumours like these with a pinch of salt, but based on past experience, whenever we hear negative reactions from test screenings, the movies in question are more often than not as awful as initially reported. 
 

4. No More Batman

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In an effort to counter those test screenings, multiple rounds of reshoots took place and, in something of an unprecedented move, Warner Bros. film bosses Michael De Luca and Pamela Abdy got hands-on. The latter -  a studio executive, not a creative - later took charge of an edit which ultimately received even lower scores. 

Due to constant release date changes, Michael Keaton's planned Batman cameo (supposedly setting up a major new threat) was cut and replaced with one featuring Ben Affleck...which has also been cut. 

That's to avoid setting up stories and movies which won't become a reality under DC Studios' watch. While we're not suggesting a post-credits cameo would be a game-changer for Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom, scrapping a sequence sure to be a huge talking point will do little to generate buzz. 
 

3. DC Studios' Influence

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On the one hand, you'd think DC Studios' influence on Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom would be a good thing. However, one look at The Flash has left us concerned that James Gunn and Peter Safran's creative input will have only made a bad movie even worse. 

They weighed in and approved that latest 4-day shoot, and if George Clooney's pointless cameo and Barry Allen's missing tooth are any sort of indication about what to expect, we're not surprised to learn that the latest round of additional photography has failed to fix a clearly troubled movie. 

Add DC Studios' repeated hints about Jason Momoa playing Lobo in the DCU, and we have zero idea why fans should care about this sequel. Then again, that was pretty much set in stone when 2023 kicked off with a slate reveal confirming this year's DCEU titles no longer mattered.
 

2. A Last-Minute Marketing Blitz

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Looking beyond the rumours and behind-the-scenes issues, the fact Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom's marketing campaign has begun roughly 100 days before it arrives in theaters is problematic on a number of levels. 

The only reason a trailer teaser was released on Saturday is because websites started sharing a rumour about Warner Bros. Discovery giving up on the sequel. The studio clearly doesn't want to spend money on a movie they're confident will be a flop and raising awareness this late...well, it will do little to generate excitement.

Regular moviegoers probably don't know the sequel exists at this stage and there are relatively few big releases for its trailer to be attached to in theaters. The strikes are also an issue as not even the A-List cast will be able to help spread the word this coming December!
 

1. A Damaged Brand

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We're getting sick of making this point, but it's one that's extremely relevant to Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom. After a year of terrible movies, not even Jason Momoa starring in the sequel to a $1.1 billion hit will be enough to wipe away the bad taste left by the likes of Black Adam and The Flash

The DC brand is damaged beyond repair. DC Studios inadvertently killed interest in 2023's DCEU movies when that "Gods and Monsters" slate was announced and even if there was no truth to the test screening and reshoot rumours, the way the sequel has been handled thus far makes it clear Warner Bros. doesn't care about it. 

Is there a remote chance Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom exceeds expectations and ends this era of storytelling on a high? Sure, but it would be naive to think that based on what we know and, if anything, this could be an even bigger flop than The Flash
 

AQUAMAN & THE LOST KINGDOM Concept Art Spotlights Alternate Mera Costume Designs
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99OPTIMISTPRIME
99OPTIMISTPRIME - 9/12/2023, 1:34 PM
About 66% Rotten Tomatoes. 650 million world-wide. Those kinda results would be a win for WB/DC.
EZBeast
EZBeast - 9/12/2023, 1:36 PM
I knew there would be a lot of hate for this movie from this site (and by god does the dcu absolutely deserve it after so many abominations) but I’m already sick of seeing the shit articles being made for a [frick]ing teaser trailer ffs…
KaptainKhaos
KaptainKhaos - 9/12/2023, 1:39 PM
Regardless of how it performs, it will be better then another mediocre article on this dying site
Ha1frican
Ha1frican - 9/12/2023, 1:41 PM
I dont know about final but definitely the next lol
MarvelZombie616
MarvelZombie616 - 9/12/2023, 1:43 PM
I read "Aquaman and the lost billion"! 😄
MclovinLife
MclovinLife - 9/12/2023, 1:46 PM
This isnt news. These kind of articles are getting ridiculous. Go post this on Tumblr josh
FireandBlood
FireandBlood - 9/12/2023, 1:47 PM
Nah because the DCEU will live on in Gunn’s DCU.
GhostDog
GhostDog - 9/12/2023, 1:52 PM
This is an article
Feralwookiee
Feralwookiee - 9/12/2023, 1:54 PM
"Is AQUAMAN AND THE LOST KINGDOM Destined To Be The Next - And Final - DCEU Failure?"

Comicmoviejunki
Comicmoviejunki - 9/12/2023, 2:00 PM
Yes
Kalsena
Kalsena - 9/12/2023, 2:06 PM
Can we start a petition to keep Josh Wilding from writing any article related to DC? It’s ridiculous to constantly get these biased hate articles, you would think the powers that be at WB bullied him when he was little or some shit .
EZBeast
EZBeast - 9/12/2023, 2:18 PM
@Kalsena - an ideal petition would to be to prevent him from writing articles about Star Wars, marvel, and dc. That way it forces him to other news and gives someone else the chance to do other styles of articles about those subjects while also giving us readers a break from too from all the Josh stuff!
FireandBlood
FireandBlood - 9/12/2023, 2:20 PM
@Kalsena - It’s almost as if you DC fans feel bullied by Josh because he acknowledges the state DC is in 🤷‍♂️

Would you feel better if he and everyone else pretends they’re successful? That every one of their movies aren’t flopping left and right?
Himura
Himura - 9/12/2023, 2:32 PM
@PlusUltra - Maybe people are just asking for someone who claims to be a journalist to actually be unbiased? Just reporting on facts without adding your own opinion is like, the most basic standard of what journalistic integrity is.
FireandBlood
FireandBlood - 9/12/2023, 2:47 PM
@Himura - First of all, journalistic integrity is a myth, but more importantly, this isn’t ABC news. It’s a site dedicated to the coverage of comic book movie related news and discussion, so articles like this are not only within the sites ballpark, but have been a staple for at least over a decade.
SonOfAGif
SonOfAGif - 9/12/2023, 5:20 PM
@Kalsena - They should create a way for us to block editors on this site or at least have us have the ability to hide their articles. I'm exhausted with him.
LordHarryLatts
LordHarryLatts - 9/12/2023, 2:31 PM
Just end the DCEU already.
PeterDarker121
PeterDarker121 - 9/12/2023, 2:41 PM
Yes, because

Amuro
Amuro - 9/12/2023, 3:02 PM
I think the super hero movies mania is slowly coming to an end. Aquaman 2 is destined to fail, yes. But so is The Marvels. And also many MCU and DCU movies going forward, except for a few exceptions which will happen from time to time (exceptions like Across the Spider-verse and Guardians of the Galaxy 3).

I think the time where super hero movies were almost a guarantee of success is over. Marvel and DC both have an harder time to find success now, especially with the rise of fame of video game movies.
kirbyfan
kirbyfan - 9/12/2023, 3:12 PM
The teaser looks AWESOME, I can't wait to see the movie!
Matchesz
Matchesz - 9/12/2023, 3:24 PM
The trailer to this looks great, The Flash also wasnt as bad as people say, but when you got Amber Heard and Ezra on your projects the people with pitchforks are destined to come out
marvel72
marvel72 - 9/12/2023, 3:40 PM
The first movie took a billion at the box office,it may do alright.
Chewtoy
Chewtoy - 9/12/2023, 3:51 PM
I can see this being a bad movie, and I think it’s almost guaranteed to be a big drop off in worldwide box office, especially since the original owed so much of its gross to China, but I really think that it’s pretty much fail-proof in the position that it’s in with a holiday release and nearly no competition.

People will still go to the theaters this Christmas, and as far as big “all-family” films go it looks to be just this and Wonka. As a result, I can’t see it losing money.
Forthas
Forthas - 9/12/2023, 4:02 PM
It will have been pretty much ten years of almost consistent failure. Through that decade long run it has been nothing short of a cluster. And yes on the day it all comes to an end! I WILL say I told you so.

As we get closer to the end of this nightmare and what I think is the biggest blunder in Cinema history, it seems like we are entering another era that is going to be just as bad. I see the same mistakes being made by this new leadership. The best thing for DC is for a more competent studio to buy up the rights and put in place a shared universe that is thought out, epic and respectful of the subject matter.
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