Aquaman 2 pre-booking numbers all but confirms its impending doom

Aquaman 2 sails into theaters on December 22, 2023, but the film's pre-order figures indicate that the ship has sunk. The movie is predicted to have one of the lowest box office weekend openings, standing a staggering 30-40 million range (lower than The Marvels).

After January 2023's DCU slate reveal, fans were never actually hyped for DC movies this year. The cherry to top that off came recently when it was revealed that the upcoming DCEU film's actor, Jason Momoa, has all but guaranteed that he's finished portraying Arthur Curry, saying, "It's not looking too good."

---

Aquaman 2 anchors itself in low tides

The sequel, directed by James Wan again, was reportedly in the works for three years, with occasional pauses and stops owing to many things such as COVID-19, reshoots due to actors, etc. Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom, or Aquaman 2, was greenlit under the prior DC studio's leadership, i.e., before James Gunn and Peter Safran took over the giant.

The upcoming DCEU film, starring Jason Mamoa as the King of Atlantis, is now predicted to gross around $40 million during its release on Christmas weekend. This is shocking because it may even be a lesser revenue than The Marvels, which bombed with a $46.1M box office opening weekend.

On December 12, Momoa flew to London for a special celebration commemorating Aquaman 2 at Battersea Power Station. In an interview, he addressed speculations that this will most likely be his final performance as the famous trident-wielding superhero.

"I don’t necessarily want it to be the end...[but] I don’t think it's really, like, a choice," he said.

He would go on to clarify that's because James Gunn and Peter Safran of DC Studios want "to start their own new thing up."

"The truth of it is, I mean, if the audience loves it, then there's a possibility," he said of his future as Arthur Curry. "But right now, I’m like, 'It's not looking too good.'"

"I love this character and [I would want to] play it for a long time. I kind of see where I would want it to go. And even in the next 10 years or so, like there's a lot of cool things they can do. And I do enjoy the role and the world. So, I mean, it just comes down to if people love it," he added.

The fact that the film's principal actor told a prominent media outlet that the actor was virtually sacked from his job will do little to assist Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom. It is instead possible that aficionados and normal moviegoers equally would see it as a hint that there's no reason to shell out money to see this motion picture that, in the long run, won't matter.

In good news, the overseas market for Aquaman 2 is looking stronger, with a 73-country launch expected to bring in $75-$80 million, including China. The international premiere is expected to bring in $110 million through Sunday.

---

Jason Momoa returns as Arthur Curry, aka Aquaman, accompanied by Amber Heard as Mera, Patrick Wilson as Orm the Ocean Master, Dolph Lundgren as Nereus, and Willem Dafoe as Vulko.

The movie will also introduce Curry's parents to fans. Nicole Kidman plays his mother, Atlanna, and Temuera Morrison plays his father, Tom. Aquaman 2 hits theaters on December 22, 2023.