Aquaman 2 Release Date Pushed Back - Again
"Aquaman" sequel "Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom" will now hit theaters on December 22, two days later than what was previously planned.
This is merely the latest in an ongoing series of changes to the release date of "Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom." Originally, the film was slated for a theatrical premiere on December 16, 2022. However, it was pushed back to March 17, 2023, reportedly to give visual effects artists more time on post-production. Next, it was announced the film would premiere on Christmas Day 2023. Then, the release date was moved up by five days to December 20. That date held from April until the confirmation of this latest delay.
There are a couple of possible reasons for this change. Chiefly, the first "Aquaman" premiered in theaters on December 21, 2018, which was the Friday before Christmas that year. Now, "Aquaman 2" will debut on this year's Friday before Christmas in what may be an attempt to replicate the massive box office success of its predecessor. In total, "Aquaman" grossed more than $1 billion worldwide and became the most financially successful DC superhero film of all time.
Furthermore, Warner Bros. will release "Wonka" in theaters stateside on December 15, and this minor "Aquaman 2" delay should mean less competition between the studio's two blockbuster Christmas releases.
Aquaman 2 was the subject of some controversy before the delay
A series of controversies swirled around "Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom" starting in September and continuing through October — the same month Warner Bros. announced its latest release date delay. This timing could just be a coincidence, or the negative buzz may have contributed to this new development.
First, a rumor — which turned out to be false — suggested fans left "Aquaman 2" test screenings over an upsetting Aquababy scene. Even if the cause may have been falsified, test screenings seemingly weren't going smoothly. Then, a little under a month later, Variety published an extensive report detailing how Amber Heard alleged mistreatment on the film's set in private therapy sessions, the specifics of which became public as a result of the Johnny Depp trial. She particularly outlined instances where star Jason Momoa allegedly misbehaved, which others close to him denied.
Shortly after that, director James Wan spoke to Empire and denied that "Aquaman 2" underwent extensive reshoots. Although he was attempting to set the record straight, multiple rumors nevertheless impacted the narrative around the film, all in a brief period. While only a few days, this new release date delay may provide an additional buffer between the speculation and the movie's theatrical premiere.