Warner Bros Announces New Release Date for Aquaman 2

Highlights

Aquaman fans can mark their calendars for December 22, 2023, as that's when the highly anticipated sequel will hit theaters.

Warner Bros. Pictures has officially revealed the highly-anticipated release date for Aquaman 2, promising another captivating deep-sea escapade for moviegoers. Enthusiastic fans can hardly contain their anticipation as they eagerly anticipate further information and updates about the next installment in the epic saga of Aquaman.

Warner Bros. has decided to delay the release of Aquaman 2. However, DC fans can rejoice as the wait won't be as long as previously expected. In Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom, Jason Momoa's Arthur Curry and Patrick Wilson's Orm join forces to protect Atlantis from a powerful ancient entity released by Yahya Abdul-Mateen II's Black Manta. Fans have eagerly awaited this thrilling adventure, but unfortunately, Aquaman 2 has faced multiple postponements since its initial December 2022 release date. Despite recent reports suggesting that the most recent release date would be maintained, Warner Bros. has announced a fourth delay nearly two months before the premiere of this highly anticipated DC film.

The release date for Aquaman 2 has been changed from Wednesday, December 20 to Friday, December 22, 2023. This alteration allows for a more traditional 3-day opening weekend instead of the originally planned five days. By doing so, Aquaman 2 can attract a larger audience and generate higher box office revenue, especially given the busy holiday period, specifically Christmas Day Monday, where moviegoers are known to frequent theaters. Moreover, this schedule change also creates a greater gap between Aquaman 2 and another Warner Bros. film, Timothée Chalamet's Willy Wonka prequel, which is scheduled to release in theaters on December 15.

Aquaman's first installment was a massive success at the box office when it premiered in 2018. It set records and earned a remarkable $105.7 million during its five-day opening. The film remained in the top spot for three consecutive weekends and went on to surpass the $1 billion mark, making it the highest-grossing DC film at the time. Given this triumph, a sequel was expected. However, with significant changes taking place at Warner Bros. and DC since the release of the first film, Aquaman 2's box office prospects may not be as promising.

Ever since Aquaman hit theaters, Warner Bros. and DC have faced a string of disappointing box office performances and outright failures. While the underwhelming box office results of Wonder Woman 1984 and The Suicide Squad can partly be attributed to the COVID-19 pandemic and Warner Bros.' decision to release them simultaneously on HBO Max, recent films like Shazam 2 and The Flash have experienced similar lackluster returns without such clear explanations.

Concerns about Aquaman 2 have been raised for multiple reasons. Warner Bros. and DC have experienced a string of failures, adding to fans' worries. Additionally, James Gunn's appointment as DC Studios' co-CEO and his decision to reboot the DCEU into the DC Universe has created uncertainty about the continuity of Momoa's character, diminishing the incentive for audiences to watch Aquaman 2. Moreover, reports of poor test screenings and ongoing controversy surrounding Amber Heard have further exacerbated concerns. As superhero fatigue becomes more prevalent, some fans are left questioning if Aquaman 2 will suffer a disappointing box office performance. Aquaman 2 is scheduled for release in theaters on December 22, 2023.

Source: Warner Bros. Pictures