“Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom” has managed to make a splash in the global box office, despite its struggle to stay afloat in the domestic market. As it enters 2024, the film has crossed the $250 million milestone, surpassing “The Marvels'” lifetime global revenue of $205 million. This achievement comes amidst a challenging landscape for the superhero genre, with the film facing mixed reviews and stiff competition.
Although “Aquaman 2” has yet to cross the $80 million mark in the United States within its first 10 days of release, its international performance, particularly in China, has been its lifesaver.
Out of its $258 million global tally, a significant $173 million has been earned overseas. This international success, however, may have limited room to grow further, with projections suggesting it might just surpass “The Flash” with a $270 million global haul.
The DCEU’s Tumultuous Journey
The DC Extended Universe (DCEU), once a promising rival to Marvel’s cinematic empire, has experienced its share of turbulence. “Aquaman 2” finds itself in the shadows of this chaos, outperforming recent DC titles like “Shazam!
Fury of the Gods” and “Blue Beetle,” but still grappling with the fallout of the franchise’s behind-the-scenes upheavals. The impending reboot under James Gunn and Peter Safran’s leadership marks an end to the current era of the DCEU, which started with “Man of Steel.”
The Waning Superhero Appeal
The superhero genre itself faces a critical crossroads. With a series of lackluster releases from both DC and Marvel, audiences seem to be growing weary of big-budget superhero films, unless they deliver exceptional quality.
In this environment, only a few titles like “Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3” and “Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse” have found notable success in 2023. This trend underscores the changing tastes of viewers, who are increasingly discerning about the films they choose to watch.
Directed by James Wan and featuring Jason Momoa and Patrick Wilson, “Aquaman 2” serves as the sequel to the 2018 blockbuster “Aquaman,” which defied expectations by grossing over $1.1 billion worldwide. However, “Aquaman 2” faces the challenge of potentially recording one of the largest sequel drop-offs in recent history, akin to “Alice Through the Looking Glass.”
