2023 has not been the best year for superhero movies. It has been especially merciless for the DCEU, where profitability proved to be a struggle for many releases. The last DCEU installment faced particularly grim prospects amid heavy challenges. ‘Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom‘ was a peculiar case that had a lot of hopes riding on it with the pressure of following up on its predecessor that had left the storyline at an inconclusive point.
The movie also faced a lot of other issues, and yet has managed to reach an unprecedented success. ‘Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom’ still outperformed its cinematic peers. The first installment in the series earned $28 million in a single day, making the sequel’s opening respectable in comparison.
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‘Aquaman And The Lost Kingdom’ Rose Above Heavy Criticism To Surpass Its Prequel’s Earnings
‘Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom‘ faced the headwinds of the SAG-AFTRA strike, with little to no marketing efforts. To make it even more difficult was Amber Heard’s involvement in the movie amidst her highly controversial legal battles with Johnny Depp. The movie was also called for a boycott because of Amber Heard.
The initial critical reception was unkind, with the movie holding a mere 36% on Rotten Tomatoes within the first 48 hours. Early audience response reflected in a “B” CinemaScore, subsequently placing it among the lower-rated entries in the DCEU.
But as box office figures trickled in, ‘Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom‘ earned $28 million over its initial three days, falling short of the projected $40 million. The film’s first installment in the series earned $28 million in a single day, making the sequel’s opening respectable in comparison.
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‘Aquaman’ Sequel Becomes 11th Highest-Grossing DC Film Of All Time
As the global box office figures for ‘Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom‘ emerged, the movie successfully defied early skepticism. With a cumulative global box office total of over $412 million, it surpassed expectations. It became the only DCEU film since the first ‘Aquaman‘ to cross the $400 million milestone.
In its sixth weekend, the movie added $7 million overseas and brought the international total to $294.6 million across 76 markets. Coupled with its $118.1 million domestic earnings, ‘Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom‘ now stands as Warner Bros.’ fifth highest-grossing film post-COVID and 11th Highest-Grossing DC Film Of All Time.
With its production budget of $205 million, the movie has not only avoided the feared flop but has also positioned itself as a profitable venture for the studio. It has etched its name in the annals of DC films as it surpassed the 1989 classic ‘Batman‘ and claimed the 11th spot among the highest-grossing DC films of all time.
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