Like any other film production, the DC Extended Universe (DCEU) saw its fair share of ups and downs, especially with ‘Aquaman’. Its unexpected success in 2018 came as a ray of hope for DC. But with the release of ‘Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom’, a crucial element that the fans were anticipating was missed out.
‘Aquaman‘ star Jason Momoa had teased that there will be a Batman cameo in his upcoming film. But as the waves settled, the bat signal was noticeably dimmed. This was DC’s attempt at redemption after it faced significant failures at the box office.
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Jason Momoa Had Confirmed Shooting With “A Couple Of Different Batmans”
The first part of ‘Aquaman‘ defied expectations as it went on to become the highest-grossing DCEU movie with over $1 billion in box office earnings. Consequently, ‘Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom‘ hit the theaters with a significant buzz, especially because of speculation around Batman’s appearance.
However, the fans were largely disappointed after Ben Affleck and Michael Keaton’s versions of the Caped Crusader were cut from the final film.
In an interview with The Wrap, before the film was released, Jason Momoa said the production had indeed shot for a Batman cameo in the film. “I shot with a couple of different Batmans,” he had said.
Momoa’s Instagram post in July 2022 also featured Ben Affleck’s Bruce Wayne and further fueled speculation about Batman’s involvement in the sequel set in the DC Extended Universe Alternate (DCEUA).
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Affleck’s Cameo Was Stripped Out Of The Movie Last Moment
Affleck was included in the movie as his portrayal of Batman has been a key figure since ‘Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice’, released in 2016. The film initially also included Michael Keaton in the mix.
But the final cut favored Affleck, though it eventually led to the removal of Batman’s anticipated appearance. The movie, after wrapping up filming in January 2022, completely altered the Dark Knight’s role in the storyline.
‘Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom‘ was released on December 22nd and was not received well by the viewers. It has a Rotten Tomatoes score of 36% marking it as the lowest-rated DCEU movie in history. Though its makers tried to use it as a tool for redemption, especially with Batman’s inclusion, they have seemingly failed.
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