Aquaman 2 Bombed at Box Office—But Became a Smash Hit at Home, Shocking WB Execs

by

Contrary to its underwhelming theater performance, I’ve discovered that this less-than-stellar DCEU film has unexpectedly gained significant popularity in the home entertainment sector. To clarify, it’s the movie we’re talking about here.

The DCEU’s Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom starring Jason Momoa and Patrick Wilson.

Aquaman 2 Helped Drive Strong Home Entertainment Sales for WBD

On Wednesday, Warner Bros. Discovery shared its quarterly financial report for investors, mentioning “Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom” specifically. In this report, WBD referred to both “Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom” and “Wonka” as showing strong sales in their home entertainment sector over the past year.

The main reason for the drop in home entertainment earnings was the strong showing of Wonka and Aquaman: The Lost Kingdom from the previous year.

Translation: Last year, “Wonka” and “Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom” showed impressive sales for home entertainment, however, this year, Warner Bros. Discovery doesn’t have any titles that can generate similar revenue.

To summarize, contrary to what one might think, “Aquaman 2” did not bomb in the home release market; instead, it enhanced the sales figures from last year, making them appear more favorable compared to this year.

Was Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom a flop?

The film “Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom” was made with a production cost of $215 million, along with additional marketing expenses. However, it managed to earn just $439.3 million globally, indicating that it has failed to meet expectations in terms of financial success. In simpler terms, despite its high budget, the movie did not generate enough revenue to be considered a box office hit.

Additionally, it’s significantly different from the initial movie launched in 2018 that generated a staggering $1.1 billion at the ticket counter.

In contrast to the original 2018 Aquaman, which garnered a positive Rotten Tomatoes score of 66% from critics, its sequel, released five years later, received significantly lower critical acclaim with just a 33% score. However, what truly matters is that the fan approval rating has risen, with the sequel receiving an impressive 79%, compared to the initial film’s 72%.

Why did Aquaman 2 flop?

As a devoted movie enthusiast, it’s important to acknowledge that “Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom” served as the final chapter in the DCEU for now. Regrettably, this film came after a series of five straight DCEU films – “Blue Beetle”, “The Flash”, “Shazam: Fury of the Gods”, “Black Adam”, and “The Suicide Squad” – that didn’t quite resonate with audiences as we had hoped.

In essence, since it was understood that the DCEU was wrapping up, the release of ‘Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom’ held less significance for fans. Add to this a series of DC film disappointments, and it resulted in fewer fans choosing to watch the movie at cinemas.

On the other hand, as stated by Warner Bros. Discovery, there was a strong turnout among fans in digital and home entertainment platforms. This bodes well for actor Jason Momoa, who will reprise his role in James Gunn’s DC Universe.

What’s next for Jason Momoa in the DCU?

It’s been announced that Jason Momoa will no longer portray Aquaman, instead, he has been cast as DC Comics’ iconic character, Lobo. At present, Momoa is involved in the filming of a Supergirl movie. Recently, the actor hinted at his role as Lobo and shared on social media that he has completed filming for this project.

In a series of recent interviews, Momoa described himself by saying, “I ride motorcycles, smoke cigars, and love Guinness. But let me tell you, my dreadlocks are spot-on for the character.” He went on to add that they’ve captured his character’s appearance quite accurately, mentioning that he’s rough, gruff, and “the bike is really cool.

The movie titled Supergirl is set to premiere on June 26, 2026. There’s speculation that actor Jason Momoa could join the cast of Gunn’s DCU at some point, possibly even starring in his own Lobo film later on.

More recently, Momoa graced the screen in Minecraft for WBD, a production that’s poised to surpass $900 million globally this weekend, making it a massive success.

Read More

2025-05-10 22:14