With a likely release date delay – DCU fans feel Aquaman 2 could turn into another expensive fiasco for Warner Bros. Discovery as its third round of reshoots raises concerns, even for a potential blockbuster that rides on the success of the first film which earned $1.1 billion. But aside from fear over the repeated additional photography – a part of the fandom (DCEU followers) are irked by DC Studios chiefs James Gunn & Peter Safran‘s decision to remove Ben Affleck‘s Batman cameo.
Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom has faced quite the hurdles putting it in the same boat as The Flash. While director James Wan, the sequel stars Jason Momoa & Patrick Wilson managed to complete the third round of reshoots before the SAG strike in mid-June, as THR reports. The sequel may still fall victim to the Actors’ strike as a new report from Variety indicates WB is seriously considering changing Aquaman 2’s premiere date along with Dune 2.
AMPTP has not shown any indication of returning to the bargaining table so far so it remains unclear if the SAG-AFTRA strike could end before Aquaman 2’s release on December 20. Although Warner Bros. Pictures have shown confidence in the second installment – the film’s studio interferences have severely affected its early reception from the fandom.
The behind-the-scenes changes for the Lost Kingdom have been a convoluted mess since the early regime under Hamada decided to replace Batfleck with Michael Keaton‘s Dark Knight. But due to a release date change that put The Flash’s premiere ahead of the latter – WB brought back Ben Affleck’s Batman to shoot a new sequence in the place of Keaton, a decision apparently prompted due to reactions during the test audience screening.
So, the budget for AQUAMAN & THE LOST KINGDOM will be close to almost $300M+ when all is said & done. All this just for it to bomb within an already dying franchise.
Too many cooks in the kitchen & changing leadership over & over & over again. James Wan deserves better. https://t.co/LssiDHL1wP
— Jesabel (@JesabelRaay) July 19, 2023
The longer you delay Aquaman 2 to more dead in the water it’ll be. Pun fully intended https://t.co/LJtpFvj9No
— Blazecap(Endless summer vacation era) (@Blazecap1203) July 21, 2023
Alternatively, the AMPTP could stop dicking around and pay their actors and writers and give up on the AI bullshit. Bet we’d all have a much better Fall/Winter. https://t.co/AJwyqpdNLe
— Richard Newby (@RICHARDLNEWBY) July 21, 2023
What a joke. Warner Brothers made a big deal announcing that Ben Affleck was returning as Batman in Aquaman And The Lost Kingdom, which really excited the fans only to remove his scenes from the movie https://t.co/kgH7dcXTQB
— Ryan Risky (@rriskyyy) July 20, 2023
My heart after the roller coaster of emotions the DCEU has put me on 😭 https://t.co/4lsc2VZkL8 pic.twitter.com/iSkigfcpN8
— CanWeGetSomeToast (@CanWeGetToast) July 19, 2023
DC films has done nothing but make idiotic choices since @JamesGunn has taken over. They clearly don’t care or know what the fans want. https://t.co/st6FLJEHAH
— Danger (@Dangerhayd) July 19, 2023
Oh that does it! Now I will not go see this. https://t.co/1HF1p95spe
— Charles Murphy (@_CharlesMurphy) July 19, 2023
Bruh you had a George Clooney cameo at the end that's never going to be expanded on https://t.co/aROpY4hK8b
— Dumb Ed (@DumbEd11) July 19, 2023
''James Gunn and Peter Safran removed it to ensure they didn’t promise a movie universe that will not come to fruition.''
Funny ass statement looking at the Shazam 2 post credit https://t.co/e6fxgh9ObM— Caio (@Foreverheroics) July 19, 2023
With each day it seems more obvious that the studios have no intention of paying anyone. We’re getting this much closer to finished projects being canned entirely. They already did it with Batgirl, what makes us think they won’t do it again? https://t.co/enpTFpz0tR
— Roman Arbisi (@ArbisiRoman) July 21, 2023
With Aquaman 2 once again securing a release set after The Flash movie’s events – fans long wondered if the DCU chief may replace Batfleck with George Clooney. However, THR states the DC Studios CEOs decided to remove Affleck’s appearance since they do not intend to make a promise of a “movie universe” they cannot fulfill “nor tie it down excessively to past failures.”
Some fans argued it is the right call or the sequel risks repeating “a Black Adam type scenario all over again” as user @lesbobomb tweeted. Black Adam‘s post-credits scene teased Henry Cavill’s Superman but that never came to fruition after James Gunn took over the franchise and replaced the Man of Steel actor with David Corenswet.
Even so, James Gunn critics countered that the DCU chief included George Clooney‘s Bruce Wayne cameo in The Flash although “that’s never going to be expanded on” wrote @DumbEd11 in a tweet. On the bright side, there will be no Batman though there is no word yet if any other DCEU characters could appear – presumably Gal Gadot‘s Wonder Woman?
The masses are mainly hoping Warner Bros. does not push back The Lost Kingdom especially since the sequel was originally scheduled for December 2022. A pushback would schedule its premiere for 2023 and may risk further eliminating anticipation.
THE SNYDERVERSE IS DEAD!
this confirms a lot.
1. Netflix isn’t buying it cus they would leave it in to tease that.
2. Snyders not coming back to finish his universe cus they would have left it in to tease that.
3. The snyderverse is officially over. https://t.co/aRul302zuM— screechingweasel69 (@flashmountain69) July 19, 2023
Honestly, as much of it pains me to read. Good, they’re right. https://t.co/j7Fk1BTOJj
— Nicholas (@NicholasPas5) July 19, 2023
people in the quotes would rather have a black adam type scenario all over again, have some respect for yourselves https://t.co/E5v0THn2nm
— leslie (@lesbobomb) July 19, 2023
James and Peter did the right thing, sorry 🤷 https://t.co/B66ZwXU3i3
— TSSPMFan🦅 (@VigiFangirl) July 19, 2023
Pay your actors and writers it’s not that difficult. https://t.co/uMZSDYI8YI
— Jerome! (@JeromeM94Movies) July 21, 2023
Just make a deal cowards https://t.co/gmdXDPqlxD
— KC Walsh (@TheComixKid) July 21, 2023
I'm sure all the Snyder fans are up in arms ready to burn DC STudios to the ground but this decision makes a lot of sense. There's no point having a scene teasing the continuation of a universe that won't be continued
Literally the most easy logical choice to make https://t.co/Cet7BtzMV5
— Zod 🏳️⚧️ (@TheZodiacGamer) July 19, 2023
i mean this makes sense considering there was no promise for henry as superman in the future when he was in the black adam post credit scene, and when everyone learned about that they lost their shit, so if anything they just tryna not make promises they can’t keep https://t.co/rgri8pZGIa
— Qyxdfgk⁉️ (@trinidaddylmao) July 20, 2023
Good. I’m done with the cameos. I’m done with the DCEU. All I want is a great Aquaman Film to close this franchise. https://t.co/aNqMc3e5sk
— TheTruth"Intro King"31 (@Truth31The) July 19, 2023
Reports suggest production costs have skyrocketed since the initial scheduled budget was set at a pricey $205 million. Earlier in February, it was reported that James Wan was instructed to minimize the reshoot costs. WB’s trust in the Jason Momoa starrer DC film stems from the first film’s success though it currently faces a similar backlash as The Flash for course correction decisions by DCU chiefs.
Should WB delay Aquaman 2? Let us know in the comments below and stay tuned for more updates on DCU & all things CBM.
