DC films faced another setback of sorts this week as Warner Bros. announced a change in release dates for Aquaman 2, The Flash, Black Adam & more. Though director James Wan has offered some clarity over why The Lost Kingdom has been delayed.
Aquaman and The Lost Kingdom was initially set to arrive on December 16, 2022, taking advantage of the Christmas holiday season. Now, the sequel will hit theatres on March 17, 2023. A move reportedly caused due to the ongoing VFX work.
Wan announced the Aquaman 2 delay sharing a behind-the-scenes look at the post-production work. While responding to fan queries, the director also replied to a query from Collider’s Steven Weintraub stating, “Honestly, I couldn’t make the December release as much as I love the Christmas slot. I literally just finished shooting 2 months ago in January.”
Aquaman 2 James Wan
Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom wrapped production in Malibu only in January. Arguably, the sequel contains extensive VFX shots so it seems to be a necessary delay. Added, the changed date has pushed the DC film away from competing against James Cameron’s Avatar 2 slated to release on December 16, 2022.
Plot details for Aquaman 2 has been under wraps mostly, but a few glimpses shown during DC FanDome revealed an Indiana Jones-style adventure. With hints of Orm the Ocean Master (Patrick Wilson) alongside Arthur Curry while facing Black Manta (Yahya Abdul-Mateen II). Added, a brief scene from the sequel featuring Jason Momoa’s titular character in a new suit as well as his golden King costume.
Expectations remain high for Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom with Wan even hyping the film’s horror elements during an interview with Total Film stating:
“Aquaman 2 is very heavily inspired by Planet of the Vampires,” Wan said. “You can take the boy out of horror but you can never take the horror out the boy.” While there’s a level of cheekiness to his statement, there are some concepts to which it can aptly apply.
Aquaman 2’s December release date has fallen to Shazam! Fury of the Gods so DC fans can still look forward to enjoying a DC blockbuster for Christmas 2022.
