Viewers who opted to hold off on watching Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom in theaters will be pleased to know its streaming arrival is just around the corner.
The sequel sees Aquaman (Jason Momoa) balancing family life with his duties as the King of Atlantis. However, the life and kingdom he has built are soon threatened by the return of his archenemy, Black Manta (Yahya Abdul-Mateen II). Black Manta is even more powerful than before, with an even greater thirst for revenge. As a result, Aquaman is forced to form a shaky alliance with his half-brother, Orm (Patrick Wilson), to save his kingdom.
Despite the first Aquaman being the DCU’s most significant commercial success, Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom struggled a bit at the box office. Additionally, its critical reviews weren’t very favorable. While most critics agree it’s fun and entertaining, it fails to eclipse the original or add anything meaningful to the series. The film’s controversial decision to sideline Queen Mera (Amber Heard) also added to the film’s poor critical reception and led to some Heard supporters boycotting the movie. Whether it’s because of busy holiday schedules, poor reviews, or support of Heard, there are quite a few reasons why viewers may opt to wait for Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom to arrive on streaming.
Does Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom have a Max release date?
As reported by Variety, Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom has officially set a streaming release date. The film is set to arrive on Max on February 27, 2024.
The relatively speedy streaming release aligns with Warner Bros.’ other DCU releases. All of the studio’s 2023 DCU films—Shazam! Fury of the Gods, The Flash, and Blue Beetle—arrived on streaming between 67 and 90 days after premiering in theaters. The Shazam! sequel and The Flash arrived within 67 and 70 days, respectively, while Blue Beetle waited 90 days before its Max debut. All three films struggled at the box office, though Blue Beetle faired slightly better due to having a lower budget and more positive reviews from critics. Blue Beetle also premiered during the writers’ and actors’ strikes, which may have factored into its longer exclusive theatrical run since studios depended on word of mouth to advertise the film.
Since the performance and conditions of Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom were most similar to The Flash and Shazam! Fury of the Gods, it’s not surprising it followed in the footsteps of The Flash and arrived on streaming 67 days out from its premiere.
(featured image: Warner Bros.)
Published: Feb 20, 2024 11:41 am