Aquaman 2 battles with a sluggish start and disappointing box office numbers: ‘Negative buzz hits’

Aquaman's watery kingdom isn't faring so well in the real world, as Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom makes a surprisingly tepid splash with its opening weekend preview numbers. Seems like Jason Mamoa’s film has been harshly hit by all the negative buzz surrounding the franchise. DC's film had a slow start at the Christmas box office, earning $4.5 million in Thursday previews from 3,040 theaters as per Hollywood Reporter. Launched during the Christmas break, the movie is facing challenges in maintaining momentum.

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Aquaman 2 opens to tepid $4.5M, below expectations

The preview numbers fall significantly short of the $9 million that the first film garnered in previews back in 2018. Despite expectations of the film making around $100 million globally, experts anticipate a more modest domestic debut for the Warner Bros movie, ranging between $37 million to $43 million, especially over the extended four-day holiday weekend. The negative buzz surrounding the film's post-credit scene, star's controversies, and the extensive use of special effects have all played a role in the movie's challenging beginning.

Aquaman 2 box office prediction

According to information from Deadline, the movie featuring Amber Heard, Nicole Kidman, Patrick Wilson, and more earned approximately $40.9 million worldwide on Friday. Over the long Christmas weekend, which ends on Monday, this amount is expected to rise to over $70 million.

No Aquaman 3 on cards

Aquaman 2 hit a rocky patch but new DC chiefs James Gunn and Peter Safran are starting over in the DC Universe with the 2025 release of Superman: Legacy. Jason Momoa, who plays Aquaman, has almost confirmed that there won't be another Aquaman movie.

Wonka climbs chart

As of Friday, the cumulative total for the Warner Bros. Wonka, which stars Timothee Chalamet, had reached $215.8 million. With an impressive contribution of $151.9 million so far, the film is doing well in foreign markets.