The Big Picture

Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom is the final film in the current DC Extended Universe (DCEU), as the franchise is set to be rebooted in 2025 by James Gunn. Despite the DCEU’s less than stellar 2023 with underperforming films, the director James Wan and actor Jason Momoa bring excitement and energy to the Aquaman sequel. The IMAX poster for Lost Kingdom showcases the film’s visually stunning underwater world, emphasizing that the premium format is the best way to experience Aquaman’s return to the big screen.

While the big blockbuster release calendar is winding down for 2023, the final splash for this year’s movie schedule will be Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom. The DC sequel directed by James Wan once again sees Jason Momoa return as the heroic king of Atlantis. Now, with a month to go till the film’s release, Lost Kingdom’s latest IMAX poster gets moviegoers ready to dive head first back into the sea.

The poster goes for the more simplistic approach with the IMAX logo emerging from the sea. The “A” is cleverly replaced with Aquaman’s signature symbol and in the water itself, whales and ruins can be seen on the ocean floor. The sun piercing through the cloudy sky is also a nice touch and draws our eyes to the fact that the Lost Kingdom was filmed for IMAX. Like many big budget superhero movies, this premium format is going to be the best way to see Aquaman’s return to the big screen.

What’s ‘Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom’ About?
Lost Kingdom picks up with Aquaman as the one true king of Atlantis and a father to his newborn son. Once again trying to balance his royal life with his surface roots. However, that all comes crashing down when Black Manta (Yahya Abdul-Mateen II) comes back into the picture for some classic revenge. He has possession of the deadly Black Trident and vows to kill everyone Aquaman loves. This forces the DC hero to team-up with his imprisoned brother Orm aka Ocean Master (Patrick Wilson), who tried to take over both Atlantis and the surface world in the last film. It’s a brotherly partnership as they attempt to stop Manta before it’s too late.

The Current Dire State of DC

The Lost Kingdom also has another distinct quirk to it. This is the last film in the DCEU as we know it. The continuity started by 2013’s Man of Steel is coming to an end with the universe being rebooted by James Gunn in 2025. That has caused DC and WB to have a less than stellar 2023. While you can argue the quality of Shazam! Fury of the Gods, The Flash, and Blue Beetle all bombed at the box office. That doesn’t bode well for Lost Kingdom, which bolsters an over $200 million budget. The first Aquaman was the DCEU’s only billion dollar film, but that was a much different time for the comic book genre as a whole.

However, the major saving grace the Lost Kingdom has is Wan. The director best known for his horror output like Insidious, made a visually thrilling film with the first Aquaman. It’s honestly one of the best directed superhero films of all time. For that reason alone, DC fans should be excited about this sequel despite the franchise’s dire state. The other reason would be Momoa, who completely energizes the character of Aquaman to an endless degree of fun. He’s played the character for over six years now and, in that time, the actor hasn’t been able to whip the dumb smile off our faces watching Aquaman protect Atlantis in style. Also, Momoa’s chemistry with Wilson, who’s his own brand of national treasure, is next to none. Given that this sequel will be a reluctent familial team up, it’s going to be amusing to see these two share more screen time together.

When Does ‘Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom’ Release?
Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom floods theaters everywhere on December 22, 2023. Hopefully, DC can end the year on a high note. Until moviegoers see Aquaman’s next adventure, you can view Lost Kingdom’s IMAX poster and latest trailer below.

Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom Arthur must enlist the help of his half-brother Orm in order to protect Atlantis against Black Manta, who has unleashed a devastating weapon in his obsessive quest to avenge his father’s death. Release Date December 20, 2023 Director James Wan Cast Jason Momoa, Yahya Abdul-Mateen II, Amber Heard, Patrick Wilson, Dolph Lundgren, Temuera Morrison Main Genre Superhero Genres Superhero, Action, Adventure, Fantasy Studio Warner Bros. and DC Writers David Leslie Johnson, Paul Norris, Mort Weisinger Franchise DC