Summary

Aquaman’s first outing was a huge success, grossing over $1.148 billion at the box office and attracting viewers from all over the world. Despite some mixed reviews, Aquaman has a dedicated fan base who consider it one of the most impressive superhero movies in recent memory. Controversies surrounding the sequel include the inclusion of Amber Heard and a potentially disturbing scene involving Black Manta, but these may not detract from the overall experience of the film.

As the release of Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom nears, the controversy surrounding the film has made it easy to forget just how successful Aquaman’s first outing was. In 2018, Aquaman, which was also directed by visionary filmmaker James Wan, managed to attract viewers from all over the world, eventually grossing $1.148 billion at the box office.

Sure, not all the reviews for the superhero movie are great. Currently, Aquaman holds a score of 66% on Rotten Tomatoes. However, the Jason Momoa-led movie does have a large fan base who insist Aquaman is one of the most impressive superhero movies in recent memory.

When praising the movie, most of Aquaman’s die-hard fans would cite Wan’s unique directing style as the main reason the film is unlike anything else. In a world full of numerous cookie-cutter superhero films, it’s hard to deny that Aquaman’s style stands out, which is why it’s possible that Wan – if he was once again given the chance to execute his distinctive vision – may deliver the best superhero movie of the year with Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom.

Dethroning the King
Warner Bros. Pictures

When people talk about the DC Extended Universe, the number one conversation piece is Zack Snyder and his controversial work on characters such as Superman and Batman. After all, those two characters have been the two longtime faces of the DC brand. However, according to the numbers, Aquaman overshadowed both characters in the DCEU.

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Aquaman’s previously mentioned box office haul makes it the most successful DCEU film by a substantial amount. In second place sits Snyder’s Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, which made over $250 million less than Wan’s sprawling fantasy-esque action-adventure movie. Therefore, it’s hard to deny that Aquaman was the true king of the DCEU. However, several controversies are trying to dethrone the king in the lead-up to Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom.

One of the recurring criticisms fans have raised against the Aquaman sequel for years is its inclusion of Amber Heard. After Heard, who starred as Mera in the first film, was found liable in her highly publicized trial against Johnny Depp, people around the world have argued that Wan and company should remove the actor from the movie. Although, this would probably be a challenging task for the director since he shot many scenes with Heard before the trial began.

Recently, Wan has tried to ease fans’ minds by insisting that Heard does not play a major role in Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom. While he viewed the first Aquaman as more of a romance, the director claimed he always pitched Aquaman 2 as a “bromance action-adventure movie.”

However, it clearly won’t be all sunshine and rainbows for Arthur Curry and his half-brother Orm Marius (Patrick Wilson). Even though they seem to be working together after their dramatic family feud in the first film, they must face a dangerous old friend.

Black Manta’s Revenge
Warner Bros. Pictures 

Yahya Abdul-Mateen II’s performance, along with the character’s truly impressive design, made Black Manta a memorable aspect of the first movie. In Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom, Black Manta will finally take center stage as the main villain. However, a major story point (which stems from the comics) has seemingly created some more controversy for the film.

In early 2023, a report revealed that several people walked out during test screenings for Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom. Originally, this caused many to believe that the movie was bad. However, a recent rumor suggests that people left the screenings because of a disturbing scene involving Black Manta.

While it’s still possible that Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom is simply weaker than the first film, this new rumor indicates that Wan traumatized audience members by having Black Manta murder Aquaman’s son, Aquababy, in the film, as the character does in the comics. Aquababy was featured in the official trailer for Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom, so this rumor could be true.

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Therefore, it may be just as likely that this disturbing Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom scene generated such a controversial response from audience members that some felt they needed to leave. If this is the case, Wan’s newest film may not be bad; people may have just been surprised to see a dark scene like this in a superhero movie.

But if anyone would go to this extreme in an Aquaman film, it would be Wan. After all, he is the creator of several of Hollywood’s biggest horror franchises, such as Saw, The Conjuring Universe, and Insidious. Wan is used to traumatizing audiences and, therefore, being involved in polarizing films, so it may be good that the filmmaker is still taking major risks instead of simply playing it safe.

Challengers to the Crown

Based on the previous arguments, the controversies seemingly detracting people from Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom may not be so significant. Therefore, if people fully immerse themselves in the visionary world that Wan has created, it’s possible that his Aquaman sequel could be the most entertaining and moving superhero movie of the year.

Since highly-anticipated films such as Ant-Man and the Wasp: Quantumania and The Flash disappointed many people this year, it’s possible that Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom has a chance at claiming yet another crown.

As of now, the film’s only real competitors appear to be Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 and Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse. However, based on Wan’s track record in Hollywood, it is possible that he can surprise people around the world once again when Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom hits theaters on Dec. 20, 2023.