Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom has already faced the wrath of critics, but the final DCEU movie has also failed to make a splash at the box office during Thursday preview screenings.
The sequel has started its domestic run with a mere $4.5 million; that's half of what Aquaman made in 2018 and well below what The Flash raced to - $9.7 million - when it debuted with slightly more positive reviews back in June. The Scarlet Speedster's first solo outing would go on to make just $55 million during its opening weekend.
Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom has the odds stacked against it with a 36% Rotten Tomatoes score and a serious lack of buzz among fans and regular moviegoers alike.
As things stand, the movie is eyeing a disappointing $40 million debut...over four days (including Christmas Day). Some pundits believe it will barely top $30 million across that period and, when we start looking at the three-day projections, there's a very good chance it will have the lowest opening weekend of any superhero movie this year.
Aquaman made $67 million during its domestic bow five years ago but ended up grossing $100 million through the holidays. It would go on to exceed expectations globally by earning over $1 billion, though history doesn't look set to repeat itself with Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom (especially with a noticeable lack of interest in China this time).
Offering some hope is the fact the movie didn't have the DCEU's worst Thursday evening debut this year; Shazam! Fury of the Gods opened with $3.4 million, while Blue Beetle made $3.3 million. None of 2023's DC offerings has passed $275 million worldwide so it's doubtful Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom will.
Audiences have largely abandoned the DC Universe in 2023, with many blaming DC Studios for kicking off the year with a full-blown DCU slate announcement which made it clear this year's final DCEU offering simply didn't matter.
Here are spoiler guides for Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom:
• Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom Ending Explained: How Does Arthur Curry's Story - And The DCEU - End?
• Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom's Post-Credits Scene Leaks And It Doesn't Sound Worth Waiting For
• Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom Spoilers Reveal Whether Amber Heard's Mera Lives Or Dies In The Movie
• Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom Spoilers: Does Batman Appear In The Final DCEU Movie?
• Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom Offers Disappointing Explanation For Willem Dafoe's Absence As Vulko
ComicBookMovie.com, and/or the user who contributed this post, may earn commissions or revenue through clicks or purchases made through any third-party links contained within the content above.