Aquaman 2 Inches Away from Beating Dwayne Johnson’s Black Adam
Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom is on the verge of surpassing Dwayne Johnson’s Black Adam at the worldwide box office. With over $400 million locked in, Aquaman 2 will become the highest-grossing DCEU film since 2018’s first Aquaman movie.
Despite a lackluster marketing campaign, Aquaman 2 has emerged as a box office hit, soon to beat out Johnson’s Black Adam. As of January 6, 2024, the sequel has grossed $100 million domestically and $234.8 million internationally for a global total of $334.8 million and counting.
Will Aquaman 2 Top Black Adam‘s Box Office Earnings?
While Aquaman 2 slumped after its debut, falling to third place in its third weekend, it has now crossed the important $100 million mark in North America. Black Adam tapped out with a $168.1 million domestic gross and $366 million worldwide. Aquaman 2 only needs to pass $332 million globally to beat Black Adam’s total – a milestone now easily within reach.
400M+ is now locked for Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom’s box office, after passing The Flash’s box office and grossing over 300M worldwide.
It will out-gross Black Adam and will be the biggest DCEU box office pull-in since 2018’s Aquaman.
The film was barely marketed. pic.twitter.com/W0koUWUjfS
— Home of DCU (@homeofdcu) January 7, 2024
Despite its shaky start, Aquaman 2 has outpaced several previous DCEU titles at the box office after the same time in theaters. Aquaman 2’s $100 million domestic gross has already passed The Flash‘s entire $108.1 million North American run. And it’s on track to top Shazam!’s $140.4 million domestic total, which was the lowest in the DCEU before 2020.
At this rate, Aquaman 2 could crack the top 5 highest-grossing DCEU movies of all time. It may even give 2018’s first Aquaman movie, which earned $335 million domestically and $1.15 billion worldwide, a run for its money.
What Led to Aquaman 2‘s Box Office Rebound?
After stumbling in its first two weekends, Aquaman 2 found its footing over the holidays as one of the only major blockbusters in theaters through early January. Positive word of mouth also helped the sequel pick up steam after its disappointing start.
Director James Wan attributed the success to Aquaman’s universal appeal: “It’s a film that’s fun and humorous with a lot of heart and emotion.” Star Jason Momoa said the movie packs an emotional punch: “If the first one touches on the heart, this one punches it.”
What Does This Mean for the Future of the DCEU?
Aquaman 2 proving to be a box office hit continues Warner Bros’ hot streak following 2022’s Black Adam and The Batman. It bodes well for the studio’s upcoming DC films like Shazam! Fury of the Gods, The Flash, and Blue Beetle.
At a time of major transition for the DCEU into the new DC Universe, Aquaman 2’s success shows audiences will still turn out for well-made DC sequels. James Gunn and Peter Safran now have a hit franchise to build upon as they chart the future direction of DC Studios.
