MOVIE NEWS – The end of the year marks the conclusion of the DC Universe’s ten-year era. James Gunn and Peter Safran are set to launch a new franchise, with Jason Momoa seemingly returning, but not as Aquaman; instead, he may appear as Lobo. Aquaman 2, the sequel to the 2018 hit, failed to gain traction, slipping to second place on its second weekend, outpaced by Warner’s family movie, Wonka.

Following its opening last week, Aquaman: The Lost Kingdom couldn’t muster an improvement, losing its top spot at the box office. Garnering a revenue of $19.5 million, it fell to second place, overtaken by Wonka. It seems Aquaman is joining the list of last year’s superhero failures, including Shazam! 2, The Flash, Blue Beetle, and some Marvel films.
After the success of the first installment in 2018, Aquaman’s sequel couldn’t replicate its performance. With a significant drop from the initial $67.9 million to just $19.5 million, it’s far behind the first part’s second weekend gross of $189 million in North America. Internationally, it’s not faring better, particularly in China, where it saw a 78% decline. Analysts predict it could gather a maximum of $26 million over the long weekend in North America, but it’s evident it won’t match the success of the first film.

In contrast, Wonka continues to perform well, earning $24 million on its second weekend, a 33% increase from the Christmas weekend. Its global gross has now reached $379 million, well above its $125 million budget, marking it as a success for Warner. It’s projected to earn $31 million over the long weekend in North America.

The weekend also saw other new releases like Steven Spielberg’s adaptation of The Color Purple, George Clooney’s latest directorial venture, The Boys in the Boat, and Michael Mann’s biographical drama Ferrari starring Adam Driver. Of these, only The Color Purple made it to the top 5, while Ferrari opened closer to the bottom of the top 10. The prequel to The Hunger Games, The Ballad of Songbirds and Snakes, and Hayao Miyazaki’s anime The Boy and the Gray Heron also performed well, though they slipped in the rankings compared to the previous weekend.
Source: ComicBook