Posted in: Aquaman, Movies, Warner Bros | Tagged: aquaman and the lost kingdom, dc studios, warner bros discovery

Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom Officially Sets A Release Date In China

Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom officially has a Chinese release date to see if the market embrace the sequel as they did the first film.

It seems strange that just four years ago, before the pandemic, the question of whether or not a movie was successful could depend heavily on whether or not the film did well in China. The Chinese box office has the potential to be massive, and it has sometimes helped take films into the next stratosphere. However, that all very much changed when the pandemic happened, and China got very picky about which Western movies they were even going to allow in the country. Studios have realized they need to budget these films without relying on the potential Chinese box office to bail them out of a tailspin should things go wrong domestically. In terms of superhero movies, they have been struggling in China in a post-pandemic world, with both Marvel and DC returning to the Chinese box office, but neither film really making a huge impact. Aquaman is a film that saw a decent boost from its Chinese release in 2018, but 2023 feels like a lifetime away, and it's unclear if Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom will do well in China. However, Warner Bros. Discovery will try as, according to The Hollywood Reporter, they have set a release date of December 20th, the same as other international release dates, for the film in China.

Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom is heading into a strange December season as Warner Bros. Discovery has three major movies coming out within days of each other. When you combine that with the rest of the releases from other studios, there is a very good chance that one of Warner Bros. movies that is getting released this year will likely flop. Wonka is a wildcard, but people seem excited about it, and Paul King has made some pretty incredible movies. The Color Purple has an insane amount of buzz and will probably be the safest and most comfortable movie of the year that all of your parents will want to see. Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom is looking to court superhero fans who have been burned or let down repeatedly this year. This film might need the Chinese box office more than the other two, but relying on the Chinese box office in 2023 is a gamble, and a studio [allegedly] so strapped for cash that they tried to shelve a finished film for a tax write-off? Gambles are the last thing they should be taking.

Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom: Summary, Cast List, Release Date

Director James Wan and Aquaman himself, Jason Momoa—along with Patrick Wilson, Amber Heard, Yahya Abdul-Mateen II, and Nicole Kidman—return in the sequel to the highest-grossing DC film of all time: Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom.

Having failed to defeat Aquaman the first time, Black Manta, still driven by the need to avenge his father's death, will stop at nothing to take Aquaman down once and for all. This time, Black Manta is more formidable than ever before, wielding the power of the mythic Black Trident, which unleashes an ancient and malevolent force. To defeat him, Aquaman will turn to his imprisoned brother Orm, the former King of Atlantis, to forge an unlikely alliance. Together, they must set aside their differences in order to protect their kingdom and save Aquaman's family and the world from irreversible destruction.

All returning to the roles they originated, Jason Momoa plays Arthur Curry/Aquaman, now balancing his duties as both the King of Atlantis and a new father; Patrick Wilson is Orm, Aquaman's half-brother and his nemesis, who must now step into a new role as his brother's reluctant ally; Amber Heard is Mera, Atlantis' Queen and mother of the heir to the throne; Yahya Abdul-Mateen II is Black Manta, committed more than ever to avenge his father's death by destroying Aquaman, his family and Atlantis; and Nicole Kidman as Atlanna, a fierce leader and mother with the heart of a warrior. Also reprising their roles are Dolph Lundgren as King Nereus and Randall Park as Dr. Stephen Shin.

Directed by Wan, Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom is produced by Peter Safran, Wan, and Rob Cowan. The executive producers are Galen Vaisman and Walter Hamada. The screenplay is by David Leslie Johnson-McGoldrick, from a story by James Wan & David Leslie Johnson-McGoldrick and Jason Momoa & Thomas Pa'a Sibbett, based on characters from DC, Aquaman created by Paul Norris and Mort Weisinger.

Warner Bros. Pictures Presents An Atomic Monster / A Peter Safran Production of A James Wan Film, Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom, set to open in theaters internationally beginning 20 December 2023 and in North America on December 22, 2023; it will be distributed worldwide by Warner Bros. Pictures.

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