Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom, the highly-anticipated sequel to the 2018 superhero hit Aquaman, has yet to release but is already causing concern amongst fans due to a new update from its test screening. According to reports from insiders, the consensus from the test screenings has been underwhelming, with comments including “boring,” “not as good as the first,” and “potentially one of the worst DCEU movies.”
Insider ViewerAnon described the consensus of Aquaman 2 to be “boring, not as good as the first, and potentially one of the worst DCEU movies” after half a dozen test screenings:
“I’ll be honest, we’re half a dozen test screenings in and it’s not looking great. I’ve consistently heard over the last half year or so that it’s boring, not as good as the first, and potentially one of the worst DCEU movies.”
Big Screen Leaks (BSL) corroborated ViewerAnon’s report, saying Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom’s test screenings for the movie “have not been good:”
“It brings me no joy to back him up and tell you that test screenings for this film have not been good. Really hoping Wan fixes this movie before December.”
BSL then teased that “something that almost never happened in test screenings” occurred with Aquaman 2, indicating how bad its performance is:
“I heard that something that almost never happened in test screenings happened with this movie. They’re really going to need to fix this one and fix it fast.”
The news comes as a disappointment for the cast and crew of the movie, as well as Warner Bros. Discovery, as the budget for the film is reportedly one of the most expensive for a DC movie. The negative feedback could also potentially affect the perception of the movie as it approaches its release date on December 25th.
What’s interesting about this update is that it contradicts earlier positive reviews from test screenings of other upcoming DC movies like Blue Beetle and The Flash. It also mirrors the poor feedback that Dwayne Johnson’s Black Adam received during its test screening, which resulted in a disappointing box office performance.
One thing that the insiders made clear is that the poor performance of Aquaman 2 has nothing to do with the controversy surrounding Amber Heard, who portrays Mera in the movie. This news could potentially impact Jason Momoa’s future as the Atlantean King, as he has been linked to other DC characters like Lobo.
Industry insider Jeff Sneider also heard that Aquaman 2’s test screenings were “terrible.”
It’s worth noting that test screenings aren’t always an accurate indication of how a movie will perform, and the final product can differ significantly from what was shown during the screening. However, the consistent feedback over half a dozen screenings suggests that Aquaman 2 has some significant issues that need to be addressed before its release.
For now, fans and critics will have to wait until December 25th to see if the sequel lives up to expectations. Regardless of the test screening rumors, Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom is one of the most highly-anticipated movies of the year, and fans are still excited to see what’s in store for Arthur Curry and the world of Atlantis.
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