Aquaman 2 treads water with $4.5M at the start of a slow holiday weekend at the box office

DC’s Aquaman 2 is finally in theaters after wading in choppy waters ahead of its release, breaching $4.5M in Thursday preview screenings at the box office. The James Wan-directed sequel debuted at 3,400 locations, with the superhero special-effects fest floating as the most significant tentpole of the holiday season. Interestingly, Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom is drowning with a review score of 35% on Rotten Tomatoes. However, the audience score fares much better with 76%. We’ve seen divides like this before, adding confusion to the film’s reception.

During its Thursday previews, Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom is performing worse than The Marvels, which banked $6.6M at the early box office. At least Aquaman 2 is performing better than DC’s previous sequel Shazam! Fury of the Gods ($3.4M Thursday night, $11.7M Friday, and 3-day of $30.1M). Meanwhile, the studio’s other film, The Flash, could have performed better with $9.7M in previews, leading to a $55M 3-day total.

Elsewhere, Illumination/Universal’s Migration took to the sky with $1.5M, while Wonka got sweet with $4.2M at 4,203 markets. Columbia Pictures’ Anyone But You, starring Euphoria’s Sydney Sweeney and Top Gun: Maverick’s Glen Powell, earned $1.2M at 2,723 locations on Thursday, with showtimes beginning at 2 p.m. A24’s The Iron Claw bodyslammed $670K in previews, while The Hunger Games: Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes slithered to $944K, bringing the prequel’s total to $149.3M. Studio Ghibli’s The Boy and the Heron collected $896K on its second Thursday, with Yash Raj Films’ Dunki banking an estimated $871K at 686 theaters.

Finally, Godzilla Minus One stomped on 2,622 locations with $741K added to its box office total.

“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,” reads the official synopsis for Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom. “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.” 

Jason Momoa stars as 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.

Are you planning to see Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom in theaters this holiday weekend? Let us know in the comments below.