Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom’s Netflix Numbers Are Surprisingly Good

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Summary

  • Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom found success on Netflix despite its box office disappointment.
  • The sequel failed to maintain the momentum of the original due to negative reviews and casting issues.
  • The film’s Netflix performance shows it still has quality and helped attract new audiences who moved on from previous issues.

Despite some setbacks at the box office, it appears that the DC Extended Universe (DCEU) is thriving in at least one film now available on Netflix. This movie, initially met with less success, has managed to find a second life and garner positive attention on this popular streaming service.

James Gunn and Peter Safran reshaped the DCEU (DC Extended Universe) into DCU (DC Universe) when they assumed control at DC Studios. This move effectively ended all films from the DCEU, including Ben Affleck’s Batman, Gal Gadot’s Wonder Woman, Henry Cavill’s Superman, and Jason Momoa’s Aquaman. However, one film that initially underperformed at the box office managed to redeem itself after it was streamed on Netflix.

In the year 2023, “Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom” (originally titled “Aquaman 2”) serves as the sequel to the blockbuster hit “Aquaman” from 2018, starring Jason Momoa. This second installment was rolled out on Netflix in various Central and South American countries, quickly becoming a fan favorite. According to the latest charts by Tulum, between May 26 and June 1, 2025, “Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom” ranked third on the global Top 10 list, following closely behind “The Wild Robot” in second place and “Fear Street: Promo Queen” in first. With an impressive 5.8 million views and 12 million hours watched during this period, it also claimed the top spot in six countries. Fortunately for its creators, the film’s underwhelming box office performance compared to the original has been offset by its strong showing on streaming platforms.

The first “Aquaman” film has been the highest-earning movie in the DC Extended Universe so far, making over $1.1 billion worldwide from an estimated production budget of $200 million. In comparison, its sequel brought in only $435 million with a reported budget of $215 million. Despite being directed by the same person, James Wan, the second film struggled to match the success of the original due to mostly negative reviews. Critics pointed out weaknesses in the story and writing, finding the plot confusing and generic. They also noticed unnatural dialogue between characters, particularly between Aquaman (Momoa) and Orm (Patrick Wilson). The humor and chemistry between these two characters was criticized as forced rather than authentic. Many felt that the second “Aquaman” film lacked the creative spark found in the first movie. Another possible reason for its poor performance could be casting issues, with one main cast member, Amber Heard, facing negative publicity during her legal battle with Johnny Depp. At the time, it was reported that she had less screen time due to a lack of chemistry with Momoa, although Warner Bros. claimed this was unrelated to the ongoing legal proceedings. Director Wan supported the studio’s stance, stating that “Aquaman 2” was intended to be a “bromance action-adventure movie,” which may have contributed to Heard’s reduced screen presence.

The performance of Aquaman and The Lost Kingdom on Netflix indicates that the film’s quality remains high, even though it underperformed compared to its predecessor at the box office and received less favorable reviews from critics. This might have drawn more viewers because the initial controversies surrounding it had been left behind. With DC fans aware that Gunn was replacing DCEU with DCU, they may have felt that the sequel wasn’t worth investing in since it marked the end of the DCEU. Instead, they likely chose to wait and stream it later. Another possible factor was the timing of its release, as Aquaman 2 came out in December 2023, a period when competition was fierce during the holiday season. Furthermore, there was a clear trend of superhero fatigue among audiences, which was evident in their response to DCEU’s previous films like The Flash and Shazam! Fury of the Gods, both of which were financial flops.

Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom is not available on Netflix US, but fans can watch it on Max.

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2025-06-05 21:04