Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom is a 2023 action-adventure fantasy film directed by James Wan and released by Warner Bros. Pictures. It continues Arthur Curry’s story after Aquaman (2018), placing the newly established king of Atlantis in conflict with Black Manta and an ancient power connected to the legendary Black Trident.
The film is notable as the final released feature associated with the DC Extended Universe (DCEU), arriving before the launch of James Gunn and Peter Safran’s new DC Universe continuity.
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What is Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom about?
Arthur Curry, played by Jason Momoa, is no longer only a reluctant hero moving between the surface and the sea. He is now King of Atlantis, a husband, and a new father. His responsibilities have expanded, but so has the danger facing both underwater civilization and the surface world.
David Kane, better known as Black Manta, remains determined to avenge his father’s death. His search leads him to the Black Trident, a mythic weapon capable of releasing an ancient destructive force. The weapon gives Black Manta a threat far greater than the one he posed in the first film.
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To confront him, Arthur turns to his half-brother Orm Marius, the former King of Atlantis and the antagonist of the 2018 film. Orm is imprisoned and distrustful, while Arthur has little reason to forget their previous conflict. Their forced partnership supplies the film’s central relationship: two brothers with opposing temperaments who must cooperate before Black Manta’s campaign destroys Atlantis and endangers the surface.
Cast and characters
| Actor | Character |
|---|---|
| Jason Momoa | Arthur Curry / Aquaman |
| Patrick Wilson | Orm Marius / Ocean Master |
| Yahya Abdul-Mateen II | David Kane / Black Manta |
| Amber Heard | Mera |
| Nicole Kidman | Atlanna |
| Dolph Lundgren | King Nereus |
| Randall Park | Dr. Stephen Shin |
| Temuera Morrison | Thomas Curry |
| Martin Short | Kingfish |
| Indya Moore | Karshon |
| Pilou Asbæk | Kordax |
Momoa again anchors the film with Arthur’s irreverent, physically confident style. Patrick Wilson’s Orm provides a contrasting presence: formal, proud, and forced into an alliance with the brother whose rule replaced his own. Abdul-Mateen II returns as a more determined Black Manta, while Amber Heard, Nicole Kidman, Dolph Lundgren, Randall Park, and Temuera Morrison reprise their roles.
Direction and production
James Wan directed Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom and produced it with Peter Safran and Rob Cowan. The screenplay was written by David Leslie Johnson-McGoldrick. The story was credited to Wan, Johnson-McGoldrick, Jason Momoa, and Thomas Pa’a Sibbett.
The main creative team included cinematographer Don Burgess, production designer Bill Brzeski, editor Kirk Morri, composer Rupert Gregson-Williams, visual-effects supervisor Nick Davis, and costume designer Richard Sale.
Production began in London in June 2021 and later included filming in Hawaii. As with the first Aquaman, the film depends heavily on digital environments, underwater worlds, creature design, large-scale action, and fantasy technology rather than conventional location photography alone.
Release details
| Release event | Date |
|---|---|
| Some international theatrical releases | December 20, 2023 |
| North American theatrical release | December 22, 2023 |
| Digital purchase and rental | January 23, 2024 |
| U.S. Max streaming debut | February 27, 2024 |
| Physical-media release | March 12, 2024 |
The film runs for approximately 124 minutes. In the United States it received a PG-13 rating for sci-fi violence and some language. The BBFC classified it for moderate violence, threat, injury detail, and implied strong language. Its content notes also mention flashing or flickering images that may affect photosensitive viewers.
Box-office performance
Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom earned approximately $440.2 million worldwide. That total included about $124.5 million from the United States and Canada and approximately $315.7 million from international markets.
The reported production budget was around $205 million. In North America, the film opened with approximately $27.7 million and eventually played in a widest release of about 3,787 theaters. The figures placed it well below the first Aquaman commercially, although the sequel still became a substantial global release.
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At the time of research, Rotten Tomatoes listed the film at 33% from critics, based on 212 reviews, while its verified audience rating stood at 79%. Those figures can change as reviews are added or reclassified.
The critics’ consensus characterized the sequel as familiar superhero territory, while acknowledging Jason Momoa’s committed performance. The response reflects the film’s main divide: its colorful action, creature effects, and brother-focused adventure appealed more strongly to many viewers than its conventional story did to critics.
Where it fits in DC movie history
The film is commonly described as the final released movie of the DCEU. That description refers to its release position, not to a new beginning for DC continuity. It arrived before the new DC Universe established by James Gunn and Peter Safran, so it should not be treated as the first film in that newer shared universe.
The title can also cause a small point of confusion. Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom is the name of the movie, not a direct adaptation of a comic book with the same title. DC did publish a related movie-tie-in comic, Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom Special #1, on October 31, 2023.
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1Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problems2Fix the driver behind crashes, sound loss and screen glitches3Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsIs it a documentary?
No. Despite its underwater kingdoms, ancient mythology, and ecological themes, Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom is a scripted superhero feature. It is best approached as a fantasy action sequel rather than as a factual account of marine life, oceanography, or Atlantis research.
Its documentary relevance is instead historical: the film offers a useful endpoint for examining the DCEU’s original run, the evolution of effects-driven superhero cinema, and the changing direction of Warner Bros.’ DC adaptations.
FAQ
When was Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom released?
It opened in some international markets on December 20, 2023, followed by its North American theatrical release on December 22, 2023.
Who directed Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom?
James Wan directed the film. David Leslie Johnson-McGoldrick wrote the screenplay from a story credited to Wan, Johnson-McGoldrick, Jason Momoa, and Thomas Pa’a Sibbett.
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Is Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom part of the DCEU?
Yes. It is commonly identified as the final released feature of the DC Extended Universe, before the separate DC Universe continuity began under James Gunn and Peter Safran.
How long is Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom?
The film has a runtime of approximately 124 minutes and was rated PG-13 in the United States for sci-fi violence and some language.
The Bottom Line
Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom is a large-scale fantasy adventure built around an unlikely Arthur Curry–Orm alliance and Black Manta’s pursuit of the Black Trident. Its reception was mixed, but its release makes it an important closing chapter in the original DCEU film cycle.
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