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Jason Momoa starrerAquamanremains the highest-grossing film in the DCEU, which is now revamped into DCU under James Gunn. Following the massive success ofAquaman, a sequel was announced, titledAquaman and the Lost Kingdom. Fans were highly anticipating the release of the film, but the buzz surrounding the film has slowly died down.
A recent insider report suggests that James Gunn has given up on the project. The disappointing box office performances ofThe FlashandBlack Adamproved too much for Warner Bros., and the studio is reportedly scaling back its marketing efforts for the film.
Also Read:“It’s time to unleash the Aquaman Armada”: Jason Momoa Fans Outraged as James Gunn’s Negligence Leads to Aquaman 2 Getting No Trailer Despite Only 114 Days Till Release Date
James Gunn And Warner Bros. Reportedly Have No Interest In PromotingAquaman 2
WithAquaman 2set to release in theatres in just three months, fans have been questioning why no trailer has been released yet. In answering one fan query, a Twitter account which goes by the name KC Walsh, suggested thatJames Gunnand Warner Bros. have no intentions of allocating a large budget to the movie’s marketing, knowing that it’s bad. The studio had earlier experienced considerable losses in the marketing budgets forThe FlashandBlack Adam.KC Walshwrote on X/Twitter:
Because they know it’s bad, they know it’ll lose money, and they aren’t putting a marketing budget behind it at allhttps://t.co/Gh2kqmqkEo
— KC Walsh (@TheComixKid)June 27, 2025
This rumored report could be a possibility considering the DC Extended Universe is nearing its end and the Aquaman character may have no future in Gunn’s DCU. Regardless of the studio’s concerns about the marketing budget,Aquaman 2deserves a winning chance at the box office, to not end up likeBlue Beetle. Interestingly, the production budget forAquaman and the Lost Kingdomis reportedly more than $200 million.
Also Read:Troubling Update For Amber Heard’s $205M Aquaman 2 Convinces Fans James Gunn Has Lost Faith In His Own Universe After Zack Snyder Exit
Aquaman 2 Was A Movie Made Amidst Challenging Circumstances
The much-hyped sequel to the blockbusterAquamanwas hit with several challenges. In early 2022,Amber Heard, who plays Mera in the movie, faced severe backlash after the publicized defamation trial withJohnny Depp. Many fans called for Heard’s removal from theAquamanproduction. Surprisingly, theNever Back Downactress was retained in the sequel.
In November 2022, James Gunn and Peter Safran took over as the new CEOs of DC Studios, resulting in the scrapping of the DCEU in favor of building the new DCU. Later that year, reports emerged suggesting that the studio was recastingJason Momoaas another DC character, Lobo. However, Gunn did confirm at the time that theAquamansequel would happen and could potentially pave the way for the first DCU film,Superman Legacy.
In 2023, DC Studios faced commercial failures with its DCEU ventures, including the sequel to the previously successfulShazam!. Despite receiving positive reviews, the setbacks affected the box office performance of DC’s latest movie,Blue Beetle. The final nail in the coffin came with the WGA and SAG-AFTRA strikes, which proved costly for the studio in the case ofBlue Beetle.
Also Read:“He was a fallen king”: Forget Zack Snyder, WB Rejected Hugh Jackman’s ‘Logan’ Style Aquaman Movie That Would Never See The Light For Its Extremely Brutal Story
Aquaman 2will see the return of director James Wan. Wan conceived the story for a sequel along with Momoa and screenwriter David Leslie Johnson, during the production of the first film. As of now,Aquaman and the Lost Kingdomis scheduled to be released in theaters on August 22, 2025.
Source:KC Walsh – X/Twitter
Hashim Asraff
Senior Writer
Articles Published :3021
Hashim Asraff is a Senior Entertainment Writer at FandomWire, with over 2,800 articles published on celebrity culture, comic book movies, and major TV franchises. With a background in Sociology and a keen interest in pop culture, Hashim brings a unique lens to breaking news stories, character deep-dives, film rankings, and fan-driven perspectives.His coverage often includes the MCU, DCU, hit network shows, and celebrity profiles, giving readers a rich blend of entertainment and analysis. A longtime fan of crime and investigative series, Hashim has watched thousands of episodes of NCIS, Criminal Minds, Law & Order: SVU, Bones, Blue Bloods, and The RookieA passionate storyteller and wordsmith, Hashim has also worked as a ghostwriter and managed multiple social media handles. He brought his writing expertise to FandomWire to also pursue his lifelong love for cinema and television.
