DEATH OF THE DCEU (The Irrelevancy and Disappointment of Aquaman 2) EXPLORED
Ойын-сауық
"Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom," the final flick of the DCEU, rode into theaters on a tide of indifference, right in time for the festive season. At the US box office, the film's opening weekend wasn’t too great. It made just $38.1 million and got overshadowed by "The Color Purple" on Christmas Day. The film, not the combination of red and blue pigments.
After just over a fortnight, "Aquaman 2" has amassed $87.5 million domestically and $187 million internationally, totalling $274.5 million globally against a production budget of $205 million. Considering additional marketing costs and the split of ticket sales, the film needs to breach the 400-500-million-dollar mark to break even. And when you compare it to the tsunami-like success that 2018’s "Aquaman" enjoyed, grossing over $1.14 billion on a smaller budget, offering a spritz of levity in a year otherwise drowned in serious comic book dramas - it's evident that the final film of the DCEU has been met with a wave of consumer indifference.
The first dive was a fun delightful romp, thanks to Jason Momoa’s portrayal of the aquatic rebel with a world-saving cause and our first introduction to the underwater world. But the sequel is sinking under the weight of irrelevancy. Following the footsteps of three consecutive DC duds, expectations for a box office bonanza were as low on the seabed as Atlantis itself.
Rumored disastrous test screenings, studio in-fighting and Amber Heard's controversial presence post-trial only added to the chaos. The DCEU's uncertain future loomed over the reshoots, leading to a release that felt more like a desperate hope than a confident step. After a string of disappointments for Warner Brothers, they brought in James Gunn to chart a new course for a reboot, effectively ditching the likes of Henry Cavill, Ben Affleck, Gal Gadot, Jason Mamoa, Ray Fisher, and Ezra Miller. Hence, "Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom" is more of a curtain call with the unenviable task of closing the final chapter.
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The DCEU is an example of what happens when studios decide to rush instead of taking time when establishing a franchise
@filmcomicsexplained
4 ай бұрын
Indeed
@ohnosmoarlulcatz
4 ай бұрын
Its not just the DCEU at this point. Marvel is literally trying to introduce an entire Spider family in Madame Web. No one even knows what Venom 3 is going to bring along or if Kraven the Hunter is going to get some new tagalongs with Sony. Even Deadpool 3 is bringing up long past franchises according to the spoilers.
@freddy-wk2lt
4 ай бұрын
Hay that’s not Marvels spider man film that’s Sony lazy attempt at one
@bvang0520
4 ай бұрын
so true. DCEU tried to jump on the whole extended universe that made the MCU so successful
@bobbyrayvictory6905
4 ай бұрын
Pretty sure this would have been awesome had the amber drama not taken place. I gave zero fs after the turd on the bed
The DCEU is a perfect example on how not to start a cinematic universe and why having a clear is important for any franchise. In the years to come the DCEU will be looked at could have been if the studios didn’t interfere.
@bofawhatsbofa4593
4 ай бұрын
No it started perfect. It continued like shit because execs listened to idiots on Twitter
@jonfreeman9682
4 ай бұрын
Well it's complicated. But sure it's a case of studio interference. There are many factors at play here.
Aquaman 2: Turd in the Water.
@fredricotraversiere8868
4 ай бұрын
you suck 😡👎
Remember when Alfred was the same for 3 batmans and 2 wildly different tones and we didn't need a multiverse explanation? I miss those days and I hope James Gunn does too.
I feel so bad for Jason, he really wanted this movie be a good send off of the DCEU, but it unfortunately flopped, at least he left and going to go be in better movies
@IchigoKurosaki_
4 ай бұрын
Tbh, I thought he was great in the fast x movie despite it being off the rails lol
@filmcomicsexplained
4 ай бұрын
Yes he was actually really amazing as Dante in Fast X. Glad he had something that he could sink his teeth in
@latinojackson9694
4 ай бұрын
He knew what he was getting himself into
@d3f3ct1v3_
4 ай бұрын
At least he won't have to work under paedophile James gunn.
Ezra miller and amber heard. It's hard to say which is worse
@daltooinewestwood6380
4 ай бұрын
As much as I hate Amber heard, Ezra is worse by far. He’s a crazy cult leader who grooms children, gets into fights, threatens people with his gun collection, and doesn’t bathe in his free time
@snooopledinkeroo
4 ай бұрын
Ezra
@SnakeRoadComicsOfficial3677
4 ай бұрын
Amber is only abusive. Ezra is an outright maniac.
@BullScrapPracEff
4 ай бұрын
No, if you have any humanity, it is not.
@ChefB0ii-li8vo
4 ай бұрын
Amber took a shit on a bed
Not sure about anyone else, but for me the dc movies were kinda ruined for me primarily from Warner bros moving away from animated movies to real life movies. They had something really good going back then. Also ezra Miller and amber heard are another thorn in the movies sides.
@filmcomicsexplained
4 ай бұрын
Yeah the animated movies are actually pretty great
Now is the perfect time for people to start their own universes. With Marvel and DC in a slump you stand a better chance to see be a success more now than ever before
The Studios saw dollar signs after the success of the MCU, and tried to play catch up, without realizing that these aren't just action figures being mashed together. The total lack of respect given to them is evident by how little weight each films holds. Although I don't care for his work, Snyder seemed to be the only one who actually liked these characters and wanted to give them gravity and depth. But, let's be honest here, the Marvel Universe has always been more fun, more colorful, and more cohesive, which lends itself better to film adaptation. Hell, if it wasn't for Miller, Moore and Burton's Batman, we'd still have the wonky caped crusader of yesteryear. Individually, these characters could've shined, but as a continuity, they just made each other look silly and unintelligible.
@seige8621
4 ай бұрын
The colourfulness or more fun isn't what made MCU better. It's the consistency..because the colourfulness and more fun isn't helping marvel right now either. Dc should have stuck to the dark and gritty. Dc comics are hardly fun, they ooze dark tones. They should have stuck to it and proceeded with having a proper timeline of execution. Bringing a justice League out of nowhere nailed them hard!
A sequel no one asked for with a co-star woman (ah) no one likes by a studio that ruined an entire legendary franchise of characters.
@jonfreeman9682
4 ай бұрын
Aquaman wasn't that legendary. The comics sales were at the bottom. He wasn't the most popular or even top 10. This fish man isn't that interesting.
@seige8621
4 ай бұрын
@@jonfreeman9682how can he be top 10 when Batman and justice League literally takes all the slots.
They brought back the Brine King for this movie, that’s all I really wanted lol
@filmcomicsexplained
4 ай бұрын
The Brine king is pretty awesome, I'll give you that. John Rhys-Davies always kills it lol
@robertgomes5760
4 ай бұрын
Perhaps James Gunn should keep the Brine King in the rebooted DCEU.
Ignoring what the fans want is a grave mistake both disney and dc is making
James Wann's insistance on keeping Amber after the trial which proved her to be a violent abuser and a liar (and ignoring a nearly 5 million signature petition) is the main cause of this movie's failure, then of course, there was the way WB treated Depp following the false alligations that started all of that mess. WB also refused to fire Ezra Miller after his string of much publicised legal troubles.
@Hawk7886
4 ай бұрын
Sadly despite all of that they're still pulling in loads of money and will likely at least break even following home/streaming release so it seems like they were right in assuming tons of people wouldn't care too much. It's pretty lame, I won't even bother downloading this garbage.
@TheGuardianofAzarath
4 ай бұрын
@@Hawk7886 considering the budget this train wreck had, and factoring in marketing, it needs to hit at least 600 million to break even, i doubt it will, and if it does, it could take a long time. I’m honestly surprised it made 100
I literally wasn't even aware Aquaman 2 had been released in theaters until just now seeing this video. This is the first time I've ever seen any of the trailer footage even.
@peridotrideaux
4 ай бұрын
Yeah right 😅
I actually liked most of the DCEU movie, but then most (if not all) of the sequels that came out basically threw everything great about the first film into the trash and took a direction that was just…. Not it! (Im especially thinking of Wonder Woman and Man of Steel and Shazam and how their sequels fell on their face)
@filmcomicsexplained
4 ай бұрын
Its almost like the studios gave up :( So angry we didnt get a Man of Steel sequel, and that Henry Cavill wont ever be superman again
@behurastudio
4 ай бұрын
@@filmcomicsexplained Man of Steel 2??? Nah, here, have Shazam 2! Also i think rebooting EVERYTHING is gonna make it even harder for new audiences to watch, everyone and their grandma knows Gal Gadot and Mamoa as their respective superheroes so casting that out is such an odd choice. I have faith Gunn can make good stuff, but MAN its gonna be a hell of a cliff to climb, wish him luck tho!
The franchise was suffering from being rushed and having poor writing, but the death nails in this coffin have names, and they’re “Ezra miller and Amber Heard” WB was already having a hard time selling tickets to these movies, and then they willingly decided to keep 2 universally hated criminals on their payroll, despite fans all saying “I’m not seeing this if they’re in it”
An 80's morning cartoon. Mindless but with moments of genuine fun and charm.
The beginning gets a like from me already lol.
Imagine what an Aquaman movie would look like if James Cameron wrote, produced and directed it. 😋
@BullScrapPracEff
4 ай бұрын
Talented James Cameron, or beastiality blue people James Cameron?
@boitmecklyn4995
4 ай бұрын
it's called avatar.
@kennedycooper3864
4 ай бұрын
And it would take 10 years to come out.
@angelg8877
4 ай бұрын
It would be worse
I just kind of laughed when they deadass dropped Necrons in the movie, they should of commited to atlantis vs Necrons, would of made a better movie
Glad we had clarification on the color purple thing
Oh boy here come the angry dceu fans 💀
@filmcomicsexplained
4 ай бұрын
Hold, Brothers!!!! lol
@dsadik666
4 ай бұрын
With just cause
@RuSosan
4 ай бұрын
Oh yeah, I'm sure _both_ of them are malding right now.
Warner Bros and DC film’s incompetence and negligence turned Zack Snyder from Michael Bay tier director into a pre UFC CM Punk type brand. Also: DC should hire people with experience in creation universes, not MCU Formula washouts.
@SnakeRoadComicsOfficial3677
4 ай бұрын
Bay is a mediocre director so I don't get the comparison. You're basically comparing someone who works better with material that suits his style like 300, to a brain dead pervert who should've been blacklisted a long time ago.
@PerovNigma
4 ай бұрын
Is "Michael Bay-tier director" supposed to be a compliment?
@bofawhatsbofa4593
4 ай бұрын
@@PerovNigma like Michael, at least Zack’s films made money. Everything post 2018 under Walter Hamada was a financial flop.
The failure of the DCU is going to make one HELL of a documentary one day. Not just the bad writing and incompetence like you mentioned but the back stabbing. The SECOND Zach had his back turned, everyone started doing thier own thing and not what was planned. I cant wait for it
like a flame it burn out with a whimper 😮💨
@danmcdonald8285
4 ай бұрын
When do flames whimper?
The thing is superhero films can be good if written well and treated as real stories rather than a "campy short money grab because they're popular" that they are often treated as.
You should do the movie "Antz"! Dope early 90s animation that still holds up today
RIP the DCEU, it could’ve been great, but the assholes in charge ruined it.
@filmcomicsexplained
4 ай бұрын
RIP
"Bad movie fatigue" Thank you! I wouldn't mind seeing even 1000 superhero movies if they had any semblance of a good story.
katt williams taking about industries and culture now make sense
Ew, he has a kid to Mera? No wonder the movie flopped. Whoever greenlit that needs to be publicly shamed.
DCU in a nutshell, forever chasing the MCU and falling short. They should have cut that CGI budget and invested it back into story.
Superhero fatigue has finally set in… both in the MCU and DCEU, they should let it rest for a good decade or so…
I always love your videos Niyat! Can you cover The Creator from 2023 next??
Amber Heard also made it flop no one who likes Johnny Depp wanted her in the movie and she still played the role if they let her go i know people would've watched it just to spite Amber
This is how it happened. This is how the DCEU died.
@benf6822
4 ай бұрын
At least we have the animated movies
Thanks for the video!! See you later!! Stay safe.😊
In the first Aqua man I liked the scene where the huge men looked like they wanted a piece of him but its a small twist that they're just chill buds. Their pics made him look like cool drinking bud to hang with.
Lets be honest, Aquaman as a character is a joke, the first film was a fluke and who ever thought that a part 2 would be a success was delusional
@peridotrideaux
4 ай бұрын
👏 thank you. He sucks as aquaman 😕 my goodness. He looks good but nothing else
I watch the aquaman 2 movie at the theater last week ago in my opinion it was a great movie it a shame this the last one of the DC movies I Enjoy both aquaman films 1 & 2
Im starting my own fictional universe with one of the main titles being Adam's Rib
So many odd story decisions and so many sub plots. So much going on outside of the movie. What a clusterf*ck
This movie was indescribably bad. Absolutely horrendous.
After james guun plan of rebooting, makes the audiencie not put so many expectations on dceu movies, "what's the point to watch them they gonna reboot anyway" another thing is the sequels play so safe, there's no huge consequences or death no sense of risk.
Enjoyed the part of them running through the forest
A movie that the trailer served as the whole movie
I went and saw this movie to have a good time and that was it, I don't care about the rest as long I have a good time and enjoy a movie for what it is then I'm more than satisfied.
@sauronthegreat5799
4 ай бұрын
I liked this movie. Can't u derstand the hate. It was funny, exciting and beautiful underwater scenes.
@bradyburick1367
4 ай бұрын
@@sauronthegreat5799 That's what I'm saying though I don't care about the hate or whatever the other reasons may be because I loved the first one and I was certain that I would love the second so I'm glad I was right.
The "Black Trident" is green
If this movie was floating in the pool, the lifeguard would make everyone get out and then would make sure a bee hadn't stung Heard's dog.
I suggest videos on: Magneto Amanda Waller Batman Jack Napier AKA the Joker (1989) Mr Freeze Poison Ivy Bane
Imagine the support from fans if they'd just made Man of Steel 2
@bofawhatsbofa4593
4 ай бұрын
FACTSSSSSSSSS! I always said it should’ve been: -MoS. -The Batman, end credit we see zods tv announcement. -BVS, with Diana cameo only with end credit of her getting the photo -WW, with an end credit of her opening the rest of the files to see the JL -MS2 Then close our phase 1 with the Trinity which would be Brainiac who had a Motherbox on his ship which is now on earth sparking the events that will lead to Darkseid and JL formation
Aqua man 2 would’ve done heaps better at the box office if mera was recast or killed before the start of the movie!
Well, you really can't expect adults to watch a movie that's shot entirely on green-screen and Momoa belongs in a bar in Hawaii, not in movies.
They had the tickets on discount ,instead asked if could just buy concession stand snacks and be off my way
hey Film Comics explained do you do think James Gunn can save DC Universe movies?
The DCEU was a kneejerk reaction from Warner Bros. To the Avengers success. I'm not surprised it failed so badly
Can't wait to hear Filmento shred this movie apart
@anubusx
4 ай бұрын
Same i love his channel.
I haven't watched but one if the DCEU movies. They just look way over-the-top with their CGI. I've always seen DC as the junior varsity compared to Marvel too.
Are you alright friend? Your voice seems a little off this video?
@filmcomicsexplained
4 ай бұрын
I have been sick for the past week, just broke the fever a few days ago and am on the up and up! thanks for asking mate :)
Orm and Arthur is the best part of this movie
It made $335 million dollars against a $210 million dollar budget, yes , Amber Heard is to blame for screwing up everything, and that she will never ever star in another film ever again.
@filmcomicsexplained
4 ай бұрын
Yes shaine, but you also have to account for marketing costs which is usually half the production + the fact that production companies only get 50-60% of box office receipts, which means the movie needs to make 400-500 million to break even.
@iHaveTheDocuments
4 ай бұрын
Advertising and marketing. They lost money, as they should
It seems that, in hiring James Gunn to be the DC’s Kevin Feige equivalent, WB finally learned the lesson it should have known all along: This type of storytelling needs a creative mastermind behind it. A leader who has a vision for the universe as a whole, and isn’t just going to chase trends. In fact, if the MCU can’t course correct in the meantime, Gunn’s choices will likely set new trends that the MCU will try to chase.
@Iggybart05
4 ай бұрын
i love guardians and i love the newer suicide squad, but i'm not sure you can apply that style to everything and my concern is that's what james is going to do.
This is just sad how the DCEU ended
the dceu ending with a failed movie it goes to show not all movies need sequels but if we do get another batman from matt reeves i hope it helps boost up the fans
@filmcomicsexplained
4 ай бұрын
They should have just made standalone movies that were good, than trying to replicate the MCU which is also not fairing so well now after Endgame. Good storytelling always trumps franchise servicing
@RippedDiscs
4 ай бұрын
when matt reeves does batman 2 i want it to be about killer croc and clayface think about the water is still flooded we see in the begining a young killer croc being mistreated he goes into the sewer as he gets angery and rage full and we see batman go down there to figure out how to get the water back where it came from we see him run into killer croc so in the sequel it builds up killer croc and how batman deals with a foe who is more powerful and doesnt know how to deal with new threat we see him first hand and use his knowledge on how to deal with this threat by reading on reptiles and how they adapt
My man!!
I loved wonder women, it was a pretty cool movie
Maybe if AH wasn't in it.... I can tell you that's why I didn't see it.
This came out?
His "My man." Was like the writer and him were really trying to be streets.😂
11:59 Who this movie was actually made for.
The second I heard Amber heard was still in this movie. I refused to watch it
@obsidian00
4 ай бұрын
Same...won't even sail the high seas for it!
without a prenup🤣
Topo and the Brine King were the best characters lol.
Also, Mamoa was terrible casting for Arthur. His defining comic role will be Lobo. He's made to play Lobo.
Snyder fan boys can cope and cry. The DCEU ends with Darksied winning and ends with a mediocre whimper. Now we hype for The Gunnverse ladies and gents.
Idk I actually liked both Aquaman movies. The DCEU movies suck, but I like Aquaman for some reason. I will say they should have nixed that diaper change scene at the beginning of the new one, since it’s kind of awkward with Amber Heard’s history.
Ezra ruined the dceu. Grant was a better flash on the ever shark jumping network....
I like Aquaman and the Lost kingdom it cool 😀😎👍🤘❤
The DCEU rebooting made any and all DC films pointless. We didnt even get the major villain. They wasted 10 years.
If DC/Warner Bros was smart they would hire writers from the Animation department. Also with everything being so heavy on CGI maybe grab some of the Animation directors as well as it can't be that different. Last 20 to 25 years the DC animations, tv and movies have been nailing it and a gold standard. And this is coming from a Marvel comic fan.
Explore The Ancient Enemy from The Phantoms.
Hollywood would benefit from (atleast) a ten year ban on superhero movies, reboots and remakes.
Take a look at the "Taken" trilogy.
I genuinely don't understand why people love Jason Mamoa so much outside of him being hot. Seems like a nice enough guy but he was excruciatingly cringe in Fast X(and that's saying something) and it seemed like the same issue here. You can't just show up on screen saying "hell yeah dude" and expect anyone to take you seriously.
Aquaman 2 shouldn’t have been the last movie of the DCEU. It made more sense to place it before The Flash, in my opinion. But I suppose it’s better to pretend that the story of both Aquaman movies happen before the events of Flash and that its post-credits scene is the actual ending of the DCEU. But it’s just my viewpoint.
batman after hearing the news Batman: NOOOOOOOOO!
They wanted Avengers money without Avengers effort
I kept saying that speech at the end was ripped straight out of iron man 2 👎🏽👎🏽
I was going to go watch this, but during the trailer I watched a Terd punch a window, so I skipped it. I don't want to see a CGI Terd blame a small dog for pooping on their Significant other's side of the bed.
This is how i planned on watching this
Lol oopaloompa uniforms
are you saying 'worldwind' ?? its whirlwind man..
Man, this just sounded like a dlc to the first movie, not a sequel.
I think the problem is just super hero fatigue. We can point out the mistakes but these same mistakes were ignored by audiences 10 years ago. Im tired of seeing men in tights on the screen. I just am. These stories are dumb with all the multiverses and unrealistic scenarios. How is the world so close to ending but not have one countries military involved? If this movie would have come out 10 years ago it would have been a success. We are just tired of these heroes. Nothing they do is realistic or relatable. Im here trying to figure out my how to pay my mortgage and DC and Marvel are trying to stuff more of these movies down my throat. If they want my money i would pay them each $5 a month to not make any of these movies anymore. Every issue we point at for the failures of these movies are issues fans asked for. Fans didnt ask for more diversity? they did. Fans didnt ask for more movies? They did. I remember when fans were so in love with Keanu Reeves because of John Wick they asked for another Matrix only to hate it. Everything given to us by DC and Marvel or disney are things fans asked for. You all got what you asked for.
@thearmchairjournalist566
4 ай бұрын
True but it doesn’t mean they have to squander quality for a quick buck and plug up the story with their woke/pc 🐮 💩 I’m not fussed with stories that have modern ideals to them but it doesn’t need to be rammed down our throats every time! Regarding the DCU they won’t let themselves sit back and wait until they have a good storyline and go from there, but just throw the first script into the mix and try and fix it at the backend! They should go back to new ideas like in years gone past instead of trying to wring every drop out of the IP they already own and ruining it in the process 😢😢😢
Wait Aquaman 2 came out?
Dceu could have hired me and I could have saved it by firing herd and Ezra. Make the new Batam the main Batman, keep Gabot, use a ginger for flash or the tv version, keep cyborg but change half the lines. Not kill super man and bring him back so fast.
Omegon is that you?
Movies these days are just overblown CGI effects and a terrible movie without much substance ...
I legitimately fell twice during this movie
This franchise was only sorta alive from the start to begin with and literally all but died when they lost a Supes that worked AND a Batman too.. coupled with a craptastic flash that looks like they forgot to fully finish before release and a "meh" WW sequel after a respectable debut for her... The Aquatic Kal Drogo can only do so much especially in a verse NOT suited an set up around only 1 character an hero