Does Batman Appear in Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom?

Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom is now in theaters – and it marks the official ending of the DCEU franchise. 

With Aquaman 2 bringing the DCEU to a close, there are a lot of fans who may be coming to the film hoping to get a last scene (or two) with some of their favorite DCEU heroes Of the many controversial headlines that were made during Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom's production, one that stood out from the rest was Aquaman star Jason Momoa's post that Ben Affleck's Batman was going to cameo in the film:

"REUNITED bruce and arthur. love u and miss u Ben," Momoa said in the IG caption. "WB studio tours just explored the backlot alright busted on set all great things coming AQUAMAN 2 all my aloha J."

Momoa even included a video in the post, in which he seemed to confirm the cameo: "It's not a f—ing secret anymore, is it? That's what happens, Warner Brothers, when you walk out of your set and there's our fans [backstaged]." 

Fans have been eager to see how Batfleck could factor into the story of Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom – and now we know. 

Does Batman Appear In Aquaman 2? 

No, Ben Affleck's Batman does NOT show up in Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom. Neither does Michael Keaton's Batman (as was once rumored) or any of the other DCEU Justice League actors (Gal Gadot's Wonder Woman, Ezra Miller's Flash, Henry Cavill's Superman, Ray Fisher's Cyborg). Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom is about the most self-contained film we've seen in the DCEU – a true traditional sequel that only seems concerned with referencing the film that preceded it. 

Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom director James Wan previously indicated that shifting leadership and focuses at Warner Bros. during production (like David Zslav and the Warner Bros. Discovery merger) may have tanked Ben Affleck's Batman cameo: 

"The tricky thing early on was not knowing whether Aquaman would come out first or come out after [The Flash]. So, we just had to be prepared. At the end of the day, the best thing I would say about this movie is that it is not connected in any way to any of those films. That's the bottom line."

What Is Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom About?

In Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom, which arrives in theaters on December 20th, when an ancient power is unleashed, Aquaman must forge an uneasy alliance with an unlikely ally to protect Atlantis, and the world, from irreversible devastation. Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom will see the return of Jason Momoa as Aquaman, Patrick Wilson as Orm, Amber Heard as Mera, Yahya Abdul-Mateen II as Black Manta, and Randall Park as Stephen Shin. Jani Zhao will play new character Stingray, Indya Moore will play Karshon, and Vincent Regan will play Atlan, who was previously portrayed by Graham McTavish in Aquaman. Pilou Asbaek has also joined the cast in a mystery role.

Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom is directed by James Wan, with a script from David Leslie Johnson-McGoldrick. Producers include Wan and DC Studios co-CEO Peter Safran.