Aquaman 2 CinemaScore Below DCEU Favorites

Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom has a CinemaScore and it slots it toward the latter half of the DCEU overall. The survey service tagged Jason Momoa's latest movie with a B-rating. Now, that isn't abysmal. But, the overall story of the DCEU's biggest hits can be told through these rankings. For example, Aquaman's first movie earned an A-rating on the way to $1 billion at the box office. Other high-fliers like Wonder Woman and Shazam also netted that coveted A-rating. But, as you go along , the picture gets a bit more cloudy. A B+ CinemaScore is strange because there's no telling how a movie will perform then.

For example, viewers seemed to be feeling Suicide Squad and The Suicide Squad, but they both didn't perform like observers predicted. (For The Suicide Squad, a lot of that has to do with a worldwide pandemic and a same-day release on HBO Max.) Wonder Woman 1984 also released at home to a B+ ranking. Birds of Prey had the unfortunate luck of being a release in the first few weeks of the worldwide health crisis and garnered a B+. But, even before 2020, a B+ was not a sure bet as Justice League hit that mark too. So, the range of outcomes is staggering. If you can believe it Aquaman 2 and Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice are on the same CinemaScore rung.

The grade is a B for #aquamanandthelostkingdom Did you see this film in theaters? Leave us a comment below and let us know! #cinemascore pic.twitter.com/j8KpLHPHZO

— CinemaScore (@CinemaScore) December 23, 2023

How Good Is Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom?

So, what did ComicBook.com think of the DCEU's swan song? Our Jenna Anderson reviewed Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom for the site. In a lot of ways, she found the farewell to this era of DC Comics movie storytelling to be true to the project overall. A good eye to the source material, but a little uneven overall.

"Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom is perfectly fine, whether as a showcase of some of its titular character's weirdest lore, the finale to one of the most controversial film franchises in modern history, or an entertaining-enough superhero movie in a landscape that no longer has to rely solely on them," she said. 

"While the film certainly doesn't manage to break new ground, an argument can be made that it doesn't necessarily need to — it's just a pleasant, largely entertaining time with a character whose big-screen portrayal was one of the DCEU's rare successes," Anderson continues. "Thanks to its free-wheeling attitude and committed ensemble cast, Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom closes a cinematic chapter in a silly, but satisfying-enough way."

What Happens In Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom?

In Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom , which arrives in theaters on December 22nd, 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. 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.

Are you seeing Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom this weekend? If you've already seen it, what did you think? Let us know down in the comments!