Highlights
- Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom is facing trouble with test screenings and reshoots, leaving some viewers finding it boring and not as good as the first film.
- Fans speculate that one particular scene in the film, possibly showing the death of Aquaman's newly introduced Aquababy, may have caused viewers to walk out during test screenings.
- The potential adaptation of The Death of a Prince storyline, which involves the death of Aquababy, may be controversial for general audiences, but there is still hope that the film could change the baby's fate before its theatrical release.
Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom had a lot of trouble with test screenings and multiple reshoots. With the first trailer finally revealed, fans think they know why.
The sequel to the DCEU's highest-grossing film had a very rocky production. Reportedly, test screenings for Aquaman 2 have not been doing well, with viewers saying the film is boring and not as good as the first. Additionally, some people think Aquaman 2 is being screen-tested way too much. One person said they “think everyone in Los Angeles has seen it at least once.”
According to Grace Randolph of Beyond the Trailer, viewers walked out of an Aquaman 2 test screening midway through the film, a claim supported by MyTimeToShineHello. Although the reports don’t specify why they walked out, fans believe it was because of the scene where the newly introduced Aquababy died. The Aquaman 2 trailer was recently released, showing Aquaman as a father. While most general audience members thought the baby was cute and were happy to see the little Aquababy in the movie, comic book fans know that Aquababy dies at the hands of Black Manta and believe the onscreen version will share the same fate.
In the comics, Black Manta sees Aquaman's son as a way to hurt Aquaman and decides to kill him by forcing him to breathe air. In the trailer, Black Manta says, "I'm gonna murder his family... and burn his kingdom to ash." Orm also says, "he means to end the bloodline." Furthermore, the Aquaman 2 synopsis revealed that Aquaman and his brother Orm team up to defeat Black Manta and save their family. All of this indicates an adaptation of The Death of a Prince storyline.
This seems like a controversial story for DC to adapt, especially for the final film in the DCEU. Although comic book fans might want a faithful adaptation, it is understandable why general audiences might be turned off by the idea of watching a baby die in what seems to be an action-comedy superhero movie.
However, there is still hope for Aquababy. Other depictions, such as Young Justice and The Brave and The Bold, have Aquababy grow up at least to reach his teenage years, but most depict him as a baby. The film has been reshot multiple times, so they can change Aquababy's fate for the theatrical release if there was ever a version with him dying in the first place. These are just rumors and theories, and fans will have to wait till December to see what happens to Aquababy.
Aquaman and The Lost Kingdom will be released in theaters on December 20, 2023.
Source: Beyond the Trailer, MyTimeToSHineH, CanWeGetSomeToast, bacibobi1919