generalize
- After Aquaman 2, all DCEU direct sequels have grossed less than their predecessors, continuing and completing a trend of disappointment.
- External factors such as the epidemic and the upcoming DCU reboot have affected overall box office performance.
- The DCEU’s sequel count isn’t as bad as it seems, considering the circumstances in which it was released.
Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom The low box office performance makes the DCEU as a whole show an alarming trend. As the last film in the interconnected universe before the DCU reboot, directed by James Gunn and Peter Safran, aquaman 2 Jason Momoa returns as Arthur Curry’s Aquaman, who reunites with his half-brother to prevent global collapse in this follow-up to the first film Neptune Revenue exceeded $1 billion in 2018. However, Neptune and lost kingdom All DCEU sequels end up following an unfortunate trend.
Starting from 2013 man of Steel by 2023 Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom, the entire DCEU consists of 15 movies and maintains its established continuity. Of these 15 films, 4 were produced as direct sequels. While the hope for a sequel was always to achieve similar levels of return and financial success, that wasn’t the case, too. Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom Continuing an unfortunate trend, each DCEU direct sequel has grossed less than the film before it. However, there are some notable external factors that may explain why.
RELATED How to Watch the DCEU Movies in Order (In Release Date and Chronological Order) The DCEU timeline may be about to be rebooted in the DC Universe, but here’s how to watch the DCEU movies in release order or chronological order.
Every DCEU sequel grosses less than its predecessor
Doesn’t look pretty on the surface
First movie global box office | Second film global box office |
Suicide Squad (2016): $745,744,980 USD | Suicide Squad(2021): $167,097,737 |
Wonder Woman(2017): $817,691,766 | Wonder Woman 1984 (2020): $166,360,232 |
Aquaman(2018): US$1,143,758,700 | Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom(2023): $338,134,167 |
Shazam! (2019): $363,563,907 | Shazam! Wrath of the Gods(2023): $132,276,175 |
Although batman v superman: dawn of justice Similar to man of Steel Sequels, that doesn’t count. First of all, it’s not a sequel in title, it’s more akin to a team-up movie than anything else.A grand fan event was also held Superman: Man of Steel 2 after a long time batman v supermansupporting the idea that it was never considered a true sequel.
Exclude intro function Justice League In the DCEU, it’s surprising how each DCEU sequel performs much lower than its predecessor, especially when it comes to Neptune The original film grossed over $1 billion, while the new sequel only grossed over $300 million worldwide. The same goes for every DCEU sequel in the country.The sequel closest to the data of its predecessor is Shazam!wrath of the godsthough that’s not saying much, as both films are on the lower end in terms of overall box office returns for the DCEU.
Why DCEU sequel numbers aren’t as bad as they seem
There are some caveats worth noting
While the numbers for the DCEU sequels look pretty bleak, it’s also important to remember how many outside factors influence nearly every sequel.After all, both Wonder Woman 1984 and suicide squad Being released in a hybrid theatrical and home format during the pandemic has definitely impacted their box office performance.Furthermore, both Shazam!wrath of the gods and Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom The film was released shortly after Gunn and Safran announced a reboot of the DCU, leading many DC fans to question the value of watching both projects, let alone seeing them in theaters.