Is Aquaman 2 part of the DCU?
Warner Bros.Aquaman 2 is in cinemas worldwide right now, but does the superhero sequel form part of the DCU, or is it still a DCEU movie?
Aquaman 2 – aka Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom – released in cinemas all over the planet today, while the movie hits US screens tomorrow.
James Wan once again directs – from a script he co-wrote – while the cast has Jason Momoa, Amber Heard, Patrick Wilson, Nicole Kidman, Temuera Morrison, and Yahya Abdul-Mateen II all returning.
But with the DCEU ending, and the DCU beginning, where does Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom fit into that equation?
Is Aquaman 2 part of the DCU?
No, Aquaman 2 is not part of the DCU. DC’s so-called ‘Extended Universe’ kicked off in 2013 with a new Superman, then lasted for 10 years with 16 movies (if you include both iterations of Justice League). The line-up is as follows:
- Man of Steel (2013)
- Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice (2016)
- Suicide Squad (2016)
- Wonder Woman (2017)
- Justice League (2017)
- Aquaman (2018)
- Shazam! (2019)
- Birds of Prey (2020)
- Wonder Woman 1984 (2020)
- Zack Snyder’s Justice League (2021)
- The Suicide Squad (2021)
- Black Adam (2022)
- Shazam! Fury of the Gods (2023)
- The Flash (2023)
- Blue Beetle (2023)
- Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom (2023)
When James Gunn and Peter Safran took charge of the DC properties at Warner Bros., they decided to do a soft reboot, with Gunn stating that he considers the movies they make going forward part of the DCU rather than the DCEU.
Blue Beetle – which released before Aquaman 2 – straddles both universes, with Gunn stating on Michael Rosenbaum’s podcast that “The first DCU character, for sure, is Blue Beetle.”
But he then adds that “the first full DCU movie is Superman,” with Superman: Legacy arriving in 2025. Meaning Aquaman 2 isn’t part of the DCU, and instead the final movie of the DCEU.
What is Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom about?
Here’s the official synopsis for Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom: “Having failed to defeat Aquaman the first time, Black Manta, still driven by the need to avenge his father’s death, will stop at nothing to take Aquaman down once and for all.
“This time Black Manta is more formidable than ever before, wielding the power of the mythic Black Trident, which unleashes an ancient and malevolent force.
“To defeat him, Aquaman will turn to his imprisoned brother Orm, the former King of Atlantis, to forge an unlikely alliance. Together, they must set aside their differences in order to protect their kingdom and save Aquaman’s family, and the world, from irreversible destruction.”
For more on Aquaman 2, head here, or check out the below articles:
