Summary
- Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom aims to replicate the success of its predecessor and continue the positive trajectory of Jason Momoa’s Aquaman character.
- The plot of the film, which involves Aquaman reconciling with his exiled brother to protect Atlantis from a threat, shares similarities with Thor: The Dark World, but that doesn’t mean it’s bound to be disappointing.
- While both movies have similar story structures, Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom has the freedom to avoid the pitfalls of Thor’s second MCU film and deliver a unique and exciting story centered around Aquaman and his redeemed brother.
Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom‘s plot shares some similarities with one of the least popular MCU movies, Thor: The Dark World. Not only did James Wan’s 2018 Aquaman earn the top spot in the DCEU’s box office rankings, but it also remains the highest grossing DC movie of all time. In comparison to the rest of the DCEU’s characters, Jason Momoa’s Aquaman has stayed quite clear of controversial changes and decisions. And despite DC’s recent failures at the box office, Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom aims to replicate Aquaman‘s resounding success.
Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom‘s first full trailer reveals that Aquaman has enjoyed a few years of tranquility between Atlantis and the surface world. He has welcomed a son and fulfilled his responsibilities as King of Atlantis. However, Black Manta will force him to reconcile with his exiled brother Orm, and together they will try to protect Atlantis from an ancient threat unleashed by Aquaman’s archnemesis. Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom‘s story takes Aquaman down a brand-new path, but it also resembles a poorly received Marvel movie in various ways.
The Aquaman And The Lost Kingdom Synopsis Is Very Similar To Thor: The Dark World
Like Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom, Thor: The Dark World features the main hero joining forces with his estranged brother, who has been cast away from his fantastical kingdom after trying to gain power by force. Together they try to stop a villain who wields an ancient curse and intends to weaponize it against the kingdom. The villain’s plan ultimately fails, but not before killing one of the main hero’s closest relatives.
In Thor: The Dark World, Thor reunites with Loki, faces Malekith, stops the Aether from destroying Asgard, and mourns his mother Frigga. In Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom, Aquaman reunites with Orm, faces Black Manta, and tries to stop Black Manta’s Black Trident from destroying Atlantis’ seven kingdoms. Since Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom introduces Aquaman’s son, it’s possible that Arthur Curry Jr. will be the relative Aquaman will have to mourn, just as he did in DC’s Death of a Prince storyline, where Black Manta killed the baby.
Why Aquaman’s Familiar Story Doesn’t Matter
Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom and Thor: The Dark World may have very similar stories, but that doesn’t mean that one is a copy of the other, or that this specific plot structure is bound to be as disappointing as Thor’s second MCU movie. All stories across every medium, genre, and era share similar templates and tropes. For instance, origin stories are commonly followed by sequels where the main character briefly loses their powers, learns to be a vulnerable hero, and then regains their abilities having accepted their responsibility a second time: Spider-Man 2, Superman II, Iron Man 3, among others.
Other superhero movies have already implemented the hero-villain team-up idea. For example, Fox’s X-Men movie franchise used it repeatedly with Magneto and Charles Xavier, and Zack Snyder’s Justice League revealed a future where heroes like Batman, Mera, and the Flash found themselves forced to join forces with villains like Deathstroke and the Joker to defeat Superman and Darkseid. So, while Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom and Thor: The Dark World share various plot elements, the Aquaman sequel has all the freedom to avoid the MCU’s early Thor failures and deliver a unique story starring the King of Atlantis and his redeemed brother.
Key Release Dates
