The final movie in the DCEU, distributed by Warner Bros. (WB), may have its release date shifted amongst the current Hollywood turmoil.
This follows The Screen Actors Guild – American Federation of Television and Radio Artists (SAG-AFTRA) strike that began on July 14.
The Writers Guild of America (WGA) has been on strike since May 1, putting many projects on pause and could impact WB’s upcoming slate.
Aquaman 2 Release Date in Question
Variety reported that Warner Bros. may be looking at moving Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom from its current December 20, 2023 release date.
There isn’t a clear indication whether this would mean Aquaman 2 would be delayed until 2024, but it’s hard to imagine WB would move the film up in the schedule.
The outlet did report that WB is considering pushing Timothee Chalamet and Zendaya’s Dune: Part Two to next year.
The penultimate DCEU film, Blue Beetle is set to release in theaters on August 18. All indications point to that superhero flick releasing on time.
Will the DCEU Ever End?
This news comes on the heels of a recent report that The Lost Kingdom went through three different reshoots.
Whether the film is good or not may be the fault of its director James Wan or its star Jason Mamoa. Aquaman 2 has been in production during three separate regimes at Warner Bros.
Now under the guidance of James Gunn (co-CEO of DC Studios), it appears the film is ready to release later this year. Without any Batman, Ben Affleck, Michael Keaton, or even George Clooney.
In light of Hollywood being shut down without an end in sight, it may be advantageous for WB to push Aquaman 2 back to 2024.
There’s currently only one DC film set to release next year, Joker: Folie à Deux, starring Joaquin Phoenix and Lady Gaga.
At the latest, the DCEU will end in 2024, clearing the runway for Superman: Legacy to reset a new DCU on July 11, 2025.
Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom is currently set to hit theaters on December 20.