James Gunn dropped some pretty big news about his and Peter Safran’s new DC Universe, and we can’t help but wonder why he didn’t announce it after the Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom premiere. The Aquaman sequel is the final DC film slated to release before Gunn and Safran launch their new DCU, marking the close of the former DC regiment. While it is a sequel to DC’s highest-grossing film to date, its box office performance remains unpredictable.
The ongoing SAG-AFTRA strike means that the film will take a hit promotion-wise, as Warner Bros. is among the studios refusing to pay and protect workers. The film’s biggest stars, including Jason Momoa, may not be able to promote the movie if the strike continues much longer. The promotion also faces obstacles from Johnny Depp fanatics, who allegedly harassed the crew into refraining from posting about the film online due to Amber Heard’s role in it. They’ll likely review bomb the film and find other tactics to try to hurt its performance. Plus, Warner Bros. has been dealing with some box office flops as of late, Barbie notwithstanding.
Needless to say, Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom doesn’t need any more obstacles. While it’s unfortunate that the movie is coming from a greedy and non-cooperative studio, that doesn’t negate the efforts of its cast and crew. The film has spent years in development as its crew tried to create a worthy sequel to the original. Momoa has also done great work in helping to build the original DCU, and Heard’s presence in the film, no matter how brief, is a small victory for domestic abuse victims. The movie deserves a fair shot at success.
Unfortunately, Gunn’s recent announcement may have put it at a further disadvantage.
Gunn clarifies the official new DCU canon
Gunn took to Threads recently to confirm the new DCU canon. There’s been a lot of confusion because Safran and Gunn began planning the new DCU when there were still multiple DC films that had yet to be released. There was also confusion because of Gunn’s own previous statements. When he announced the DCU’s upcoming projects, Gunn mentioned that The Flash would reset the DC universe, that Blue Beetle‘s titular character would be an important part of the DCU, and that Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom would lead directly into the new DCU. Additionally, while some recastings were announced, Gunn did suggest that he was open to some actors staying on and reprising their previous DC roles.
Hence some viewers assumed that The Flash‘s resetting of the DCU signaled the start of the new DCU, or that either Blue Beetle or Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom would technically become the first new DCU projects. With some heroes believed to be returning, it was assumed that some stories and plot points in the old regime would carry over to the new one. However, Gunn surprised his followers when he declared on Threads that nothing is canon in the new DCU until Creature Commandos.
He later clarified that some actors would be playing roles they’ve played before and that some various plot points might be consistent, though he re-emphasized that nothing is officially canon until Creature Commandos. Gunn then confirmed four returning actors in the new DCU: Xolo Maridueña as Blue Beetle, John Cena as Peacemaker, Viola Davis as Amanda Waller, and Freddie Stroma as Vigilante.
His announcement only led to more confusion. If nothing is canon and only a few plot points carry over, will some returning actors be playing new versions of their characters? Also, surely that’s not the complete list of returning actors, right? However, we must also consider what this means for Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom.
Gunn renders Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom non-canon
According to Gunn’s statement, Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom won’t be canon, nor does it relate to the new DCU. Additionally, Aquaman hasn’t yet been listed as a returning character. Perhaps he could show up in DC’s Elseworlds. What Gunn’s statement implies, though, is that Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom‘s story won’t matter in the grander scheme of the DCU, and there’s an extremely slim chance of its story and characters expanding in the future. Some viewers may be wondering what’s even the point of seeing it at all. Some may also be leery about what to expect when it seems like the studio might not even really care about the film anymore, as it’s not part of DC’s future.
We’re mostly wondering why the news was announced before Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom. We know that Gunn is creating a new cinematic universe, but this wasn’t timely, breaking news that had to be released at this very moment. While the latest DC films have many problems, there has been some speculation that the focus on Gunn’s rebooted DCU was at least partially responsible for the flops. So, taking things further and outright saying that Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom isn’t canon could have a more noticeable impact.
Gunn’s free to say what he wants about his new universe. However, emphasizing this focus on the future when there were still four DC films left to release is a questionable choice. After all the work put into these films, they should still matter and shouldn’t have gotten so lost in the planning for the new universe. Many have also questioned Gunn’s handling of Henry Cavill’s recasting and his alleged false promise to Gal Gadot to make Wonder Woman 3 happen. His new DCU sounds like quite the universe, but it doesn’t change the fact that there are still people involved in the old regime who care deeply about their work. Allowing them to wrap up their legacy smoothly and in the most dignified way possible should’ve been a top priority.
Even though Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom isn’t a part of the new DCU, hopefully viewers recognize that this isn’t a reason to write it off and band together to give the film the appreciation it deserves, as they did previously with Blue Beetle.
(featured image: Kevin Winter, Getty Images / Warner Bros.)
