DC‘s Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom may have yet another release date shift on the horizon.
Per Variety, three anonymous insiders say the Warner Bros. Film Group is “strongly considering” delaying Dune: Part Two to 2024 amid the ongoing strikes in Hollywood. One source explains that Warner Bros. and co-producer Legendary Entertainment would have to agree on a new release date for the anticipated sci-fi feature. Another source claims that the Dune sequel is still on track to release in November as planned, and that no formal discussions have been had. However, they also acknowledged that it’s too early to tell when the labor disputes will be resolved. At any rate, both Warner Bros. and Legendary have declined to comment on the matter.
That said, Dune: Part Two isn’t the only Warner Bros. film facing a potential release date shift. Variety reports that the studio is also considering new dates for The Color Purple and Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom. Like the Dune situation, this is a result of the ongoing Writers Guild of America (WGA) and Screen Actors Guild (SAG-AFTRA) strikes. At the time of writing, both The Color Purple and Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom are still scheduled for release in December.
Of course, the long-awaited sequel to 2018’s Aquaman is no stranger to release date shifts. Lost Kingdom was originally dated for Dec. 16, 2022. The film was then delayed to March 17, 2023, before being delayed again to Dec. 25, 2023. Most recently, the superhero film was bumped up by five days to Dec. 20, with The Color Purple now occupying Dec. 25.
What is Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom about?
Director James Wan‘s Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom serves as the symbolic end of the DC Extended Universe, as it will be the last film green-lit under previous DC head Walter Hamada to hit theaters. (James Gunn’s Superman: Legacy will be the first film in his and Peter Safran’s rebooted DC Universe, and is scheduled for release in July 2025.)
Lost Kingdom sees DCEU veteran Jason Momoa reprise his role as Arthur Curry/Aquaman for one more undersea adventure. The sequel’s official synopsis reads as follows: “When an ancient power is unleashed, Aquaman must forge an uneasy alliance with an unlikely ally to protect Atlantis, and the world, from irreversible devastation.”
Dune: Part Two is currently scheduled for release on Nov. 3. Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom is scheduled for Dec. 20, followed by The Color Purple on Dec. 25.
