‘Aquaman 2’ Has A Release Date But Fans Will Have To Wait Several Years

Despite over a billion dollars in box office around the globe, it would appear that Warner Bros. is in no hurry to get a sequel to “Aquaman” in theaters. Typical Hollywood studio behavior would dictate that a superhero sequel film should probably arrive around two years after its predecessor. Instead, WB has decided it will wait four years for “Aquaman 2.”

So, DC film fans, it’s time to pace yourselves and not get too worked up about an “Aquaman” sequel coming anytime soon. According to EW, WB has greenlit the upcoming sequel but given it a date of December 16, 2022. Now, after the initial shock of that date is almost exactly four years after last year’s surprise hit, we have a couple of ideas as to why this delay is happening.

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First, and probably foremost, “Aquaman 2” is going to take a long time to make. Writing a script, going into pre-production, getting the cast back together, and filming a sequel that somehow builds on the already massive first film will easily take 2+ years of production. So, even if they started today, we’re looking at nothing sooner than 2021.

Second, James Wan doesn’t seem to be in a hurry to return to the universe. That doesn’t mean that he’s not amped on a sequel. By all accounts, he’s excited to return, but a contract isn’t in place yet. At least not something that can be reported. So, it would seem that maybe the director is wanting to take his time, possibly knock out a horror film or some other project in between, and then return to the DCEU.

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And finally, December 2022 is a very strategic date when you look at the competition. You see, there’s a little film franchise called “Avatar” that has already staked its claim to the month of December in the upcoming years. And considering James Cameron has made no secret that “Avatar” sequels will have a quite a bit of underwater scenes, why would WB even bother to go toe-to-toe with the sequels to the biggest film of all time?

So, with Cameron already planting a flag in December 2020 and December 2021, with a two-year break before ‘Avatar 3’ comes in December 2023, that leaves 2022 as the prime spot for “Aquaman 2.”

Yes, four years is a long time, but with those reasons above, it’s likely the only option for WB. And we’d much rather Wan, Jason Momoa, and Co. take their time before rushing out something subpar.

That leaves “Aquaman 2” for December 16, 2022. Plan accordingly.