Though the DCEU movies haven’t exactly been critic-pleasers for the most part, and have proven divisive with the fans too, it must be said that with the exception of last year’s Justice League, these films have made Warner Bros. a lot of money. In fact, thanks to the ongoing success of Aquaman at the international box office, the cinematic universe’s total gross has now passed the $4 billion mark.
As of the start of this week, Aquaman has taken in a global gross of $261.3 million, putting the six-film franchise’s total almost $30 million past the $4 billion milestone. So far, the biggest audience-earner in the saga has been 2016’s Batman V Superman: Dawn of Justice, which grossed $873.6 million worldwide, and the lowest save for James Wan’s new film is Justice League at $657.9 million.
After last year’s ensemble flick fell well short of its $750 million break-even point, Aquaman’s strong performance overseas bodes well for the future of the DCEU. What’s more, the good news for Warner is likely to continue with the movie’s North America release, with the feature projected to take in $65 million in its first three days and over $100 million across the five-day holiday weekend.
With new projects being announced at a dizzying rate while previously planned films lie in limbo, it’s clear that the DCEU is going through a period of transition right now, but you can probably put your money on Arthur Curry still being a part of this uncertain future.
According to one report from a couple of weeks ago, sequel talks around Aquaman have already begun at Warner, and from the sound of things, both actor Jason Momoa and international audiences would be game for more. We’ll find out if North American viewers feel the same when the movie hits theaters on December 21st.
