Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom: Release date, cast, plot, & more

Aquaman 2, officially titled Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom, made a splash in cinemas – here’s everything you need to know about the DC movie, from release date and cast, to plot, trailers, and more.

Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom is set to make a splash later this year, but there’s been surprisingly little talk about it.

Despite the first movie being a smash success, Aquaman 2 is currently without any form of promotional material. This is likely due to the current shakeups that are happening within the DCEU, as new helmer James Gunn is cutting many projects loose to make way for a new DC franchise.

So, if you’re wondering what’s actually happening with Aquaman, here’s everything we know about Aquaman 2 so far.

Aquaman 2 release date: When is it coming out?

Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom released in cinemas on December 22, 2023, and is available to stream on Max from February 27, 2024.

This marks the third delay for the movie since its first announcement. The film was previously scheduled to release a year prior on December 16, 2022, but was postponed to March 17, 2023, and then to December 2023.

The movie began production in early June 2021, with Jason Momoa landing in London to start filming in July 2021. Production wrapped in January 2022, though it reportedly went through three sets of reshoots afterward.

Aquaman 2 trailer: Is there a trailer?

The first trailer for Aquaman 2 released on September 14, 2023 and can be seen below:

The trailer shows Arthur Curry living an idyllic home life while also balancing his responsibilities as ruler of Atlantis. When his nemesis Black Manta – now powered by the Black Trident – attacks, Aquaman is forced to turn to his estranged brother Orm to repel this threat.

Another trailer arrived on November 20, 2023, showing more of Nicole Kidman’s Atlanna and Yahya Abdul-Mateen II’s Black Manta – but Amber Heard’s Mera is nowhere to be seen. You can check it out below:

Aquaman 2 cast: Who is working on the movie?

The main cast for Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom is as follows:

• Jason Momoa as Arthur Curry, aka Aquaman
• Amber Heard as Mera
• Yahya Abdul–Mateen II as Black Manta
• Patrick Wilson as Orm
• Willem Dafoe as Nuidis
• Temuera Morrison as Tom Curry
• Nicole Kidman as Atlanna
• Dolph Lundgren as King Nereus
• Randall Park as Dr. Stephen Shin
• Vincent Regan as Atlan
• Jani Zhao as Stingray
• Indya Moore as Karshon
• Pilou Asbæk as an undisclosed role

Momoa also helped with the writing of the movie, alongside writer David Leslie Johnson-McGoldrick and director James Wan.

Aquaman 2 plot: What happens in the sequel?

Warner Bros. Discovery has revealed the official synopsis of Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom.

“Having failed to defeat Aquaman the first time, Black Manta, still driven by the need to avenge his father’s death, will stop at nothing to take Aquaman down once and for all. This time Black Manta is more formidable than ever before, wielding the power of the mythic Black Trident, which unleashes an ancient and malevolent force,” the description reads.

“To defeat him, Aquaman will turn to his imprisoned brother Orm, the former King of Atlantis, to forge an unlikely alliance. Together, they must set aside their differences in order to protect their kingdom and save Aquaman’s family, and the world, from irreversible destruction,” the synopsis reads on.

In an interview with EW, director James Wan revealed that Amber Heard’s Mera will take a reduced role in The Lost Kingdom compared to the first movie. However, Wan insists that he always envisioned the second movie to be more of a bromance between Orm and Aquaman, and the reduced role was not due to her recent lawsuit.