Line #6 Trivia/AquamanAndTheLostKingdom


1	* ActorLeavesCharacterDies: Creator/WillemDafoe didn't come back, so Nuidis Vulko was KilledOffscreen by way of ThePlague.
2	* CreatorBacklash: Creator/DolphLundgren expressed disappointment at the final product, having found the original script better, and mentioned that [[DeletedScene a lot of scenes were cut]].
3	* DeletedRole: As detailed below, at various times the film was planned to feature an appearance from either Creator/MichaelKeaton or Creator/BenAffleck as Batman, only for the character to be dropped once the plans for the reboot of the DC Universe were announced. Even the official prequel comic published by DC conspicuously omitted Batman (as well as Superman and Cyborg, whose actors were similarly confirmed to not be returning under the new regime) from the Justice League team-up featured in the issue.
4	* TheOtherDarrin:
5	** Creator/GrahamMcTavish played King Atlan in the [[Film/Aquaman2018 first film]]. Due to scheduling conflicts, notably with the second season of ''Series/HouseOfTheDragon'', Vincent Regan replaced him here.
6	** Brazilian dub: As the previous voice actor for Tom Curry, Julio Chaves, passed away in 2021, Tom is voiced by Eduardo Dascar here.
7	* TroubledProduction: As with a number of Creator/DCComics-[=based=] films since 2016, this one did not have a smooth go of it production-wise.
8	** Originally meant to shoot in Australia in 2020 for a 2022 release date, production was pushed back to 2021 due to the UsefulNotes/COVID19Pandemic and filmed in the UK due to the Australian government's extended border closure. The film supposedly did not test well and was being edited during the reboot of the franchise under Creator/JamesGunn. Because of this, several rounds of reshoots were ordered.
9	** Also playing a factor was Creator/AmberHeard having to attend a defamation trial brought by her ex-husband Creator/JohnnyDepp in Virginia[[note]]In June 2022, the jury found Heard liable for all of three statements originating from a 2018 op-ed that Depp claimed defamed him when it mentioned that Heard "became a public figure representing domestic abuse and [...] felt the full force of our culture's wrath for women who speak out" two years prior, as at that time she had alleged that Depp abused her physically and emotionally throughout their relationship. Meanwhile, Depp was found liable for one of three statements -- specifically referencing an incident on May 21st, 2016 -- made by his lawyer on his behalf asserting that Heard "spilled a little wine" in Depp's Hollywood penthouse that day and "roughed the place up." The jury concluded that Heard had not proven defamation for the other statements, which much more broadly described her abuse allegations as a "hoax." Depp and Heard both filed appeals that they then withdrew by the end of the year as part of a settlement agreement.[[/note]], which delayed one of the rounds of filming.
10	** Creator/JamesWan was briefly hospitalized during one of the final rounds of reshoots, for undisclosed reasons.
11	** Even after the reshoots, the film still tested poorly and then its marketing was hit by the [[UsefulNotes/TVStrikes SAG-AFTRA strikes]] which limited the amount of press the cast could do for months on end. Notably, the film had [[InvisibleAdvertising very muted marketing]] compared to what Creator/WarnerBros gave to ''Film/{{Wonka}}'' and ''Film/{{The Color Purple\|2023}}'', which opened in the same two-week period. The first trailer was released only three months before its global rollout (the first film's first trailer debuted four months before its release, by comparison) and there was not even a red carpet world premiere, in favor of an invitation-only event for "influencers" at an upscale Los Angeles mall, with only James Wan and Jason Momoa in attendance. Even though the film was shot for Creator/{{IMAX}} theaters, it had to share screen space with the IMAX-optimized ''Wonka'' (which got matinees), further cutting into its earning potential. Despite all that though, it still ended up being the only DCEU film to break 400M$ globally (434M to be exact) since… [[Film/Aquaman2018 the first Aquaman]]. Just barely enough to break even considering the inflated budget, but enough to not be viewed as a ''complete'' car crash.
12	* WhatCouldHaveBeen:
13	** Originally, Arthur had scenes with Bruce Wayne. At first, it was the Creator/MichaelKeaton version, as the film was originally set to be released after ''Film/{{The Flash\|2023}}'', in which Creator/BenAffleck's Batman was to be replaced with Keaton's version (much like how the ''Batgirl'' of Creator/AdilElArbiAndBilallFallah was also supposed to feature Keaton's version). When schedule changes resulted in ''Flash'' being pushed back until after the release of ''Lost Kingdom'', those scenes were reshot with Affleck's version. Then, the release date changed once again, now placing ''Flash'' before the ''Aquaman'' sequel, Keaton's scenes were seemingly restored (with Jason Momoa himself remarking that he was unsure which version of Batman would make it into the final cut of the film), only for the announcement of Creator/JamesGunn's overall reboot of Creator/DCComics properties on film to cause Batman to be cut entirely.
14	** Amber Heard claimed that many of her scenes were cut and her role reduced as a result of her defamation lawsuit against Johnny Depp. James Wan denied this and said the movie was always meant to focus on Arthur and Orm's relationship, but after the movie released, [[https://variety.com/2024/film/news/dolph-lundgren-disappointed-aquaman-2-reshoots-original-cut-great-1235873939/ Dolph Lundgren confirmed]] what Heard said was true. He said that his own screen time was reduced because his character is so connected to hers, and even said that they did, in fact, reshape the story.

Context Trivia / AquamanAndTheLostKingdom