Aquaman 2’s Behind The Scenes Controversy Repeats The Flash’s Biggest Problem

The final project of the DCEU, Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom, has continued to bring controversy to Warner Bros. and DC Studios, hot on the heels of 2023’s The Flash. After a series of problems behind the scenes at Warner Bros. and DC Studios, culminating in the hiring of co-CEOs James Gunn and Peter Safran and plans to reboot the DCEU into the DC Universe, the franchise will be concluding with the release of Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom on December 22, 2023. While Jason Momoa’s sequel should be a celebration of all the stories that came before, the project has been shrouded in controversy, which could spell bad news.

DC Studios’ recent projects have mostly been disappointing, particularly the likes of Black Adam, Shazam! Fury of the Gods, and The Flash. Despite receiving a positive reception, 2023’s Blue Beetle’s box office performance faltered, too, which box office projections hint couuld continue with the Jason Momoa-led Aquaman sequel. Before Gunn and Safran’s new DC Universe kicks off with 2024’s Creature Commandos and Waller and 2025’s Superman: Legacy, the DCEU will be officially coming to an end with Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom, but the behind-the-scenes drama that has been revealed so far isn’t ideal.

Aquaman 2’s Pre-Release Controversy Replicates The Flash’s Initial Issues

Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom has been shrouded in controversy through most of its production, mainly directed at leading actors Jason Momoa and Amber Heard. Heard was the subject of a high-profile legal battle, which led to speculation that her role in Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom may be trimmed significantly or even cut completely. For Momoa, claims from Heard laid out in a recent report by Variety suggest Momoa had allegedly been drunk on set and pushed to have Heard removed from the film. A DC spokesperson has disputed these claims, but they still don’t paint a great picture of what production on the 2023 film was like.

Unfortunately, this isn’t the first time a DCEU project has been overshadowed by controversies during production. Most notably, The Flash’s Ezra Miller was the subject of a series of arrests and allegations in the lead-up to the film’s June 2023 release. Between 2020 and 2022, Miller was involved in six high-profile situations, several of which led to arrests, as well as allegations dating back to 2016 suggesting they had groomed and manipulated then-12-year-old Tokata Iron Eyes. Ultimately, The Flash suffered due to these controversies, and it seems the same may be the case for DC’s upcoming Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom, as audiences continue to be alienated.

How DCEU’s Final Movie Complications Makes Its Ending Even Worse

The reveal of even more controversies happening behind the scenes in the production of Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom means that the DCEU may not be ending with the epic celebration it deserves. DC Studios’ recent projects have almost all become box office bombs and have received mixed responses from audiences and critics alike, so adding real-world controversies to the mix damages the franchise’s reputation even further. While these problems have come to light more in recent years, issues with the DCEU date back to 2017’s Justice League, so there’s no doubt the franchise will need a fresh start after Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom.