DC/WB Films/Worlds (No Spoilers)

[Colossus1980]

Who cares if it's behind some DCEU movies domestically? It's a huge hit, which will make WB a lot of profit. AQ is lucky to do such numbers after the JL flopping.

Bumblebee had it way worse coming off that stinker Last Knight with a paltry 130M. With AQ it's a fresh new IP. Bumblebee is a side piece of an ailing franchise.

[Jim Kelly]

The rule of thumb for international success in foreign language markets is lots of visual storytelling and not so much dialogue. There are some heavy information dumps in AQUAMAN, punctuated by exploisions to wake the audience up, but otherwise a lot of the movie is carried by the visuals.

Another thing to consider is that a lot of markets get bootleg copies of the film even before it's released. I used to work with a guy who always wanted to tell me he had just watched the latest big movie before it had been released here, because he got copies from people in China--and he would tell me this with a smile as if that was something to be proud of.

But a movie like AQUAMAN is something everyone wants to see on the big screen. It hasn't even opened in Japan yet. And no doubt a lot of Japanese people have seen pirate copies of the movie already--but I predict the box office will still be big there because even those people will want to see the authentic movie in the best possible screening.

WONDER WOMAN, on the other hand, was a movie where the dialogue was just as important as the visuals. And it was also a cultural thing, as it became part of a pop culture moment in the USA--but also in Brazil (where WW is queen), Australia, the United Kingdom and Canada. Not so much in the rest of the world.

[Robotman]

Maybe the cheesy jokes work better in different languages. They sure as hell didn’t work in English.

The visuals are so impressive it’s really one of those movies that has to be seen on the big screen.

[El_Gato]

Is there a theory as to why Aquaman's box office gross skews so heavily internationally? It's now the highest grossing DCEU film worldwide, but it's still far behind 4 out of the 5 other DCEU films in domestic box office gross (the exception being Justice League).

Because it's only been in theatres for 2 and a half weeks (3 weeks after Sunday) and hasn't finished it's domestic run. You can't compare Aquaman's current domestic gross to the other DCEU's finished domestic runs. That's unfair. Right now, Aquaman is on track for 300M+. That's a lock. If you ask me, it'll probably end up the 2nd highest grossing DCEU film domestically (behind Wonder Woman).

[The True Detective]

I agree, who wanted this movie to fail? Is it Marvel fanboys? Critics? Who exactly was against this movie? Who? A few posters on the internet?

Seriously? Are we going to act like (warranted or not) the DCEU isn't the most divisive movie franchise out right now? There's a New York Post article trying to downplay it's success "What's the big deal in 2018 alone Infinity War and Black Panther made more money, Aquaman's numbers aren't all that." "It's only making so much because of China." There were so many people, critics and fans, who were so certain this movie was going to fail and clearly wanted it to.

No offense but I don't know why some people are so hypersensitive to the idea that maybe just maybe there are a lot of people out there who hate the DCEU and don't want it to succeed. Why is it bad to admit that?

[byrd156]

Seriously? Are we going to act like (warranted or not) the DCEU isn't the most divisive movie franchise out right now? There's a New York Post article trying to downplay it's success "What's the big deal in 2018 alone Infinity War and Black Panther made more money, Aquaman's numbers aren't all that." "It's only making so much because of China." There were so many people, critics and fans, who were so certain this movie was going to fail and clearly wanted it to.

No offense but I don't know why some people are so hypersensitive to the idea that maybe just maybe there are a lot of people out there who hate the DCEU and don't want it to succeed. Why is it bad to admit that?

The DCEU has a lot of divisive movies but that doesn't mean people want everything to fail. I personally think most of the movies have been hot garbage that get worse each time I see them. I like MoS alright, it's not great but could be a lot better, I like WW and Aquaman. But just because I dislike a majority of these movies do I want all of them to fail? No, that means less entrainment for me and a lot of people out of work. I always want more, I just want the quality and effort there too.

There are people who want it to fail, there are mean hateful people that want everything from Star Wars to countries to laws to fail. No one is disputing this, what we are disputing is that there was some major movement or a large vocal group wanting to take it down.

[Raijin]

Seriously? Are we going to act like (warranted or not) the DCEU isn't the most divisive movie franchise out right now? There's a New York Post article trying to downplay it's success "What's the big deal in 2018 alone Infinity War and Black Panther made more money, Aquaman's numbers aren't all that." "It's only making so much because of China." There were so many people, critics and fans, who were so certain this movie was going to fail and clearly wanted it to.

No offense but I don't know why some people are so hypersensitive to the idea that maybe just maybe there are a lot of people out there who hate the DCEU and don't want it to succeed. Why is it bad to admit that?

Either it's plain old ignorance or they are simply playing dumb. The more successful this movie becomes, the more excuses i see for why it is and why it should't be. Hell, people were downplaying the fact did it was breaking records overseas before it even hit the states. I wish people would open their eyes and their OWN research. We aren't saying these things just to say them.

[byrd156]

Either it's plain old ignorance or they are simply playing dumb. The more successful this movie becomes, the more excuses i see for why it is and why it should't be. Hell, people were downplaying the fact did it was breaking records overseas before it even hit the states. I wish people would open their eyes and their OWN research. We aren't saying these things just to say them.

I could point you to a bunch of articles in favor or celebrating Aquaman. There's always going to be two sides to everything, no matter what.

[Raijin]

I could point you to a bunch of articles in favor or celebrating Aquaman. There's always going to be two sides to everything, no matter what.

That's cute. It really is. But that's not really what i'm talking about and i don't understand why you feel the need to counter what i'm saying. I know that there are articles celebrating Aquaman. I have eyes, two of them to be exact. But what i am focusing on is the petty nitpicking with this movie, especially when it can apply to other superhero movies. But critics and fanboys never give that type of energy to the other films.

[kjn]

But what i am focusing on is the petty nitpicking with this movie, especially when it can apply to other superhero movies. But critics and fanboys never give that type of energy to the other films.

I'm not sure Aquaman really receives more of this picky nitpicking than other DCEU movies in absolute terms. But there is a subset of many fannish communities (not limited to superhero fandoms at all) that has become focused on crapping on stuff. Part of it is as a faux status thing to appear knowledgable, part of it can be increased ability to see flaws and problems without any increased capacity to note good things to see past those same flaws and problems. Youtube channels which are built on "everything wrong with" or faux anger are monetised expressions of this and make the problem worse.

(Look over in the Wonder Woman forum where we have had a huge discussion right now along those lines for the last few days.)

What I think makes it especially apparent in Aquaman's case is that it is a commercial success that haven't generated a strong positive passion or corresponding critical success. It's still not as bad as say the Ghostbusters reboot had it. But look around, and you can find an undercurrent trying to downplay or diminish even Wonder Woman.

Note: I haven't seen Aquaman, but my wife did and she loved it. But we have very different ways of enjoying films.

[Raijin]

I'm not sure Aquaman really receives more of this picky nitpicking than other DCEU movies in absolute terms. But there is a subset of many fannish communities (not limited to superhero fandoms at all) that has become focused on crapping on stuff. Part of it is as a faux status thing to appear knowledgable, part of it can be increased ability to see flaws and problems without any increased capacity to note good things to see past those same flaws and problems. Youtube channels which are built on "everything wrong with" or faux anger are monetised expressions of this and make the problem worse.

(Look over in the Wonder Woman forum where we have had a huge discussion right now along those lines for the last few days.)

What I think makes it especially apparent in Aquaman's case is that it is a commercial success that haven't generated a strong positive passion or corresponding critical success. It's still not as bad as say the Ghostbusters reboot had it. But look around, and you can find an undercurrent trying to downplay or diminish even Wonder Woman.

Note: I haven't seen Aquaman, but my wife did and she loved it. But we have very different ways of enjoying films.

It’s strange because I never seen anyone say anything bad about Wonder Woman.

[The Darknight Detective]

It’s strange because I never seen anyone say anything bad about Wonder Woman.

Gal Gadot certainly got a lot of garbage thrown at her prior to the film's release, but that obviously ended later on.

I think Wonder Woman got a pass from many of the usual suspects because, if it a movie featuring the most famous superheroine of them all failed (as had been the case with previous attempts), then what chance would any other female character have?

[byrd156]

That's cute. It really is. But that's not really what i'm talking about and i don't understand why you feel the need to counter what i'm saying. I know that there are articles celebrating Aquaman. I have eyes, two of them to be exact. But what i am focusing on is the petty nitpicking with this movie, especially when it can apply to other superhero movies. But critics and fanboys never give that type of energy to the other films.

You're nitpicking the nitpickers, that's why I'm "countering" you. Literally every other DCEU movie got more **** before and after the movie than Aquaman has. Wonder Woman mostly got it before it came out, there was a time to make a big deal about this and the time feels like it passed. All talk now about Aquaman is about whether or not it will cross a billion and what that means for WB/DC going forward.

[kjn]

It’s strange because I never seen anyone say anything bad about Wonder Woman.

You can find plenty of criticism in various places. The third act has got plenty of criticism (just google "wonder woman third act"), some of it justified, some of it not, and lots of it made into a bigger thing than it is. Over in the Wonder Woman board, you have some posters who complain about the Amazons being stuck in the Bronze Age. And then you have some people who try to make it into a ripoff of Captain America: The First Avenger. So it's out there.

Gal Gadot certainly got a lot of garbage thrown at her prior to the film's release, but that obviously ended later on.

I think Wonder Woman got a pass from many of the usual suspects because, if it a movie featuring the most famous superheroine of them all failed (as had been the case with previous attempts), then what chance would any other female character have?

Agreed on the garbage thrown at Gal Gadot. I think she has areas in her acting she can improve on, but given that she did major voice work for Ralph Breaks the Internet I think that can carry over to Wonder Woman 84.

And I'd be very careful with the line of thought that Wonder Woman got a pass due to it being female-led. For the first it's a classic technique to downplay the success of women or minorities. Second, I've read quite a few articles focusing on how Wonder Woman was more a feminist movie because of what it was (a really good superheroine movie) than because of what it did or because of its feminist themes. (It is possible to make a really great and really feminist action movie, see Mad Max: Fury Road.)

[The Darknight Detective]

And I'd be very careful with the line of thought that Wonder Woman got a pass due to it being female-led. For the first it's a classic technique to downplay the success of women or minorities. Second, I've read quite a few articles focusing on how Wonder Woman was more a feminist movie because of what it was (a really good superheroine movie) than because of what it did or because of its feminist themes. (It is possible to make a really great and really feminist action movie, see Mad Max: Fury Road.)

You misunderstood what I stated. I think the movie was great and I couldn't have been more enthusiastic for its success. I was specifically referring to the usual anti-DC crowd who would have been much tougher on it had it been a male-led film for the reason I outlined.