Warner Bros. PicturesAs well as making a splash among fans of sexy sea creatures, Aquaman has left its indelible mark on the box office too, as it’s now the highest-grossing DC Extended Universe film ever.
Since its release on December 12, Aquaman has remained king of the box office, taking in a global total of roughly $887 million.
Around $238 million of that is from the American box office, and $279 million is from China alone (making it the second-biggest superhero film of all time, behind Avengers: Infinity War).
Aquaman opened in the US with a weekend gross of $72.5 million, with many people expecting it to tail off over the Christmas period. However, with a third consecutive weekend haul of $30 million, the Jason Momoa led flick has proved its got legs (or fins), as fans are still flocking to cinemas to see it.
All these big money numbers mean the film has surpassed DC’s previous title holder, The Dark Knight Rises, as the studio’s biggest earner, Variety reports.
Momoa and the underwater gang have also sailed past Batman v Superman: Dawn of Justice, Thor: Ragnarok, Venom, Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 2, and Spider-Man: Homecoming, and it’s expected to pass the $900 million mark any day now.
When it does, it’ll also pass Spider-Man 3 to become the fifth-biggest solo superhero film ever, behind The Dark Knight, The Dark Knight Rises, Iron Man 3, and Black Panther, according to Forbes.
Despite lukewarm reviews from critics, it seems the magnetism of Aquaman is working wonders, with fans warming to the film’s self-aware wit and sense of humour.
And there appears to be little mystery as to Aquaman’s ocean of success. As reported by Deadline, there is a certain demographic who are very much enjoying the lead actor’s performance.
Namely – women over the age of 25. Yes, it seems Momoa has a certain effect on women in particular, who are out-numbering men in audience viewings 52 per cent to 48 per cent, with 82 per cent of women thoroughly enjoying the tales of the handsome half-Atlantean/half-human, compared to 60 per cent of men.
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Charlie Cocksedge is a journalist and sub-editor at UNILAD. He graduated from the University of Manchester with an MA in Creative Writing, where he learnt how to write in the third person, before getting his NCTJ. His work has also appeared in such places as The Guardian, PN Review and the bin.