It's no secret that the DC live-action universe has had a bumpy road in theaters. While Patty Jenkins' Wonder Woman made a ton of money, it remains the shared universe's only critical success. Batman v Superman, Suicide Squad, and Justice League didn't fare nearly as well. As such, DC is looking for a win, and it looks like that it might be coming with James Wan's Aquaman.
Anticipation for Aquaman has been growing since footage started being released, with the underwater adventure is just weeks away. Amazon Prime members are given the perk of access to early screenings, and now it looks like even more are coming. Because Amazon is adding 100 additional theaters for Aquaman screenings.
This news comes to us from The Wrap, and shows how steadily excitement has been growing for Aquaman. James Wan's upcoming DC debut is one of the big releases of the Holiday Season, and early reception has been positive. DC fans are hungry for another success story, so moviegoers who subscribe to Amazon Prime are ready to check out Aquaman before anyone else.
The early showings of Aquaman will take place December 15th, one week before the blockbuster's wide release. That's extra days of of dodging spoilers, so it makes sense that comic book fans will want to jump on that early screening, if possible. And with 100 more venues now in play, it seems even more accessible.
Part of the reason for all the Aquaman hype is the involvement of director James Wan. Wan came into his own as a director working on horror projects, and putting a terrifying and unique spin on the genre in the process. His creatures are totally unique, and its this vision that will likely translate into the underwater sequences of Aquaman. Add in his success on Furious 7 proved Wan could handle a massive budget, and an action franchise like Aquaman.
And James Wan had his work cut out for him, as Aquaman provided a plethora of technical challenges. Because so much of the film is set underwater, filming had to be done in a unique way. Actors needed to seem weightless, and used wire work to mime swimming and floating. And while he didn't overthink how characters would talk underwater, filming the DC movie doesn't sound like the typical moviemaking experience.
The visual affects team of Aquaman also had a huge job ahead of them. Because in addition to creating action sequences and the beautiful world of Atlantis, work had to be done on all the underwater scenes. The light had to be perfect, and actors' hair and clothes had to look weightless underwater. It's unprecedented for both the genre and the industry itself, and all eyes are on if/how James Wan will pull it all off.
Amazon Prime members can be Aquaman on December 15th, but the rest of us will be able to check out James Wan's blockbuster on December 21st, 2018. In the meantime, check out our 2019 release list to plan your trips to the movies in the New Year.
