UPDATE: On Sunday, January 13, 2019, Aquaman did indeed join the billion dollar club. It currently stands at $1,020,261,781 worldwide -- and it's not done.
Original post:
All hail the King of the DCEU, Aquaman! That's right, the dolphin-talking hero who once took the prize for the most laughable member of the Justice League is collecting so much cash at the box office that by Sunday it will hit the $1 billion mark worldwide. Ironically enough, Aquaman will hit this milestone on the same weekend it will lose its No. 1 spot at the domestic box office, which it has held for three weeks.
Aquaman is currently at $988,556,781 worldwide, per Box Office Mojo and is expected to take home another $15 to $16 million this weekend after earning $4.5 million on Friday. These big numbers have been the result of Aquaman's strong and crashing wave over all other titles since the film debuted over the holiday season.
This milestone comes just in time for the waters to settle for Aquaman as new releases start to come in. The heartwarming drama The Upside starring Bryan Cranston and Kevin Hart will be the movie to overthrow Aquaman, after an estimated $6.95 million earnings on Friday and a $19 to $20 million opening weekend.
The new release is a remake of the 2011 French hit The Intouchables, about an affluent man (Byran Cranston) who becomes quadriplegic after a parasailing accident and jokingly hires an ex-con (Kevin Hart) to be his caregiver. However, Hart's character takes the job more seriously than he expected and the two form an unlikely bond.
Critics have not been kind to The Upside, as many reviews call it a predictable, cheap imitation of the original. Predictable isn't always a bad thing for moviegoers, as the movie's audience score is 84% on Rotten Tomatoes. The Upside also has bankable stars, including an interesting dramatic turn for comedian Kevin Hart, so it certainly isn't a surprise it will take the weekend.
Aquaman will sit atop of all other new releases, including A Dog's Way Home which is expected to open in third place for an $11 million three-day debut, then Ruth Bader Ginsberg biopic On the Basis of Sex at $6.5 million and Replicas at a flat $2.4 million during its first weekend.
For the DCEU crowned jewel, its magnificent success wasn't guaranteed, especially during a packed holiday season of other blockbusters including Mary Poppins Returns and Bumblebee. Aquaman did particularly win over international audiences as about 72% of the film's box office earnings are thanks to the foreign markets.
On the domestic side of things, Aquaman is currently at the fifth spot out of six DCEU films money-wise. Wonder Woman still has the top spot with over $412 million, while Aquaman has comparatively made $275 million domestically so far. Last year's Justice League was the lowest-performing DCEU film overall, as it made $229 million domestically and $657 million worldwide.
Fishing for an underwater superhero epic? You can still catch Aquaman in theaters everywhere.
