Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom is officially set to make a streaming splash in late February.
Per a Warner Bros. Discovery (WBD) press release, the final film in the recently defunct DC Extended Universe (DCEU) will make its actual streaming debut on Max on Tuesday, February 27. Given that HBO Max's successor is only available in the US, though, it's unclear when Aquaman's second big-screen adventure will be released on a non-premium video on demand (PVOD) service in the UK or Australia.
The tide is turning. #Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom will be available to stream February 27 exclusively on Max. pic.twitter.com/Z2kVtpbDnWFebruary 20, 2024
Aquaman 2's impending launch on Max comes almost two weeks after it made its digital stores debut in the UK. The DC movie was made available to rent and buy via Amazon Prime, Google Play, Apple TV, and Vudu on British shores on February 7. It had previously been made available to rent or buy stateside on January 23, with that online launch coming less than a month after it had swam into theaters worldwide.
In our Aquaman 2 digital stores article, we suggested that Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom would eventually land on Max, aka one of the world's best streaming services, in March, so WBD's announcement has proved we were slightly off with that prediction.
Considering that the DCEU's final movie made a small profit for WBD – in doing so, it also bucked the studio's recent trend of superhero movie box-office bombs – and with attentions turning to James Gunn's rebooted DC Cinematic Universe (DCU), it's in WBD's best interests to finally release Aquaman 2 on its super-streamer service. Given its incredibly poor 34% critics score on Rotten Tomatoes, though, you shouldn't expect Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom to find a spot on our best Max movies list.
When and where will Aquaman 2 be streaming in the UK and Australia?
That's difficult to predict. Given that WBD has licensing deals in place with Sky (UK) and Foxtel (Australia), the smart money would be on Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom breaching the wave on these services.
However, due to a recent partnership between WBD and Netflix, 2018's Aquaman – and a number of other DCEU flicks – are also available to stream on Netflix in Australia. Certain DCEU films are also viewable on Netflix in the UK, such as The Suicide Squad and Wonder Woman 1984. Aquaman, though, isn't among that contingent on British shores – indeed, it's only available to rent or purchase from the same digital stores as its sequel.
Get daily insight, inspiration and deals in your inbox
Sign up for breaking news, reviews, opinion, top tech deals, and more.
If you're a UK or Australian resident and you've been holding out for Aquaman 2 to come to a streaming service you already pay for, then, it might be a long wait. As mentioned, it was only recently made available on digital storefronts in the UK (it can also be rented or bought in Australia, according to justwatch.com), so WBD will want it to make as much cash as possible from digital sales before it sets an official streaming release date for these island nations. Essentially, don't hold your breath for The Lost Kingdom's arrival on Netflix anytime soon.
You might also like
As TechRadar's senior entertainment reporter, Tom covers all of the latest movies, TV shows, and streaming service news that you need to know about. You'll regularly find him writing about the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Star Wars, Netflix, Prime Video, Disney Plus, and many other topics of interest.
An NCTJ-accredited journalist, Tom also writes reviews, analytical articles, opinion pieces, and interview-led features on the biggest franchises, actors, directors and other industry leaders. You may see his quotes pop up in the odd official Marvel Studios video, too, such as this Moon Knight TV spot.
Away from work, Tom can be found checking out the latest video games, immersing himself in his favorite sporting pastime of football, reading the many unread books on his shelf, staying fit at the gym, and petting every dog he comes across. Got a scoop, interesting story, or an intriguing angle on the latest news in entertainment? Feel free to drop him a line.