The Correct Order To Watch The Aquaman Movies
"Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom" (read our review here) is now streaming on Max, and its arrival on streaming marks the official end of the old DCEU once orchestrated by Zack Snyder. Now, new DC films are in the hands of James Gunn and Peter Safran, with new actors coming in to play familiar DC heroes in brand-new stories. The old DCEU is now a thing of the past, and a reminder that reverse-engineering a superhero cinematic universe to compete with Marvel isn't an easy task.
And what of Aquaman? Jason Momoa's aquatic hero only got two movies of his own, but he appeared in a total of six. This might have you wondering: what the heck is the correct order to watch all the movies with Aquaman in them? If you're ready to sit down and watch "Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom," but want that question answered first, you're in luck! That's exactly what this post is about. Good thing you clicked on it!
The Aquaman movies release order
As I said above, there are technically only two main "Aquaman" movies — 2018's "Aquaman," and 2023's "Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom." But the character got to pop up in other movies, too. Here are all of the movies in order of release:
- "Batman v. Superman: Dawn of Justice" (2016)
- "Justice League" (2017)
- "Aquaman" (2018)
- "Zack Snyder's Justice League" (2021)
- "The Flash" (2023)
- "Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom" (2023)
Jason Momoa also lends his voice to Aquaman in 2019's "The Lego Movie 2: The Second Part," but since that movie is not actually part of the old DCEU, we're not going to include it here. Now, here's where things get a little confusing. You'll notice there are two "Justice League" films on the list. Only one of them, 2018's "Justice League," is part of the "official" DCEU continuity. "Zack Snyder's Justice League," meanwhile, is almost like an Elseworlds tale — an alternate timeline of what could have been. Without rehashing the whole complicated story: Snyder was originally supposed to helm "Justice League," but stepped away in the wake of a family tragedy. Joss Whedon came in and finished the film, and most people didn't like it. Fans demanded Snyder be able to realize his initial vision with his own "Justice League" film, and eventually, Warner Bros. gave him the money to do just that.
The correct order to watch the Aquaman movies
So what's the "correct order"? Well, you could watch all the films in order of release, but that would mean you'd have to sit through two different versions of "Justice League." Do you really want to do that? The theatrical "Justice League" has its moments, but the so-called Snyder Cut is superior — and also long. Also, the Aquaman who appears in that film feels different than the guy who appears in the official DCEU continuity — he's moodier and broodier. Honestly, I would recommend skipping most of these movies. Aquaman only has a brief, non-speaking cameo in "Batman v. Superman." His role in "Justice League" is bigger, and Momoa is a standout in that film — but again, you can skip it if you're not feeling super into the idea of watching a not-great movie.
As for "The Flash," Aquaman shows up in a post-credit scene where he's very drunk and passes out in a puddle. Not exactly a ringing endorsement of the character. That leaves the two main "Aquaman" movies. Personally, I think 2018's "Aquaman" is a lot of fun. It's big, colorful, and unapologetically silly. Sadly, even though director James Wan returned for the sequel, "Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom" is a bit of a disappointment, probably because it reportedly underwent a lot of behind-the-scenes issues and reshoots. So am I sitting here telling you to just watch one movie — 2018's "Aquaman"? Kind of! It's currently streaming on Max.