Shah Rukh Khan's upcoming film Dunki, and Prabhas starrer Salaar: Part 1-Ceasefire are headed for a major box office clash on December 22. Now, a new contender has joined the war for screens; Jason Momoa starrer Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom, which is scheduled to be released on December 21.
A source told Bollywood Hungama, “There were murmurs that Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom will bow out and would either release a week before or a week after December 22 in India. However, that’s not happening. Releasing on December 15 would mean India being the first country to release the superhero film in the world. It can lead to piracy before the film opens in the crucial market in North America. If Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom is scheduled to hit screens on December 29, it can disappoint fans. Hence, a decision was taken to arrive on December 21, notwithstanding the recent developments.”
The source added, "Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom is a big franchise and its lead actor Jason Momoa is popular. The first part, Aquaman (2018), did well, collecting Rs. 54.60 crores. The sequel can also score due to the five-day long weekend in Week 1 and a four-day long weekend in Week 2. Moreover, it might also get preference in IMAX and 4DX screens.”
In a case of history repeating itself, Aquaman was released around the same time as Khan's film Zero (2018) and Hombale Films' KGF - Chapter 1 (2018). Aquaman hit screens on December 14, 2018, while Zero and KGF: Chapter 1 were released on December 21 the same year. Now five years later, Momoa's film will clash again with Khan's Dunki and Hombale Films' Salaar: Part 1-Ceasefire.