Unusually, an embargo means reviews for Aquaman And The Lost Kingdom are being held until the film is already in UK cinemas.
Here’s an unusual situation which has happened barely a handful of times. This week, Warner Bros will be releasing its big superhero sequel, Aquaman And The Lost Kingdom. Starring Jason Momoa and directed by James Wan, it’s the follow-up to the $1.1bn-grossing 2018 original movie. Much is expected of it.
Appreciating there’s been the usual tittle tattle that all hasn’t been well behind the scenes, the release is nonetheless a major one for Warner Bros. The movie lands in UK cinemas on December 21st (that’d be Thursday) and on US screens a day later, on December 22nd (that’d be Friday).
As is the norm, review screenings have taken place, and the exchange for reviewers getting to see the movie early and shape their thoughts is the signing of an embargo form. Such a form doesn’t dictate your opinion of the film itself, it’s just an agreement that you won’t publish your thoughts on it until a given time.
See also: The obsession with movie review embargoes: is it being blown out of proportion?
In the case of Aquaman And The Lost Kingdom, it appears that the given time – in the UK at least – is 15 hours after the release of the movie. That reviews are being held back until Thursday 21st December at 3pm. When the movie is already playing.
It’s a quirk of international scheduling, as the embargo is technically ahead of the US release of the film. But it’s also not the greatest of looks.
It means for reviewers in the UK, it’s quicker to pop along to the first screening of the movie on Thursday morning and write a review on the basis of that, with no restrictions. Conversely, anyone attending the official press screenings will need to sign a form that binds them to a 3pm deadline.
This isn’t the first time this has happened. I’m very fond of the much-maligned film Geostorm, but that too had a review embargo that lifted when the movie had already been playing in cinemas for half a day. Furthermore – again, down to a quirk in international release dates – X-Men: Dark Phoenix was in a similar boat.
I’ve not seen Aquaman And The Lost Kingdom and so I’ve no direct skin in this particular game. I’m intrigued to see just how the film itself works out. Bet you it turns out to be a pretty solid hit, no matter how well or otherwise the reviews play out…
