While the box office performance of Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom has been solid, its critical reception was underwhelming in comparison to the first film which received mostly favorable reviews.
The DCEU sequel received criticisms for its incoherent tone, inconsistent quality of visual effects, and choppy editing as they noticed that there were several scenes and storylines that were obviously left on the cutting room floor.
In the months leading up to the release, we've seen hints that the film removed several scenes such as Batman's supposed cameo, which they filmed with both Ben Affleck and Michael Keaton versions but neither didn't make it on the final cut.
Now, one of the stars of the film has chimed in and confirmed what some fans have suspected regarding the version that they watched on the big screen.
Also Read: Aquaman 2 Star Amber Heard Thanks Fans for Support on Mera's Return
Dolph Lundgren Confirms Aquaman 2 Was Trimmed Down in Its Final Cut
In an interview with ComicBook.com, Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom star Dolph Lundgren, who plays King Nereus, expressed his disappointment over the film's final cut and revealed that it is different from what director James Wan originally intended.
He shared that he had a bigger role in an early cut of the film, but it was trimmed down due to his connection to Amber Heard's Mera, whose screen time was also reduced.
"I just realized that it was some kind of corporate decision that they try to limit Amber Heard and then I'm playing with her dad and went along with it," Lundgren said.
"I was just disappointed for the moviegoers, because I thought the original script was great and the original cut -- I saw a little bit of it, it was really good, so I didn't see any reason to start reshooting and reshaping the story, which obviously led to disappointment in the moviegoers and not just me."
It's not surprising that the film's final cut that was released in theaters was not exactly what Wan may have intended during the earlier process of making the sequel given all the regime changes that have happened in the DC franchise and the controversies of one of its stars.
While this could potentially lead to a #ReleaseTheWanCut movement from some fans, it is unlikely that Warner Bros. and DC Studios will release the original version as they are moving on now with the new DCU franchise.
Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom is still showing in theaters everywhere.
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