First Reactions To The ‘Aquaman’ Test Screenings Surface
Aquamangave a select few audience members permission to come aboard for early test screenings of the Warner Bros. DC Extended Universe film. So what’s the verdict? A little murky, since audience members didn’t share more than a few vague reactions to the comic book movie. But for the most part, it seemed likeAquamanmade quite a splash.
According to Collider’s Steven Weintraub, some test screenings forAquamanwere recently held in Los Angeles, including the San Fernando Valley. And it seems like there isn’t an embargo for these screenings, as reactions have already started spilling out. And good news everyone: they’re mostly positive.
Guess which upcoming superhero movie test screened last night in the San Fernando Valley? Heard good things….pic.twitter.com/3MMxcCHPaj
— Steven Weintraub (@colliderfrosty)July 06, 2025
While Weintraub “heard good things” about the film (including a very illustrative gif of cartoon Aquaman shaking his behind), Omega Underground’s Christopher Marc similarly reported on some hearsay, which was a little more muted to him.
I hear it’s good (not great) and that’s all we can hope for in the end. I’ll take it.pic.twitter.com/abrW3fEOgr
— Christopher Marc (@_ChristopherM)June 19, 2025
Marc went on to further elaborate in his replies, saying (viaThe Mary Sue), “I haven’t heard anything negative,” but adding that he had heard comparisons to the much-maligned Marvel sequelThor: The Dark World.So, there’s some confusing reactions coming out of theAquamantest screenings.
But Geeks WorldWideEditor-in-Chief gives the reactions a little more color by comparingAquamanto a “phase 1 MCU film,” which is decidedly higher in quality thanThor: The Dark World…until you remember thatIron Man 2was in Phase 1.
But while that once again gives us the impression of a mixed bag, it paints a decidedly brighter picture forAquaman. Phase 1 of the MCU was a bold, unpredictable, experimental time during which Marvel Studios was still trying to nail its voice. Depending on what you like out of a Marvel movie, that could be a very exciting verdict forAquaman, and is probably the best descriptor for this polarizing film. It’s a mixed bag where some things work, some things don’t, but overall you’re able to’t fault it for trying. And hey, at least it looks like it’shaving a ball.
Aquamanis directed byJames Wanand starsJason Momoa, Amber Heard, Willem Dafoe, Temuera Morrison, Dolph Lundgren, Yahya Abdul-Mateen, Patrick Wilson,andNicole Kidman.It hits theaters onDecember 14, 2018.
