Christmas week to see a three-way clash between Dunki, Salaar, Aquaman And The Lost Kingdom; Warner Bros refuses to budge from December 21

The industry is gearing up for a mega clash between Shah Rukh Khan-starrer Dunki and Prabhas-starrer Salaar on December 22. The trade and industry members feel that this clash can get ugly not just due to the fan wars but also due to the sharing of screens. And if that’s not enough, then it has come to light that Aquaman And The Lost Kingdom is also a part of this clash.

A source told Bollywood, “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 continued, “Warner Bros is confident that it’ll get screens, though the team knows that it’ll be a struggle since Dunki and Salaar will be given priority by the exhibitors. However, this year, the Hollywood studio has proved that it can get audiences, even during clashes. Evil Dead Rise clashed with Salman Khan’s Eid release Kisi Ka Bhai Kisi Ki Jaan, The Flash was released alongside Adipurush while The Nun II was released on the same day as Shah Rukh Khan-starrer Jawan. There were apprehensions that The Nun II would get crushed against a mighty opponent. Yet, it collected more than Rs. 40 crores, silencing the cynics.”

The source added, “Similarly, 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.”

Interestingly, it’s also a case of history repeating since in 2018, Aquaman came around the same time as a Shah Rukh Khan-starrer and a film by Homebale Films, which backed Salaar. Five years ago, Aquaman hit screens on December 14 while on December 21, Zero clashed with KGF - Chapter 1.

Also Read: Exclusive: It’s Shah Rukh Khan v/s Shah Rukh Khan as after Pathaan’s Rs 500 Crore Club and Jawan’s Rs. 600 Crore Club, is Rs. 700 Crore Club next with Dunki?