Box office swept away
Aquaman surges to $3.5m opening
GOLD Coast-filmed blockbuster Aquaman has blitzed the box office, reeling in more than $3.5 million on its opening day in Australia.
The James Wan-directed film, starring Jason Momoa, Nicole Kidman and Amber Heard, played across 635 Australian screens on Boxing Day, grossing $3.795m.
It is Warner Bros. Picture’s highest-earning opening day film for 2018.
Co-CEO of Roadshow Films Joel Pearlman said: “The Boxing Day results prove that Aquaman is king of the box office as well as the seven seas.
“We are thrilled with these extraordinary numbers, and equally excited to see audiences comprised of movie fans, DC aficionados and families filling the cinemas this holiday season,” he said. “We anticipate strong word-ofmouth will carry these terrific results well into the New Year.”
Much of the $220m blockbuster was filmed across the nine sound stages at Village Roadshow Studios on the Gold Coast.
Extra sets were built at Hastings Point on the Tweed Coast, as well as Coomera, behind Outback Spectacular.
Hollywood heart-throb Momoa spent about six months in the area during filming and was even spotted the day of its “blue carpet” premiere at Burleigh Heads restaurant Rick Shores.
Momoa later wowed fans at the Event Cinemas at Robina Australian premiere on December 18, posing for pictures and taking selfies with fans.
The widely-anticipated film tells the story of half-Atlantean, half surface-dweller Arthur Curry (Momoa) who is forced to face who he really is and become king of the underwater world.
Nicole Kidman plays Momoa’s mother and Amber Heard plays Mera, a fierce warrior and Momoa’s ally.
Behind the scenes, Oscarnominated Don Burgess, who worked on Forrest Gump, was director of photography, while the film was produced by Peter Safran and Rob Cowan.
The film is being released in 2D, 3D and IMAX by Roadshow Films in Australia and New Zealand.
Other movies to open in Australia on Boxing Day, which for the past three years has been dominated by a Star Wars instalment, included Ralph Breaks the Internet, and Holmes & Watson.