As the sequel to the single highest-grossing DC Comics adaptation ever made, Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom is arriving under plenty of pressure and expectation when it finally comes to theaters in December, but being delayed by two full years hasn’t done much to increase the buzz.

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In fact, the opposite is proving to be true, with reports emerging of countless test screenings doing their damndest to try and hammer the end product into serviceable shape, which in turn has created the unwanted reputation that James Wan’s second visit to Atlantis isn’t just going to be a massive step down from its predecessor, but potentially a box office disaster.

While that would seem far-fetched given that the opener notched over a billion dollars at the box office, let’s not forget that Shazam! Fury of the Gods was the follow-up to a widely-acclaimed and highly profitable superhero origin story that ended up going down in the history books as one of the biggest box office bombs the genre has ever seen.

The Lost Kingdom did screen a new trailer at CinemaCon yesterday, but it barely made a dent in the public consciousness after The Flash ended up hoovering up the majority of the headlines. That could turn out to be a blessing in disguise, though, especially when the film is continuing to battle back against a wave of mounting bad buzz, and you can bet your house on the presence of Amber Heard as Mera being used as a stick to beat it over the head as we edge closer and closer to its theatrical bow.

There’s no shame in being proven wrong, but if you hear the same thing over and over in regards to Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom, then there’s destined to be at least a shred of truth to the scuttlebutt.