It is known that the release date of 'Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom' is going to hit the cinemas on December 22. Previously, it was scheduled to be released on the 20th. The postponement by a period of two days is certainly going to affect the overseas release schedules of Prabhas' 'Salaar' (as well as SRK's 'Dunki').
Theatre chains in the US, especially, are going to prioritize 'Aquaman'. Thanks to the clash, the most sought-after and crowd-pulling XD theaters will go to the American super-hero movie, not the two Indian movies. Also, the number of shows made available to Prabhas' film will go down considerably.
'Salaar', directed by Prashanth Neel, was expected to register scorching openings when it was supposed to have a solo release on September 28. The postponement has since affected its prospects. 'Dunki' clashing with it in December is already a headache it has to reckon with. And now, 'Aquaman' has come as a double whammy.
Leading theatre chains (read AMC, Cinemark, and Regal) have traditionally preferred spectacle Hollywood movies over Indian movies. Even if you account for the tentpole nature of 'Salaar', it might still struggle to steal a march.
While the openings might take a beating, some sections of the audience are hoping that 'Aquaman' will have to give way to 'Salaar' eventually. "Content-wise, 'Aquaman' might not be up to the mark. If 'Salaar' is wow, we might be in for a surprise," a section of Prabhas' fans are saying.
