The last superhero movie of 2023 is finally here. Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom is following up on the $1.15 billion dollar success of the first Aquaman film, which is no easy feat to repeat. But this time, director James Wan isn’t recreating Romancing the Stone vibes with Arthur Curry/Aquaman (Jason Momoa) and Mera (Amber Heard). Instead, the sequel is a bromance between Arthur and his estranged half-brother, Orm (Patrick Wilson).
Family relationships are always tough, but especially so under the sea since Orm did try to kill Arthur and destroy the surface world (which is basically where all of us live). But what’s a little oceanic Armageddon between brothers when they have a common enemy to fight in Black Manta (Yahya Abdul-Mateen II)? That’s why Orm is on Aquaman’s side in the sequel, but you’ll have to watch the film to find out if the brothers fully reconcile.
In the meantime, we’ve assembled three movies like Aquaman 2 that you should watch right now. And just like The Lost Kingdom, these are films that fully embrace the bromance between their leading characters.
Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid (1969)
Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid was inspired by the exploits of the titular bandits whose legend helped define the wild west. In the movie, Butch Cassidy (Paul Newman) and his partner, the Sundance Kid (Robert Redford), are ride-or-die bros even when the rest of their gang falls apart around them.
With the help of Sundance’s girlfriend, Etta Place (Katharine Ross), the trio relocates to Bolivia to continue their thieving ways. Etta is a part of the equation, but this was Butch and Sundance’s story all along, and they get to go out together in a blaze of glory when their luck finally runs out.
Watch Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid on Max.
Lethal Weapon 2 (1986)
Detectives Martin Riggs (Mel Gibson) and Roger Murtaugh (Danny Glover) had a very contentious relationship with each other during the first Lethal Weapon (which is an underrated Christmas classic) until they found common ground. By the time Lethal Weapon 2 arrived, Riggs and Murtaugh were in full bromance mode. Murtaugh was already treating Riggs like a member of the family, and you know it’s true love when your bro helps you survive a bomb that was set to go off in your bathroom while your pants are down.
The thing that really solidified the bond between Riggs and Murtaugh was the way that they stuck by each other while trying to take down a corrupt South African diplomat, Arjen Rudd (Joss Ackland), and his head of security, Pieter Vorstedt (Derrick O’Connor). Riggs and Murtaugh risked their lives and their badges in this case, and their connection was always strong after that.
Rent or buy Lethal Weapon 2 on Google Play, Prime Video, YouTube, and Apple TV+.
Captain America: Civil War (2016)
Captain America: Civil War plays out more like an Avengers film than anything else. Regardless, the thing that moves the story forward is Steve Rogers (Chris Evans) and his unshakable faith in his best friend, Bucky Barnes (Sebastian Stan). Captain America: The Winter Soldier revealed that Bucky had been brainwashed into becoming the Winter Soldier decades earlier. When Bucky was framed for new crimes in Civil War, Steve risked everything to save his lifelong buddy from the wrath of Black Panther (Chadwick Boseman) and the world governments that believed Bucky was a vicious terrorist.
While Steve and Bucky were able to repair their connection in this story, it came at the cost of Cap’s working relationship with his Avengers teammate, Iron Man (Oppenheimer‘s Robert Downey Jr.). The final showdown between Cap and Bucky against a vengeful Tony Stark is one of the most memorable climaxes in the MCU’s history.
Watch Captain America: Civil War on Disney+.
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