The verdict in Johnny Depp and Amber Heard’s defamation case was released last week, but that hasn’t stopped the online discourse about the former couple. This is largely since there were cameras in the courtroom, allowing each frame to be dissected by the general public. A petition to remove Heard from the upcoming DC movie Aquaman 2 recently reached a signature goal, and then moved benchmark even further.
The petition for Amber Heard to be removed from the Aquaman franchise was started after Johnny Depp was asked to step down from the role of Grindelwald in Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore. Since both the DCEU and Wizarding World are owned by Warner Bros., Depp’s fans have wanted his ex-wife to face similar consequences. And now that the Change.Org petition has passed over 4.5 million signatures, with the new goal being a whopping 6 million.
As far as petitions about the entertainment industry goes, I can’t recall one that has gotten this much attention, and continued picking up speed for years on end. This shows just how many people around the world were tuned into what was happening between Johnny Depp and Amber Heard in the Virginia court house. Will they be able to reach the 6 million mark for this petition about Amber Heard and Aquaman? Only time will tell.
Johnny Depp was fired from his role in the Fantastic Beasts franchise shortly after he lost his libel case against U.K. publication The Sun for referring to him as a “wife beater.” This decision broke the internet, making way for Mads Mikkelsen to replace him as Grindelwald. The petition about Amber Heard was created in response, and now the 36 year-old actress has also faced her own loss at court– to the tune of over $10 million.
Amber Heard’s role as Mera in the Aquaman franchise came up a number of times throughout the course of the defamation trial. Johnny Depp’s team indicated that he helped Heard land the major role. What’s more, it was revealed that she was nearly fired as Mera after having poor chemistry with Jason Momoa. Finally, it was reportedly revealed that she’ll have a smaller role in James Wan’s sequel Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom.
The defamation trial between Johnny Depp and Amber Heard was explosive, with the public able to watch footage and make their own decisions about the couple’s tumultuous relationship. And as such, there’s been a ton of online discourse about who is in the wrong, with the petition about Heard getting a ton more signatures as a result. And while the verdict came in a week ago, the conversations haven’t showed any signs of slowing.
It should be interesting to see how Johnny Depp and Amber Heard’s careers ultimately shake out in the wake of the defamation trial. Depp has only recently started booking new film roles again, although he was ultimately the victor in court. Heard similarly hasn’t been working a ton lately, with the exception of playing Mera in Aquaman 2 and reshoots for Zack Snyder’s Justice League.
Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom is currently set to arrive in theaters on March 17th, 2023. In the meantime, check out the 2022 movie release dates to plan your next movie experience.
