Being a celebrity is a dream for many, but the notoriety can definitely have its downsides. Amber Heard knows this all too well, as she’s been in a legal battle with ex-husband Johnny Depp for years. The drama has the potential to have an effect on both actors’ careers, including Heard’s ongoing role in the DCEU. And those rumors that she was nearly replaced in Aquaman 2 might not be just rumors, and could even come up in her trial with Depp.
Amber Heard made her DC Extended Universe debut in Justice League, before her role was greatly expanded in the first Aquaman movie. While she’s expected to appear again in the sequel The Lost Kingdom, there were some early rumors about her being replaced. In fact, some fans even made an online petition to see her ousted. But it turns out that there might be some truth to those rumors. According to a report by Puck, Heard wasn’t initially invited to return for the underwater sequel amid the Johnny Depp drama.
Per this latest report, Warner Bros. wasn’t always sure about Amber Heard once again playing Mera in Aquaman 2– despite the first movie’s massive success. This was seemingly as a result of the ongoing drama shared with Johnny Depp, and the myriad allegations each actor has made about the other. What’s more, DC films president Walter Hamada reportedly had to sit in for a three-hour deposition related to the Depp lawsuit. And said deposition could end up being introduced in the ongoing trial.
While Walter Hamada’s deposition hasn’t been made public yet, the word on the street is that he admits that the chemistry shared between Jason Momoa and Amber Heard in Aquaman left much to be desired. We’ll just have to wait and see if/when that’s made public. What’s more, Heard was seemingly unable to negotiate a raise for the sequel.
Luckily for Amber Heard, she was still able to complete filming for her role in Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom. It remains to be seen how Mera will factor into this new story, but fans can’t wait to dive back into James Wan’s underwater property. But with Heard and Johnny Depp’s legal battle finally taking place stateside, I have to wonder if this might be her last appearance as the character.
As previously mentioned, there is a popular online petition to see Amber Heard removed from the role of Mera in the DCEU. This came to be after Johnny Depp was asked to step down from his role as Grindelwald in the Fantastic Beasts franchise. Considering both franchises are owned by Warner Bros., Depp’s fans took umbrage with only one of them losing a job. Although as the report by Puck points out, Heard has been unable to book any other major roles as she and her ex-husband continue to make headlines.
Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom is currently expected to arrive in theaters on March 17th, 2023. In the meantime, check out the 2022 movie release dates to plan your next movie experience.
