Highlights
- Director James Wan confirmed that Amber Heard's role as Mera in Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom will be cut down, but it's not because of the defamation case with Johnny Depp. It's because Wan wants to explore a different dynamic between Aquaman and another character in the sequel.
- The decision to reduce Heard's role was planned from the start, according to Wan. In the first movie, Aquaman and Mera's relationship is central, while the second movie focuses on the bromance between Aquaman and Orm.
- While it's unclear whether the controversy surrounding Heard influenced the decision, many fans were unhappy with her casting even before the defamation case. The DCEU is already facing challenges, and involving an actor with a tarnished reputation could be risky. Additionally, superhero genre fatigue and the desire for something fresh might impact the success of Aquaman 2.
Amber Heard's role as Mera in Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom came into question after she was found liable for defamation by her ex-husband, Johnny Depp, in 2022. Many wondered if she would be recast or if her role would be cut down. Fans got word from the horse's mouth when director James Wan confirmed that Heard's role as Mera was cut down, though it may not be for the reason they think.
Wan revealed that Heard's Mera will not be a prominent character in the upcoming Aquaman sequel, but it had to do more with who he wants beside Aquaman for the second installment than anything else. Not only that, but that was the plan from the start, according to him.
Wan revealed to Variety that the plan was always for Aquaman to spend each movie with a different character, hence why Heard was heavily involved in the first movie but not the second. “I always pitched this to everyone from the get-go,” Wan said. “The first ‘Aquaman’ was Arthur and Mera's journey. The second movie was always going to be Arthur and Orm. So, the first was a romance action-adventure movie, the second one is a bromance action-adventure movie. We’ll leave it at that.”
Heard had portrayed Mera both in Aquaman and Justice League. Beforehand, there had been no issues with her casting as Mera. However, after recordings of her conversations with Depp during their marriage surfaced in 2020, fans started to turn on her. Even before she was sued for defamation, there had been online petitions for Heard to be removed from any Aquaman film that had gained steam. Depp testified during the trial that he helped Heard land the role as Mera, though Heard denied that when she took the stand. As fans may already know., Heard was not a well-known actor before Aquaman was released.
While Wan did not confirm if the controversy surrounding Heard is why she won't be as involved in Aquaman 2, fans won't help but wonder if that's precisely why she won't be featured as much. No matter what side anyone was on during the Heard-Depp trial, involving an actor who doesn't have a good rep to their name is risky. Several fans had made their feelings known through the petitions that they were none too pleased with Heard. The DCEU is already on thin ice between them starting from scratch and not getting the financial returns they want, as seen with Blue Beetle's office run.
Whether Aquaman 2 featured Heard or not, it's also possible that fans of the superhero genre have already grown sick of cinematic universes. While DC's reception overall is not doing too great - with the reaction to the new Aquaman 2 trailer not doing them any favors - Marvel, too, is not getting the returns they once did. Fans want something fresh, which is what shows like The Boys and Invincible can provide these days. Unless Aquaman 2 brings something they haven't seen before, it's not looking too promising, and that won't be on Heard's shoulders.
Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom will premiere in theaters on December 20, 2023.
Source: Variety