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Credit: DC StudiosFor better or worse, DC’s follow-up to their billion-dollar hit, Aquaman (2018), is splashing into theaters this December, and with it comes the return of one of the most controversial figures in all of Hollywood: Mera actress Amber Heard.
Related: Amber Heard in More Legal Trouble After FBI Involvement
Behind-The-Scenes Chaos Spells Trouble for ‘Aquaman 2′
It’s been a bumpy road to production for director James Wan’s Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom. From pandemic-related delays to urgent hospitalizations to celebrity cancellations, it’s nothing short of a miracle that the DC superhero flick even made it out of development limbo in the first place. Yet, here we are, mere months out from its highly-anticipated premiere, and things have never seemed so grim for the Jason Momoa-led sequel.
For one, early test screenings left audiences less than impressed, with dozens deeming it borderline “unwatchable.” Reportedly, it also endured a grueling post-production process, including three rounds of reshoots that almost certainly cost DC Studios an unfathomable amount of time and money.
Of course, there’s also the matter of the Aquaman franchise’s Amber Heard problem. The actress, best known for her roles in The Rum Diary (2011) and 3 Days to Kill (2014), famously spoke out against her former husband, Johnny Depp, in 2016, claiming he had physically abused her during their relationship while under the influence of drugs and alcohol.
Her statement caused Disney and other major Hollywood studios to essentially cut all ties with Depp, losing him millions of dollars in potential movie roles. Because of this, the Pirates of the Caribbean actor took Heard to court in 2022 and sued her for defamation in a lengthy, highly publicized trial that took the world by storm. Depp ultimately won the case and was awarded over $10 million in damages.
Is Amber Heard in ‘Aquaman 2?’
Throughout Depp v. Heard, fans began rallying behind Johnny Depp, leading to an uproar in Amber Heard-related hate. The actress was subject to brutal cyberbullying online, with thousands of people even signing a petition to remove Heard from Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom, in which she plays Arthur Curry’s love interest and Atlantan warrior, Princess Mera. Recasting rumors also ran rampant online following the defamation trial, with many “fancasting” Game of Thrones alum Emilia Clarke.
While DC didn’t entirely remove the contentious actress from the film, some reports claim that Mera’s role in the story has been greatly reduced, as if to avoid further fan backlash. However, different sources state that Heard’s role will still be significant as Mera in the upcoming sequel, similar to 2018’s Aquaman, where she was given a lot of screen time alongside Momoa.
Either way, Mera will pop up in the Aquaman sequel in one way or another, where it will supposedly be revealed that she and Arthur had a child together since the events of the first film. But before we can confirm story specifics and whether or not the blockbuster will crack $1 billion at the box office like its predecessor did, we can finally start to speculate about Heard’s highly-contested DC return thanks to a new teaser trailer.
First Glimpse at Amber Heard’s Mera in ‘Aquaman 2’
As Warner Bros. prepares to start marketing Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom, we’re finally getting a first look at Mera as Heard returns to the superhero franchise. The video, which DC uploaded to social media over the weekend, teases many things, including a chilling threat from Black Manta (Yahya Abdul-Mateen II), gigantic seahorse steeds, and of course, Nicole Kidman’s Atlanna. The clip also comes with an official date for the full-length trailer drop: Thursday, September 14.
But eagle-eyed fans took a particular interest in one scene featured in the latest Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom teaser, which shows a burning house from a wide angle—perhaps the new home of Tom Curry (Temuera Morrison). Here, if you squint, you can barely see Mera running towards the structure, back in action as she (presumably) tries to rescue whoever’s trapped inside.
Based on the blink-and-you’ll-miss-it shot, it appears that Mera is in a similar greenish suit from the first Aquaman movie, hinting at some connectivity between the first and second installments. Heard is expected to don a new, more blue-tinted suit in the sequel, which we have yet to see onscreen.
Many moviegoers are hesitant to see Heard reprise her DC role for the new film. However, it seems like the superhero studio is still optimistic about the Aquaman sequel’s chances regardless, even though they not-so-subtly kept Mera firmly in the background of the new teaser trailer.
It’ll be interesting to see how DC and Warner Bros. handle their Heard situation with so many users online calling for boycotts against the movie. But with the first full trailer debuting on Thursday, hopefully, we’ll get our answers soon.
Are you surprised to see DC seemingly doubling down on Amber Heard’s casting in Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom? Let us know in the comments below.