Is Emilia Clarke replacing Amber Heard in ‘Aquaman 2?’ The ongoing rumor, explained

The future of DC is looking good, but there’s serious ground to cover if it ever wants to match up to the MCU.

The comics franchise launched a few years after Marvel’s dug in its roots with Iron Man, but never quite worked up the momentum to compete with its Disney-owned rival. Those DCEU flicks just don’t quite have what it takes, despite a stacked cast of gorgeous people playing beloved heroes. As a result, the old era is dead and gone, set to be replaced by a shiny new age — one in which James Gunn raises the new DCU to unprecedented heights.

Before he can do so, unfortunately, Gunn must ditch the old to make space for the new. Old favorites like Henry Cavill and Gal Gadot have been filtering out the DC door for nearly a year now, as Gunn makes space for a new lineup of actors to take on those same iconic roles. He’s also prepping for a spate of fresh, lesser-known heroes to join the obvious picks, in hopes of seeing more success stories like Guardians of the Galaxy make fans of a new generation.

Thus far, Jason Momoa’s Aquaman is one of sparingly few DCEU characters to make the cut for Gunn’s new DCU. Even as fans say goodbye to stars with more tenure — and, if we’re being honest, more popularity — than Momoa, the actor is reportedly set to remain. That’s despite the fact that the upcoming Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom will serve as the conclusion to the DCEU. The whole ordeal is leaving fans confused and a bit frustrated, as they try to make sense of the ever-changing DC cinematic landscape, and wonder which actors and characters will return for future releases.

One actor we know for certain won’t be returning is Amber Heard. Regardless of whose side you took in her protracted legal battle with her ex-husband, Johnny Depp, pretty much everyone has accepted that Heard’s time as Mera is over. She’s barely a footnote in the upcoming sequel to 2018’s Aquaman, and most fans have already replaced her in their head canon. Some even have a fresh actress in mind.

Is Emilia Clarke replacing Amber Heard in the DCU?

Emilia Clarke was an early pick to replace Amber Heard as Mera, even before the whole Johnny Depp thing became the public’s business. Her working relationship with Momoa — which stretches back to the earliest days of Game of Thrones — paired with her clear talent and popularity among fans made Clarke a shoe-in for the role.

Except, so far as we’re aware, Emilia Clarke is not replacing Amber Heard as Mera. The rumors absolutely refuse to die, despite a complete lack of confirmation, and the fact that we’ve actually seen Heard appear as Mera in the second Aquaman flick. She was not recast for Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom.

As for the future of the character, it’s hard to say. Should Momoa’s Aquaman survive the move over to the DCU, it is fair to wonder if Heard will as well. But considering all those rumors about her working relationship with Momoa, it seems unlikely. In that highly implausible instance, it is actually valid to wonder who might replace her in the role.

In this (again, very improbable) instance, Emilia Clarke is a great pick for the character of Mera. She’s the same age as Heard, she’s a fan-favorite, we know (thanks to all those deepfakes) that she can pull off red hair, and her presence as a new (and bafflingly powerful) MCU character could make for an amusing split-loyalty situation. I’ve actually discussed the possibility before, and Clarke was an easy top pick for the role — followed closely by Sophie Turner. But I think my other picks are a touch more likely, since they would be playing parts outside of Mera.

See, I doubt Mera will survive the move over to the DCU, even if Aquaman does. Should Momoa’s character survive, it makes far more sense to pair him off with a new character (played by a new actor), rather than attempt the messy task of recasting Mera. Instead, the DCU could lean on a slew of alternate, water-based characters — from Mera’s sister Hila to Aquagirl or Dolphin — and avoid any drama. It seems like a much better move, and one that would put a stop to these Mera rumors for good.