At this point, the main reason I’m looking forward to Aquaman 2 isn’t to see the continued adventures of Arthur Curry, but because once it’s out we can stop theorizing over whether Amber Heard is in it or not.
Over the weekend, many on social media were celebrating her being fired, which was said to be related to her failing a physical exam. Word was that she’d been replaced by Jason Momoa’s Game of Thrones co-star Emilia Clarke, which was greeted with jubilation by the very loud Heard hater army. The only problem with the story was that it was complete bunkum. Heard’s representatives have since bluntly stated:
“We can categorically deny the rumours that Amber Heard is no longer attached to Aquaman 2.”
But, according to another report, she isn’t out of the woods just yet. Small Screen says that they have an inside source in Warner Bros. who’ve told them the following:
“Heard is still playing Mera in Aquaman 2. They are cutting a lot of here [sic] scenes in the movie. She’s in a dangerous position and could still be removed from the film.”
Whether you believe this or not, it’s probably accurate that to some degree Warner Bros. are hedging their bets. As Johnny Depp found out when he was removed from Fantastic Beasts 3 after his London libel loss, there can be rapid consequences to a legal decision. Judge Nicol’s ruling will be reviewed by Court of Appeal judges in London fairly soon and if they overturn the judgment, Heard could be back in hot water.
There’s also a big trial between Depp and Heard scheduled to take place in Virginia in 2022, which may well see a conclusion ahead of Aquaman 2‘s December 2022 release. If that doesn’t go her way, Warner Bros. would be smart to at least have the option of minimizing or removing her from the movie, even if they’ve already completed filming and needed to do last minute reshoots.
But to clarify, right now Amber Heard is indeed reprising the role of Mera in Aquaman 2. If that changes, though, we’ll let you know.
