Exclusive: Amber Heard’s Aquaman 2 Appearances Detailed
A trusted and proven inside source for Giant Freakin Robot shares what fans can expect to see of Amber Heard's Mera in Aquaman 2
Update: This Giant Freakin Robot exclusive was confirmed, and Amber Heard was effectively removed from Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom and had her role greatly reduced.
As the Amber Heard and Johnny Depp trial unfolds, it’s fair to say that fan opinions are fairly heated. The Change.Org petition demanding the studio remove Amber Heard from Aquaman 2 is currently at 3.4 million signatures. Scooper Grace Randolph claims that the actress, who plays Mera for DC, will have less than 10 minutes of screentime in the sequel. While we can’t speak to that specific number, we have heard details that sound in line with her expectation. A trusted and proven inside source for Giant Freakin Robot shares that Amber Heard only appears in the beginning of Aquaman 2 and then again in the final battle. Audiences won’t be seeing Mera for the majority of the movie.
Many will wonder if this was the plan for Amber Heard in Aquaman 2 all along. Did they film other scenes for Mera? Were scenes cut out of the sequel after the trial started? Or did the studio react early on to the initial wave of fan demands and write the movie with as few appearances for Amber Heard as possible? Were these decisions a reaction to Amber Heard’s personal life, or was this just the story plan for the sequel all along? Our source wasn’t able to share with us if this was the original plan or the details of how this decision was made. We learned that she’s currently appearing in the beginning of the movie, and in the final battle, and currently, that’s the edit of the movie that we’re expecting to see in theaters.
Why didn’t the studio recast Amber Heard in Aquaman 2? We can’t speak to that, though we know fans asked for it online. While the minimal screentime for Mera in the sequel sounds like it was a decision related to the trial or fan demands, we can’t confirm that either. All we have heard is what fans can expect to see in the movie, and that will not be a very minimal amount of appearances for Mera.
While we know that some DC fans are hoping the petitions and trending topics will lead to the studio changing their minds and cutting Mera out altogether, what we’re currently hearing doesn’t make that sound likely. Of course, the studio could still possibly change their minds. However, since they haven’t changed their minds yet, it’s hard to say what would change that now. With the current cut showing Amber Heard at the beginning and end of Aquaman 2, it would seem like she’s an important part of the sequel. She was certainly a major figure in the first movie.
Early on, fans questioned whether DC would replace Amber Heard in Aquaman 2. Rumors swirled that Emilia Clarke was cast as Mera for the sequel. While we noticed these reports, it never seemed likely to happen. The studio has appeared to stand by her. Last year, a producer on the movie said, “We felt that if it’s James Wan, and Jason Momoa, it should be Amber Heard.” Keeping her only in the scenes they felt were essential may have been a way for them to minimize the damages of negative press, but we can’t say with any certainty whether those considerations were part of their story-making process. When Amber Heard’s Aquaman 2 hits theaters in early 2023, they can still expect to see the actress, just not for the majority of the movie.
