On October 11, Variety magazine released an article discussing the controversy surrounding the upcoming release of Aquaman 2, part of the DC Extended Universe. The piece primarily focuses on actress Amber Heard, who reprises her role as Princess Mera from the first installment.
Amber Heard and Jason Momoa in Aquaman
According to the article, following the high-profile defamation trial between Johnny Depp and Amber Heard, the latter faced significant backlash from the public and industry insiders. Heard reportedly dealt with various difficulties during the making of Aquaman 2, including allegations involving her co-star Jason Momoa and director James Wan.
The document highlights a troubling incident where Heard claimed, “Jason said he wanted to see me get fired. He was intoxicated, arriving on set late, dressed as Johnny Depp to mock me.” The actress described her experience, stating that she felt under pressure and had to deal with an atmosphere that was not conducive to her professional demeanor. “He was quite loud toward me. I even found it hard to avoid articles on social media about Aquaman. He treated me as if I were the problem. I apologize. No one is allowed to take selfies with me on set,” Heard stated further.
The representatives for Jason Momoa and James Wan responded to the allegations, emphasizing the importance of professionalism on set. A spokesperson for DC expressed their commitment to addressing the claims against Amber Heard. They stated that while Jason Momoa enjoys having a drink during filming breaks, he has never been intoxicated on set. Additionally, they clarified that Momoa did not dress up as Johnny Depp.
Another source from Variety noted that James Wan had wanted to distance himself from Amber Heard shortly after the first Aquaman was released, unrelated to the trial with Depp. The primary reason cited for this decision was the poor chemistry between Heard and the male lead. The director even communicated through Heard’s lawyer to inform her of this decision.
However, the studio did not proceed with this request, as it was reportedly influenced by Elon Musk, who was then dating Amber Heard. The Tesla CEO directly reached out to Warner Bros. (the studio behind the DC films) and emphasized that they would “lose everything” if Heard was cut from Aquaman 2.
Despite continuing to be part of Aquaman 2, Amber Heard’s role has been significantly reduced, and she is no longer a main character in the film. According to Variety’s sources, the upcoming release has cut at least two scenes featuring Mera, including a fight scene with Black Manta and a romantic scene with Aquaman.
Similar to Flash, Aquaman 2 is a project that has been in the works since before DC decided to appoint James Gunn as the new head of the brand at the end of last year. The studio has reportedly invested approximately $215 million in this project, although continuous delays have hindered the content revisions.
