Aquaman 2: Why do we see so little of Amber Heard in DC movies? The director answers

In theaters on December 20th, Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom had a very average start in France, with just over 93,000 in attendance. By comparison, the first Opus drew 150,000 viewers on its December 2018 release date. Internationally, it has so far collected only $120 million against a $205 million budget.

The feature film went through a chaotic production before it hit theaters, following the box office failure of DC’s latest work. From Black Adam to The Flash through Shazam 2 and Blue Beetle, these movies were abysmal failures.

In addition, Aquaman 2 was also the victim of the highly publicized lawsuit involving Johnny Depp and Amber Heard. To recall, the actress sparked controversy by saying that her legal troubles forced the studio to cut Mera’s role in the Aquaman sequel.

“I was given the script, then different versions where the action sequences were removed. Without spoiling much, the two characters had to meet each other. In the new versions, my character did less. They didn’t take out bad things. I fought to stay. On this film. They didn’t want me to I wanted to be in it.”He said during the trial against Johnny Depp in May 2022.

In September 2023, director James Wan wanted to respond and refuted Amber Heard’s comments in the column.Entertainment Weekly. For the filmmaker, if Meera is less present in this second part, it’s only because of a deliberate script choice.

“I’ve always said that the first Aquaman was about Arthur and Mera’s journey and that the second was about Arthur and Orm. The first was a mix of romance, action and adventure. The second was a mix of bromance, action and adventure. I’ll say no more.”he pointed out.

Two months after this interview, James Wan gave a new interview to Empire magazine, where he was once again asked about the role of Mera. “It’s normal that Amber Heard could say that, because I didn’t think about the character at all when I was working on the film. The actors don’t necessarily know what the directors are planning behind the scenes.”The director explains.

My plan was clear from the beginning.

“But my plan was clear from the beginning, it always was in my head. I suggested from the beginning that Aquaman 1 would be inspired.Chasing the Green Diamond, an adventure romantic comedy; As for the second one, I saw it as a friendly film style Tango and cash“emphasizes James Wan.

For the filmmaker, if Meera’s role is less substantial than in the first episode, it’s purely an artistic choice, not the result of her legal failings. Whatever the case, Aquaman 2 is headed straight for a box office flop, finally burying the DCEU as we know it until the reboot that James Gunn and Peter Safran, the new heads of DC Studios, are cooking up for us.