The highly-anticipated first trailer for ‘Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom’ has made its debut, but it has left fans with a sense of curiosity as Johnny Depp’s ex-wife, Amber Heard, barely graces the screen.
In this sequel set for release on December 20, Amber Heard reprises her role as Mera, the underwater queen. However, fans hoping for a substantial glimpse of her character in the trailer were met with a mere split-second shot of Mera energetically thumping on an underwater glass window.
The initial ‘Aquaman’ film in 2018 placed a significant emphasis on the relationship between Mera and the titular superhero, portrayed by Jason Momoa. Yet, Amber Heard has openly voiced her concerns that her role was scaled back due to her defamation trial against her former spouse, Johnny Depp.
During the trial, Heard asserted that her character’s role had been considerably diminished after Depp’s legal team dismissed her abuse claims as a “hoax.” She passionately revealed, “I fought really hard to stay in the movie. They didn’t want to include me in the film.”
Director James Wan, who also directed the first ‘Aquaman,’ firmly denied that Heard’s trial influenced creative decisions. He clarified, “I always pitched this to everyone from the get-go. The first ‘Aquaman’ was Arthur and Mera’s journey. The second movie was always going to be Arthur and Orm.”
While Amber Heard’s presence in ‘Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom’ appears to be brief in the trailer, fans can anticipate the full extent of her character’s involvement when the film hits theaters this December.