If you’re looking to catch Amber Heard in ‘Aquaman 2,’ brace yourself because the actress reportedly only has eleven lines throughout the entire film.
Heard played a predominant role as Mera in the first movie back in 2018. But the sequel’s storyline has drastically cut down her character’s involvement.
Warner Bros may have simply made this move to take a different direction with the storyline. Yet, multiple reports claim that the infamous trial with her ex-husband, Johnny Depp, resulted in the film’s outcome.
According to Business Insider, execs reduced the character down to “barely a fleshed-out character.” Her screen time ended up coming in at less than 25 minutes.
Amber Heard Reportedly Removed From Several Scenes
Just two months ago, Variety reported that Warner Bros decided to cut out a fight scene between Mera and Black Manta, one of the new villains in the action-packed blockbuster.
Additionally, executives are believed to have also cut her from a love scene with Aquaman, drastically reducing how much fans get to see Heard on the big screen.
Amber Heard has a whole 8 tiny lines in Aquaman 2. pic.twitter.com/1tSVreIWIK
— MetálicoJesús (@MetalicoJesus) December 22, 2023
I've confirmed Amber Heard's time on Aquaman and the lost kingdom from someone who watched the movie, and he calculated the time with a stop watch. She stopped appearing after 35 minutes, appeared again starting from 1:18, and her screentime is a little over five minutes (5:04).
— Rere (@reres777) December 23, 2023
Warner Bros had signed a three-movie deal with the 37-year-old, per Business Insider. The news outlet implies that the studio’s contract with the actress was the only reason they did not entirely cut her from the movie.
But back in September, James Wan, the film’s director, claimed that they never intended for Heard to be a main character in the sequel, to begin with.
The filmmaker wanted to shift the attention towards the dynamic between Aquaman and his estranged brother, Orm, who debuted in the latest installment.
Amber Addressed Her Concerns About Her Role While On Trial
On May 16, 2022, Heard stood on the stand in the defamation trial and discussed her role in the sequel while testifying against Depp.
“I fought really hard to stay in the movie — they didn’t want to include me in the film,” she said.
Heard answered when asked whether she had already filmed her scenes for the film. In response, she said that the role was a “very pared-down version” of the character she played in the 2018 flick.
“I was given a script and then given new versions of the script that had taken away scenes that had action in it that depicted my character and another character — without giving any spoilers away — two characters fighting with one another,” she continued. “They basically took a bunch out of my role. They just removed a bunch out.”
Her Explosive Court Case With Johnny Depp
The $100 million defamation lawsuit filed by Johnny Depp was in response to an op-ed piece written by Amber Heard for The Washington Post in 2018 about domestic abuse.
Although Heard did not mention Depp by name in her article, she implied that she was referring to her relationship with him.
Depp claimed these allegations were false and had caused him to lose substantial work in Hollywood, including his role in the ‘Pirates of the Caribbean’ franchise, per the LA Times.
The trial was lengthy, involving numerous witnesses and testimonies from both sides. It delved into intimate details of their volatile relationship, bringing forth allegations and counter-allegations from both parties.
The trial was not only about the defamation claim but became a platform where both parties sought to establish their version of the truth about their abusive relationship.
The verdict eventually found Heard guilty, with the jury initially granting Depp $15 million in compensation. The figure was later reduced to about $10 million.
Eventually, in December 2022, Depp and Heard settled. The actress gave Depp $1 million, and he donated the money to a selection of charitable organizations.
