Jonathan Mendelsohn
The first footage for DC’s upcoming sequel Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom has debuted at CinemaCon 2023 and includes a brief appearance from controversial figure Amber Heard. It was rumored that Heard was going to be cut from the film entirely after her highly publicized trial where her ex-husband Johnny Depp sued her for defamation.
Videos by Rare
The trailer, which has not yet been released publicly, showcases the return of Mera, but it was reported that the character would only return for the sequel in a limited capacity. Former president of DC Films at Warner Bros., Walter Hamada, claimed that the reason for the shortening of Heard’s screen time in the upcoming film was simply because of a “lack of chemistry” between Heard and the film’s star, Jason Momoa. The footage unveiled at CinemaCon also featured Momoa, Patrick Wilson, and Yahya Abdul-Mateen II
Amber Heard’s Limited Screen Time In Aquaman Sequel
Heard, who was the female lead of 2018’s Aquaman, spoke at her and Depp’s trial about the shortening of her role in the blockbuster’s sequel. She claimed that she “fought really hard to stay in” the film, adding, “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, and they basically took a bunch out of my role. They just removed a bunch out.”
Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom is reported to be a buddy-comedy, largely featuring a duo consisting of Momoa and Patrick Wilson. The sequel’s plot will follow the title character as he fights to save Atlantis from a deadly ancient power.
Willem Dafoe, Dolph Lundgren, Temuera Morrison, and Nicole Kidman round out the rest of the film’s cast. Ben Affleck is rumored to also make an appearance in the movie as Batman. Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom is directed by James Wan and will be released theatrically on December 20.
