Amber Heard's Return for 'Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom' Shown in First Footage
While the official Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom trailer has not yet been posted online, those in attendance at CinemaCon were given a sneak peek at the video. The film, a sequel to 2019’s Aquaman, has been delayed multiple times but is now scheduled for release this winter.
Since James Gunn and Peter Safran are developing their plans for what is being called the DCU (DC Universe), this may be the last film in the DCEU (DC Extended Universe). The official release date for theaters is set for December 20, 2023. People at CinemaCon said the teaser begins with a glimpse of Dr. Stephen Shin (Randall Park) and Black Manta (Yahya Abdul-Mateen II) “attacking the surface world with some tentacles destroying a ship.”
During the assault, witnesses claim to have seen Black Manta brandishing a Black Trident, and then they had a glimpse of Atlanna’s (Nicole Kidman) return. The teaser is supposed to have “buddy-comedy vibes” since it uses Aquaman (Jason Momoa) and his step-brother Orm (Patrick Wilson) as comic foils.
Aquaman tells his father, “I’m supposed to be a king,” in the teaser. “To bring the land and sea together. But now, I feel the tide shifting.” Also, in one scene, Aquaman declares, “No one hits my brother but me,” while in another, Orm tells him, “If you lead, Atlantis will follow.”
It was the first time fans got to see Amber Heard back in her role as Mera, and it was followed by a glimpse at the upcoming confrontation between Aquaman and Black Manta. It’s said to be a short clip, but it supposedly shows Mera in a “new white suit.”
The presence also confirms without a doubt that Heard, whose inclusion in the film has been met with controversy owing to her legal struggle with Johnny Depp, is a part of the film.
In Depp v. Heard’s judgment that was given on June 1, 2022, was widely anticipated. Multiple allegations, a UK case with a different decision from the Virginia one, and defamation actions complicated the matter.
Despite this, the Depp v. Heard litigation garnered hundreds of tweets every day, over 27 million Tik Tok views of testimony, and public discussion throughout the 6-week trial and jury deliberation.
In 2009, prominent stars Amber Heard and Johnny Depp met on the set of Rum Diary. Dating began in 2012, engagement in 2014, and marriage in 2015. Heard filed for divorce and a domestic violence restraining order against Depp a year later in March 2016.
In August 2016, the 15-month marriage ended with an out-of-court divorce. The ex-couple published a joint statement denying Heard’s abuse claims and Depp’s “gold digger” claims.
The #MeToo Movement started in October 2017 with the initial Harvey Weinstein allegations. Heard then became an ACLU women’s rights advocate. “Amber Heard: I spoke up against sexual violence — and faced our culture’s wrath. That has to change,” was her opinion in a Washington Post article. In the piece, she implies that her celebrity ex-boyfriend, whose chronology mirrored Depp’s, assaulted her. The story sparked Depp’s lawsuit against Heard and portrayed him as a male star who exploited their fame to get away with domestic violence.
The jury started deliberately on May 27th after the testimony was completed. On June 1, the jury unanimously found Heard defamed Depp and awarded him $5 million in punitive damages and $10 million in compensatory damages. Virginia law limits punitive damages to $350,000. Depp’s ultimate reward is $10.35 million, not $15 million. The jury found Depp and Walderman defamed Heard and awarded her $2 million in compensatory damages and $0 in punitive damages.
This case affected both their professional as well as personal life.
Heard, who portrayed Mera, Aquaman’s (Jason Momoa) love interest, in the successful 2018 original film, has a short appearance in the teaser performing some underwater fighting. Mera, princess of the undersea realm of Xebel, debuted in Justice League and is known for her aquatic talents. Like in the comics, she plays a significant role as both a love interest and a foil for Arthur Curry/Aquaman. Heard’s performance as the first Mera in a live-action film has been met with generally mixed reviews from reviewers and fans.
According to Helen O’Hara of Empire, Mera is a “Little Mermaid cosplayer” and Arthur Curry’s primary source of exposition. The Washington Post’s Michael O’Sullivan found Heard to be “a fish out of water” in comparison to Jason Momoa’s “charismatic” performance, although he lauded the “silly, meet-cute romcom” chemistry between Arthur and Mera.
Currently, we can only wait and see whether they have put Heard’s character as a whole or just a glimpse of it present.
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