DCEU’s Aquaman was a surprise hit despite the superhero being on the less popular end of the DC universe. The film grossed more than $1.1 billion worldwide. In January 2019, Deadline reported that Warner Bros. had begun the process of bringing back director James Wan for Aquaman 2. However, since the initial announcement, the sequel has had to overcome many obstacles, mostly relating to lead actress Amber Heard, who plays the role of Atlantean princess Mera, alongside actor Jason Momoa, who plays Aquaman.
Amber Heard has become a controversial point of discourse due to her relationship with actor Johnny Depp. The couple has been wrapped up in bitter domestic abuse allegations, with both actors filing several lawsuits against each other. The allegations of abuse have had negative consequences on the lives of both Heard and Depp, with Depp alleging that he was dropped from his role in the Pirates of the Caribbean franchise due to domestic abuse accusations from Heard. With more and more evidence being made public, individuals have taken differing stances concerning the controversy. While some have sided with Depp and others with Heard, many have taken a neutral stand, holding both actors at fault.
Why Fans Think Heard Shouldn’t Be In Aquaman 2
With Johnny Depp losing his position in the Pirates of the Caribbean franchise, allegedly due to the messy abuse allegations, and also being asked to step down from his role as Grindelwald in Fantastic Beasts, audiences of Aquaman have deemed it only fair that Amber Heard, too, should not be a part of the Aquaman movies. Fans have called out the DCEU for being hypocritical in their decision to retain Heard but let go of Depp.
Many have demanded that Heard be removed from her role as Mera with a Change.org petition being started by fans. The petition, which gained traction in 2020 after Depp’s exit from Fantastic Beasts, gained renewed popularity in 2022 due to Depp’s and Heard’s court case. The petition has now gained more than 2.4 million signatures, with the number continuously increasing. The petition description provides justification for why fans think Heard should be removed from her role, reading:
“As Amber Heard is a known and proven domestic abuser, Warner Brothers and DC Entertainment should and must remove Heard from their Aquaman 2 film project. They must not ignore the suffering of Heard's victims, and must not glamorize a domestic abuser. Men are victims of domestic abuse, just like women. This must be recognized, and action must be taken to prevent a known abuser from being celebrated within the entertainment industry.
Do the right thing. Remove Amber Heard from Aquaman 2.”
Is Emilia Clarke the Best Replacement?
In calling for the removal of Amber Heard as Mera, fans have also found a replacement for her. Fan-favorite for the role has been Game of Thrones actress Emilia Clarke. A Change.org petition titled “Emilia Clarke to Replace Amber Heard as Mera on Aquaman 2” has also been created by fans. The petition description reads:
“Amber heard should be replaced by Emilia Clarke as Mera, Amber heard has falsely accused Johnny Depp of abusing her when it turns out she is the abuser herself ...if she stays on the movie/ franchise this will send a bad message, we should not condone any type of abuse…Amber should be punished accordingly, as for Emilia she has much better chemistry with Jason plus they are comfortable with one another…”
The four-time Emmy nominated Clarke has also emerged as the top choice for replacing Amber Heard due to her relationship with star Jason Momoa. The two have had a previous working relationship, having starred alongside each other and being each other’s love interests in the hit series, Game of Thrones. The death of Momoa’s character, Khal Drogo, while he was in a relationship with Clarke’s Daenerys Targaryen in Game of Thrones, left fans yearning for a reunion of the two characters. The casting of Clarke as Mera may be a way to make this wish come true.
Although fans have considered other actresses such as Karen Gillan, Christina Hendricks, and Sophie Turner for the role, Clarke has consistently emerged as the top choice. In justifying their selection, fans have repeatedly focused on the close friendship that she has had with Momoa over the years and how this may translate to on-screen chemistry between the two for the Aquaman sequel. This is interesting to note amidst the news that Amber Heard was almost replaced in Aquaman 2 due to chemistry concerns with Jason Momoa. Fans have even gone to the extent of photoshopping pictures and creating deepfakes of Emilia Clarke as Mera, hoping Clarke may replace Heard.
What Is the Possibility of Clarke Playing Mera?
Despite pressure from fans, producers of the movie stood steadfast in their decision not to recast Heard for Aquaman 2. Producer Peter Safran firmly established that the producers would not react to fan pressure and emphasized that they would do what was best for the movie. Speaking to Deadline’s Hero Nation podcast in July 2021, Safran said,
“One is not unaware of what is going on in the Twitter-verse, but that doesn’t mean you have to react to it or take it as gospel or accede to their wishes. You have to do what’s right for the film, and that’s really where we landed on it.”
To be realistic, the chances of Clarke being cast as Mera are pretty slim. In addition to the producers' stance, Aquaman 2 is now in the post-production stage. With a production cost that is reportedly supposed to be the most expensive in the DCEU to date, according to Daniel Richtman, a journalist known for having exclusive information on Marvel and DC releases, it is highly unlikely that the producers of Aquaman 2 will be willing to reshoot the movie. However, reports have emerged that amidst backlash, producers have reduced Heard’s screentime in Aquaman 2.
Although we may not see Clarke replacing Heard in Aquaman 2, maybe we can hold onto hope for a new Mera in a possible third Aquaman movie. While it is admittedly too early to make guesses about a third movie, it is more plausible that the producers will consider a new actress for another sequel rather than double production costs by reshooting an already produced film.
Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom is scheduled for release on March 17, 2023.