Amber Heard, legal battles, and the Aquaman sequel
The ongoing lawsuit appears to have impacted Amber Heard’s film career. According to film journalist Grace Randolph, Warner Bros. trimmed most of Heard’s scenes as Mera, resulting in the character averaging less than ten minutes on screen in the completed edit.
The studio has chosen not to publicly comment on Heard’s involvement at this time. In 2021, Aquaman producer Peter Safran stated that the team would not yield to fan pressure. Yet, with developments in the legal arena, studio decisions can still shift as events unfold.
Meanwhile, the online petition movement from 2020 calling for Heard to be removed from Aquaman 2 remains in public memory. The initial effort amassed a large number of signatures, and though it faded from the spotlight, attention intensified again amid new legal proceedings. By the time this is written, petition totals have grown substantially, reflecting renewed public interest in the project.
Aquaman 2 is scheduled to premiere on March 17, 2023. The production has already faced notable twists in its public reception, with changes in cast visibility and ongoing discussion about how fan input and legal outcomes may influence the final release.