Amber Heard took to Instagram to share some behind-the-scenes photos from the making of “Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom” and extend her appreciation to fans for their unwavering support of her reprised role as Mera in the comic book franchise. This post holds significance as Heard had previously asserted during her 2022 defamation trial involving Johnny Depp that Warner Bros. was reluctant to include her in the “Aquaman” sequel due to fallout from her divorce, leading to her role being scaled down and action scenes being reduced.
“After all this time, ‘Aquaman 2’ has made its big splash (pun intended),” expressed Heard on Instagram. “I want to extend my heartfelt thanks to all my fans for their overwhelming support and love for Mera’s return in ‘Aquaman.’ Thank you so much.”
Heard chose not to engage in extensive promotion for “Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom,” and other cast members, including Nicole Kidman and Yahya Abdul-Mateen II, also maintained a relatively low profile in terms of publicity. Only leading actors Jason Momoa and Patrick Wilson actively promoted the film, which has struggled at the box office, earning just $81 million and counting in North America since its release on December 20. In contrast, Heard’s Mera played a central role in 2018’s “Aquaman,” which grossed over $1 billion worldwide. However, her role in the sequel is more limited.
Director James Wan clarified that the sequel was never intended to focus on Mera and Aquaman as the first film did. He had previously explained to Entertainment Weekly that “Aquaman 2” prioritized Aquaman’s relationship with his villainous half-brother, Orm (Patrick Wilson), over his relationship with Mera.
Wan stated, “I always pitched this to everyone from the get-go. The first ‘Aquaman’ was about Arthur and Mera’s journey. The second movie was always going to be about Arthur and Orm. So, the first one was a romantic action-adventure film, while the second is a bromantic action-adventure movie. That’s how I envisioned it.”
Prior to the sequel’s release, Variety reported claims that Jason Momoa allegedly impersonated Depp on set and advocated for Heard’s removal from the film. Notes from Heard’s therapist also revealed that she felt unsupported by Wan during the filming process.
“Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom” is currently showing in theaters nationwide, courtesy of Warner Bros.
