Complete Disaster: Is Amber Heard Dragging Aquaman 2 Down?

If reports are accurate, Aquaman 2 is in deep trouble. As we close out the Snyderverse, Aquaman is the last remaining Superhero of a now-defunct DCEU. With James Gunn now firmly at the helm, we look ahead to the 2025 release of Superman Legacy to take us into the all-new and rebranded DCU. However, there is still a couple of movies to go before we get there. The upcoming Flash movie starring Ezra Muller will be the restart point. Aquaman 2 will be the final goodbye.

As fans wait eagerly, reports of poor screen tests are everywhere. It still needs to be clarified the source of this poor reception. Some claim that issues are due to the narrative. Others claim that people are disinterested because they know the universe is over. Then, we also have the bed-pooping elephant in the room. Fans are unhappy that Amber Heard will keep her spot in the DCU. Fans have been calling for her removal for a while now, and most were unhappy when news broke that DC would be sticking with her. While WB removed Johnny Depp from the Harry Potter spin-off series, many expected WB to do the same with Heard.

Is Aquaman 2 In Trouble

It is reportedly not only fans that are not happy with the direction of Aquaman 2. Reports suggest that WB CEO David Zaslav himself is unhappy with the movie. Last year, senior executives at Warner Bros rejected the version of Aquaman 2 that showrunners presented to them. Since then, extensive reshoots have occurred. Exactly why Zaslav is giving such an instruction is still unclear. Some are speculating that the current version of the story needs to be better.

After multiple screen tests, people wanted to change the story’s pace. All of this led to some changes in the script that resulted in reshooting taking place. In movies, this is a common practice. Then, there is also the more obvious explanation. WB is working with James Gunn to usher in an all-new Cinematic Universe. The current Aquaman 2 movie does not form part of the new DCU James Gunn is trying to build.

While the Upcoming Flash movie sets up the reset, the upcoming Aquaman does not serve much purpose other than saying goodbye to the old guard. It is possible that reshoots are being done to align more with the new direction of DC. While this will be Jason Momoa’s last outing as Aquaman, they can still use the movie to set up future projects. In the first slate of the new DCU, one Superhero noticeably missing is Aquaman. He will not get a film for quite some time. They may still consider Mamoa for future movies, but he is not in any of the ten projects James Gunn announced. Reshooting aligns things more with James Gunn’s vision.

The Impact Of Amber Heard In Aquaman 2

Then, as I have mentioned, we need to discuss the third reason why screen tests for Aquaman 2 might be going poorly. The decision to keep Amber Heard part of the project has been highly unpopular. Fans are not happy that she is keeping her job. Some speculation is that they will heavily reduce her role in this movie. All of this is, of course, unconfirmed. When news broke that David Zaslav ordered reshoots, many assumed that it was to reduce her role in the movie.

It is also doubtful that she will have any part to play in promotional material. When controversy started around Ezra Miller, WB did the same thing. They completely cut Miller from promotional work, as well. Whenever their name pops up in an interview, DC bosses say they are focusing on improving. We have not received any information regarding their future in the new DCU. Flash has a small role in the upcoming first slate and will have no movie or series. Thus, the likelihood of a recasting happening is very high.

Amber Heard’s Mera will have no role to play whatsoever. I speculate that they only keep her in the movie, not to anger reviewers. Now, in all honesty, I am OK with them holding her. I won’t boycott the movie because they decided not to cut her. Johnny Depp should have kept his job, and she should be afforded that same leeway. However, I also understand why some executives might want to cut her out as much as possible.

The Future Of The DCU

The future of Aquaman will be exciting to observe. Whether or not Jason Mamoa will ever play the Superhero again is still very unclear. Rumors are rampant that he is being recast to play Lobo. Although, it is worth noting that James Gunn denies these rumors outright. When asked, Gunn stated that there are no plans to recast anyone. These comments contradict his previous statements, saying that he would be open to working with past talent in a different capacity.

If you believe rumors, Henry Cavill was already asked to return for a more minor unrelated to Superman’s role. He, of course, declined the offer to work on Warhammer. As stated previously, Aquaman does not have a place within the first slate of DC movies under James Gunn. He announced ten movies, none of which have the Superhero listed anywhere. Thus, we will likely not see anything from the Atlantis King until at least 2030. It is very safe to assume that Jason Mamoa will no longer be in contention for the part by then.

Aquaman is, however, a massive part of the Justice League, and we all know that Gunn is building his DC slate to conclude with all of the superheroes coming together. We may see Aquaman make an appearance.

Conclusion

We still need to learn plenty of things about the new DC slate. Although the main projects have been announced, we still don’t know what surprises there might be. For Aquaman 2, building excitement is going to be challenging to do. Releasing standalone superhero movies in today’s climate takes work to do. Marvel’s Cinematic Universe has created a certain level of expectation. Most fans want films to flow and connect. Since Aquaman 2 does not fit in with future projects, it might be a hard sell.

However, with reshooting happening, the connection between Aquaman 2 and the new DC slate might be more significant than we think. Aquaman is still a very popular superhero, and I am sure dedicated fans still want to say goodbye to the final chapter of the Snyderverse.