James Wan is gearing up for the release of Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom next month. The sequel to the billion-dollar-grossing 2018 film Aquaman will be the last pre-James Gunn era film before his reboot in 2025. Jason Momoa, Patrick Wilson, and many other cast members of the first film are returning to the film.
The big point of discussion is the involvement of Amber Heard in the film. There were rumors that her role has been kept minimum in the film due to her recent court case and its many outcomes. Wan recently released a statement regarding the film and Heard’s fans were quick to point out that the director failed to mention or include Heard anywhere in it, angering them.
Amber Heard Fans Angered Over James Wan’s Omission of Her in His Statement
Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom is nearing its release date and director James Wan is hyping up the film by releasing a new trailer of the film recently. The Jason Momoa-led sequel to the 2018 hit Aquaman has been marred with various rumors about its troubled production.
Amber Heard’s involvement in the film has also been a major talking point as her role is rumored to be kept to the bare minimum. James Wan put out a lengthy statement (via X) about the film and his hope for audiences to enjoy and appreciate the effort that he and the cast put into the film.
Statement from James Wan for #Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom. The film is set to open in theaters internationally December 20 and in North America December 22.
Provided Courtesy of Warner Bros. Pictures pic.twitter.com/jgZyBMbNf0
— The Flash Film News (@FlashFilmNews) November 21, 2023
Heard’s fans were quick to point out Wan’s omission of Heard’s name in the entire statement. They took to X to express their anger and frustrations over this scenario. It is also worth mentioning that there are sections of audiences who have no expectations of her and her character while also claiming that the movie is doomed to fail.
That was a very wordy attempt to try and cover off the fact they have nullified the Mera character due to cowardice and expediency. It looks increasingly clear that there needs to be a call for a boycott of the movie and if that happens then WB has it coming. 🤷🏻♂️
— Lupine – non melior amicus non nequior hostis 🇺🇦 (@Genxpunk69) November 21, 2023
Is ostracizing one of the cast members bc she was abused how you treat “family” James Wan?
— Marge Gunderson (@CareyCareyyaya) November 21, 2023
Wow, that was sexist. Did #JamesWan believe that when the stakes are higher, women aren’t able to face it? Does he knows Mera has bigger powers than the two brothers together? Does he think he lives in a century where women have no role in ruling things?
— Paulo Boccato (@BoccatoPaulo) November 21, 2023
Blah blah blah amber heard sucks and no one’s watching this movie
— the snark knight rises (@nonameforme2023) November 22, 2023
Gosh nobody will touch Amber now after all this, she’s box office poison and attracts negative attention by accusing everyone around her of mistreating her in someway
— Steph (@introspectiveho) November 22, 2023
*Don’t expect much Amber Heard
— TiHi (@TibzThe1st) November 21, 2023
The divisiveness regarding Heard has been detrimental to the hype regarding the film and its box office potential. It remains to be seen whether she is presented in a meaningful way or is reduced with an arc that does not provide any substance to the film.
James Wan’s Recent Comments May Answer Amber Heard’s Reduced Role
James Wan’s new Aquaman sequel seems to be primarily focused on the sibling relationship between Jason Momoa’s Arthur Curry and Patrick Wilson’s Orm Marius. The various promotional material for the film hardly featured Amber Heard‘s Mera who had a significant role in the first film.
Wan’s explanation of the change in direction in the sequel may provide the reason for Heard’s possibly reduced role. Speaking to Entertainment Weekly, Wan said that he had always wanted the first film to be a romantic action-adventure focused on Curry and Mera and the second film as a bromance action-adventure between Curry and Marius. Wan told the outlet,
“I always pitched this to everyone from the get-go. The first Aquaman was Arthur and Mera’s journey. The second movie was always going to be Arthur and Orm. So, the first was a romance action-adventure movie, the second one is a bromance action-adventure movie. We’ll leave it at that.”
Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom sees the return of Momoa alongside Wilson, Heard, Yahya Abdul-Mateen II, and Nicole Kidman. It is scheduled to be released in theaters on December 22, 2023.
