Was Amber Heard cut from the movie ‘Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom’? James Wan talks about the ‘turbulent’ post-production process
Darui Sven
September 18, 2023 4:19 am
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3 min read
Today, the first trailer for “Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom” is set to debut (a preview was released online a few days ago). Meanwhile, director James Wan addressed the circulating rumors about the film, including the turbulent post-production process and the significant role Amber Heard plays in the spectacle.
“Aquaman 2” unrelated to the rest of the DC?
It is said that the production of “Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom” was tumultuous. Speculations revolved around the disastrous post-production stage, which involved three series of reshoots. The film was caught between two versions of the DC cinematic universe—it is the last spectacle commissioned by the previous leadership before James Gunn and Peter Safran became the heads of DC Studios.
Initially, the dilemma was not knowing whether “Aquaman 2” would be released before or after “The Flash.” So, we had to be prepared, James Wan said in an interview with Entertainment Weekly. In the end, the best thing I can say about this film is that it is in no way connected to the other productions.
But there were rumors that actors playing Batman, Ben Affleck, and Michael Keaton, who also appeared in “The Flash,” participated in the reshoots. So, will these gentlemen not appear in “Aquaman 2”? I have no comment at the moment. You’ll have to wait for the film’s premiere, Wan replied.
“Aquaman 2”: Not as many reshoots?
Wan also answered the question of whether the new head of DC Studios, James Gunn, was involved in his film: We’ve known each other for a long time. We’re both horror guys, and I’m open to ideas. But ultimately, it’s my film.
Wan also claims that the reshooting process was the same as with any major Hollywood spectacle: In this film, we have big actors, and everyone has a very tight schedule. So, we had to split our schedule into several stages. We shot some when one actor was free, another part when someone else had time. People say, “Oh no! They’re doing a lot of different reshoots!” No. If you combine them, it wouldn’t be many days.
Less Amber Heard – was that the plan?
During the legal battle between Amber Heard and Johnny Depp, the actress claimed in court that Warner Bros. didn’t want to include her in the “Aquaman” sequel due to the media frenzy surrounding her divorce. Heard suggested that her role in the film was “diminished,” and her action scenes were taken away.
According to Wan, the sequel was never intended to focus, like the first part, on the relationship between Aquaman (Jason Momoa) and Mera (Amber Heard). The director assures that the priority for “Aquaman 2” was always the relationship between Aquaman and his half-brother Orm (Patrick Wilson).
The first “Aquaman” was a journey shared by Arthur and Mera. The second film was always meant to be about Arthur and Orm. The first film was an adventure romance, the second is an adventure bromance, explained the director.
And is there a chance for “Aquaman 3”? Wan admitted that in the “Lost Kingdom,” they planted several narrative seeds that could sprout in the third film, but for now, he’s not sure if he would want to direct “Aquaman 3.” This film took such a big chunk of my life, so much time, that right now, I can only think about a long vacation.
“Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom” will hit theaters on December 20.
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