Here’s Exactly How Much Screen Time Amber Heard Had In Aquaman 2

Amber Heard’s role in Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom was subject to controversy throughout, with her inevitable screen time in the movie remaining a particular point of contention. The highly publicized defamation trial between Heard and her ex-husband Johnny Depp caused a lot of negativity regarding Heard’s role in the Aquaman sequel – which Heard claimed had prompted Warner Bros. to scale back her prominence in the DCEU movie. Amber Head’s performance in Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom was indeed much smaller than many expected, despite playing an essential role.

Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom was the final movie in the DCEU timeline. Of the many characters in the Aquaman sequel, Amber Heard reprised her role as Aquaman’s love interest Mera. Mera assisted the hero, also known as Arthur Curry, throughout the first Aquaman movie, but was introduced a year prior in Justice League​​​​​​. Playing such an important character, Amber Heard’s appearance in Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom seemed assured.

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Amber Heard Had 5 Minutes Of Screen Time In Aquaman 2

The Lost Kingdom Isn’t Her Story

Amber Heard’s Mera may have appeared in Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom scenes totaling 20 minutes, but these only provided her with less than five minutes of actual screen time. Heard appears in the opening montage scene depicting Mera giving birth to her and Aquaman’s baby and the family’s newfound home life (totaling 50 seconds). Mera then appears briefly in the Atlantean throne room, before being injured by Black Manta (another 60 seconds). Mera is subsequently seen for approximately 15 seconds, being placed into medical care.

Mera later reappears in a handful of scenes with minimal dialogue, including discovering her baby has been kidnapped – proffering another 40 seconds of screen time. Mera subsequently features during the final battle with Black Manta and in Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom‘s ending, bestowing the character with another 80 seconds of screen time. In total, Amber Heard’s Mera appears on-screen for 4 minutes and 22 seconds.

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The role is certainly substantially reduced compared to the first movie, in which Heard’s Mera was an integral character and appeared throughout. While Mera was still important in Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom, she had a substantially smaller role than was expected. The explanation behind this, however, has been shrouded in conflicting reports.

Why Amber Heard’s Role Was Reduced In Aquaman 2

During the infamous defamation case between Amber Heard and Johnny Depp, Heard claimed that the negative publicity had led to her role in Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom being drastically reduced. Amber Heard even suggested that Warner Bros. wanted to cut her from Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom entirely. Dolph Lundgren seemingly confirmed Heard’s role was altered, claiming that Heard’s role was reduced through reshoots (via UPI). Heard certainly faced a lot of backlash during this period, with fans petitioning to have her removed from the project.

However, director James Wan has contradicted these claims. In an interview with Entertainment Weekly, James Wan explained that Mera’s role was always intended to be smaller in the Aquaman sequel.

“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.”

Wan explained that the Aquaman sequel was never planned as a romance story and that he had pitched an adventure focusing on Aquaman and his relationship with his half-brother Orm. Warner Bros. also claimed that Heard’s position as Mera was under question following Aquaman‘s release, noting a distinct lack of chemistry between Heard and the movie’s star, Jason Momoa. These conflicting reports make it hard to discern the true cause of Heard’s scaled-back role in Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom. While Warner Bros. and Wan have proffered very legitimate reasons for reducing Mera’s role in the sequel,

Why Amber Heard’s Role Couldn’t Be Cut From Aquaman 2

Amber Heard’s Mera was vital to Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom, providing much of the emotional motivation for the eponymous hero. The movie needed Mera’s injury and her baby’s kidnapping to provide Aquaman with emotionally resonant stakes. By depicting Mera and Arthur’s family life in the opening, the peril was heightened and Aquaman was spurred into his mission with a deeper motivation. Having Mera save Aquaman’s life later in the movie gave the character even further significance in the narrative. Indeed, Mera’s character is a vital aspect of Aquaman’s character, which is particularly evident in the comic books.

In DC Comics, Mera is an incredibly popular and prominent character. Mera appears regularly throughout various Aquaman storylines, particularly those regarding their son, Aquababy. Aquababy is very consequential in Aquaman lore, with his untimely death having great ramifications for Mera and Aquaman. Mera later appears throughout the Blackest Night and Brightest Day crossover events, cementing her vital position in the DC Universe. As such, Heard’s smaller role in Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom does not do the character much justice.

Sources: UPI, Entertainment Weekly

Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom

Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom is the sequel to the 2018 film that sees Jason Momoa reprise his role as Arthur Curry (AKA Aquaman.) In the film, Aquaman is forced to forge a strained alliance with a new ally to protect his kingdom of Atlantis and the world from total destruction. 

Director

James Wan

Release Date

December 22, 2023

Studio(s)

DC Studios , Safran Company , Atomic Monster

Distributor(s)

Warner Bros. Pictures

Cast

Jason Momoa , Amber Heard , Patrick Wilson , Dolph Lundgren , Yahya Abdul-Mateen II , Temuera Morrison

Franchise(s)

DCU