Aquaman: Amber Heard Trains with Black Manta Actor in New Photo

CBR

By Anthony Couto

Published May 6, 2017

Aquaman's Mera, Amber Heard, is seen training with actor Yahya Abdul-Mateen II in a new behind-the-scenes photo from the DC Comics-based film.

Following the reveal of a new logo and the announcement of its production start, "Aquaman" has unveiled a new behind-the-scenes photo that shows Amber Heard, who will play Aquaman's badass wife and queen Mera in the film, training alongside fellow star Yahya Abdul-Mateen II, who will portray the villainous Black Manta.

Amber Heard posted the following photo to her Instagram account, with the caption, "Pulling my weight around here thanks to the best/worst workout wingman @yahya #BlackManta vs. #Mera #Aquaman...here we come!" Check it out below.

Pulling my weight around here thanks to the best/worst workout wingman @yahya #BlackManta vs. #Mera #Aquaman...here we come! A post shared by Amber Heard (@amberheard) on May 5, 2017 at 8:24am PDT

Having first appeared in 1964's "Aquaman" #11 published by DC Comics, and written and drawn by Jack Miller and Nick Cardy, respectively, the former queen of the mysterious Dimension Aqua (Xebel), and queen of Atlantis, also took up the mantle of a Red Lantern for the "Blackest Night" event series, and later became a member of Justice League United. “Aquaman” director James Wan has stated the relationship between Mera and Aquaman will start out a little rough in the film.

“It starts off initially with them not quite clicking with each other,” Wan said. “But then as the story progresses as they learn to try and work together, they get closer and closer. I think those stories are always such a great place for a filmmaker like myself to have fun with my actors.”

Heard's Mera makes her debut in November's Zack Snyder-directed "Justice League."

Production on "Aquaman" is already underway at Village Roadshow Studios in Queensland, Australia, most recently used for Disney’s “Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales” and Marvel Studios' “Thor: Ragnarok.” Filming will also take place in Newfoundland, Sicily and Tunisia.

Wan, best known for “Furious 7” and horror films like “Insidious” and “The Conjuring,” has described his film as “a classic sort of swashbuckling action adventure, sort of high seas adventure story.”

Opening Dec. 21, 2018, “Aquaman” stars Jason Momoa as Aquaman, Amber Heard as Mera, Patrick Wilson as Orm/Ocean Master, Willem Dafoe as Nuidis Vulko, Nicole Kidman as Queen Atlanna, Dolph Lundgren as Nereus, and and Yahya Abdul-Mateen II as Black Manta.