Amber Heard says she's all in to reprise her role as Mera in Aquaman 2, even as rumors of her firing circulate online and an old Change.org petition calling for such a move on Warner Bros.' part tops 1 million signatures.
Heard told Entertainment Weekly, "I'm super excited about the amount of fan love and the amount of fan appreciation that Aquaman has acquired and that it has garnered so much excitement for Aquaman and Mera that it means we'll be coming back. I'm so excited to film that." She added, "Paid rumors and paid campaigns on social media don't dictate [casting decisions] because they have no basis in reality. Only the fans actually made Aquaman and Aquaman 2 happen. I'm excited to get started next year."
Heard said the sequel to the 2018 DC Extended Universe film may start production in 2021. A production start date is not conformed, as studio approval for Aquaman 2 and its cast are still pending at Warner Bros.
Speculation over Heard's involvement in Aquaman 2 heated up as her contentious relationship with ex-husband Johnny Depp continued to generate headlines since their 2017 divorce. Each has accused the other of physical abuse. Depp was recently asked to resign from Warner Bros.' Fantastic Beasts franchise of Harry Potter spinoff films after losing a libel lawsuit against British tabloid The Sun, which wrote about alleged incidents during his two-year marriage to Heard. Depp plans to appeal the libel case, and reportedly will collect his full salary for Fantastic Beasts 3, as he filmed one scene before his departure. Additionally, Depp filed a similar defamation suit against Heard in the U.S. state of Virginia, which is expected to go to trial next year.
Directed by James Wan, Aquaman 2 stars Jason Momoa, Amber Heard, Patrick Wilson and Yahya Abdul-Mateen II. The film arrives in theaters Dec. 16, 2022.
Source:Â Entertainment Weekly