Warner Bros. Exec Testifies That Amber Heard Was Almost Replaced On ‘Aquaman 2’

While the media circus feeding frenzy around the Johnny Depp defamation lawsuit against ex-wife Amber Heard continues—it’s rather gross and misogynistic, with a lot of people telling on themselves—the unfortunate clickbait fodder around it is that some actual news is made within the walls of something that should probably be private. Heard is also seeking $100 million in a defamation counterclaim against Depp. Part of that case is the allegations that the domestic abuse drama trial, and all the negative press around it, directly impacted her involvement with “Aquaman 2.”

That doesn’t seem to be the case, specifically, however. Heard has already testified that Warner Bros. already reduced her role in the film, but the Warner Bros. brass apparently even considered more drastic measures.

DC Films’ Walter Hamada (via Variety) spoke in a deposition as a witness called upon Depp’s lawyers and talked about Heard’s involvement with the “Aquaman” franchise. Hamada admitted in court some of the rumors online—that Warner Bros. had considered replacing Heard for “Aquaman & The Lost Kingdom” due to what they saw as chemistry issues with star Jason Momoa. According to Hamada, these problems had been purportedly fixed in the first film by creative “movie magic” during the post-production process.

READ MORE: Amber Heard Alleges That Warner Bros. Reduced Her Role In Upcoming ‘Aquaman’ Sequel

“They didn’t have a lot of chemistry together,” Hamada said on the stand. “Editorially, they were able to make that relationship work in the first movie, but there was a concern that it took a lot of effort to get there.”

“You know it when you see it, and the chemistry wasn’t there,” the studio head added.

But the question of removing her or reducing her role in the film wasn’t due to the domestic abuse headlines and bad press—or at least, that’s what the studio executive claimed in court. In the end, all Warner Bros. did was delay her option to return, and she ended up earning $2 million for the sequel, double what she made in the original movie.

While there had been rumors that Heard’s role of Mera was chipped away over time (one that Heard seems to back up in recent allegations), Hamada testified that her role has remained static since the film was first developed in 2018. So, from the studio perspective, it seems their problem is one of on-screen chemistry with Momoa, not the public drama with her ex-husband, Depp, which certainly won’t help her countersuit.

“Aquaman 2” is set to be released on March 17, 2023, and it’s expected that whatever scenes Heard has shot will stay in the film.