The Aquaman 2 trailer was shown off today at CinemaCon featuring Jason Momoa, Patrick Wilson, Yahya Abdul-Mateen II, and Amber Heard.
Regarding Amber Heard, the footage (see description below) seems to confirm what was revealed at the Johnny Depp trial, where Amber Heard said her role as Mera has been drastically reduced.
The trial saw it learned that Mera would basically be written out of the movie at the start of the film involving a baby and a hospital, where Amber Heard and Mera would return at the end of the movie as part of the big battle scene.
What does the Aquaman 2 trailer reveal about Amber Heard?
Well, the Aquaman 2 trailer shown off Tuesday at CinemaCon reveals that Jason Momoa’s Arthur Curry has a new baby boy, so it seems likely that Mera has the baby at the start of the movie and/or is even injured (referencing the hospital info).
The footage from the CinemaCon trailer also adds that Amber Heard has a cameo as Mero in the battle scene footage and that she is shown briefly several times, which again could likely be the end of the movie.
Amber Heard tried to argue she was cut from Aquaman 2 because of Johnny Depp, but the then-head of DC films, Walter Hamada actually testified the reason they reduced her role was because of the lack of chemistry Amber Heard had with Jason Momoa in the first movie.
“They released me from my contract and I’ve fought to stay in it,” Heard testified during the trial. “They kept me in it, I just don’t know how much I’m in actually, the final cut,” said Heard in response to questioning from Johnny Depp’s lawyer, Camille Vasquez, who asked if she has been replaced in Aquaman 2. “As I said, I don’t know if I will even be in the final cut or how much I will be. It was difficult to stay in the movie,” Heard said.
Hamada testified that Amber Heard was never let go from her contract and that the “character’s role is what it was from the beginning.”
“Those are the concerns that were brought up at the wrap of the first movie, the end of production, which was the issue of chemistry, did the two have chemistry,” said Hamada at the trial about the concerns surrounding the chemistry between Amber Heard and Jason Momoa. “I think editorially they were able to make that relationship work in the first movie, but there was a concern it took a lot of effort to get there, and would we be better off recasting and finding someone who had more natural better chemistry with Jason Momoa and move forward with that.”
What does the Aquaman 2 CinemaCon trailer show?
Hamada also testified at the Johnny Depp trial that Aquaman 2 is a buddy comedy featuring Jason Momoa and Patrick Wilson as Orm, which is what was shown in the CinemaCon trailer.
Director James Wan and Jason Momoa both appeared via video at CinemCon on Tuesday, with Wan stating the sequel visits “beautiful strange new worlds” where it explores “interesting new characters.”
“It’s an action-adventure story with a really fun bromance between Arthur and Orm,” offered Wan. “Orm was a villain the first time around, but this time Arthur needs him.”
It’s revealed that Arthur needs Orm to take on Yahya Abdul-Mateen II’s Black Manta who now has a lot more power thanks to a Black Trident, as Black Manta is threatening the surface world with his new powers, so Arthur and Orm need to team up to stop him.
The footage also shows off Nicole Kidman’s Atlanna, Arthur has a conversation with Temuera Morrison’s Tom Curry at the lighthouse, Aquaman battles a submarine beneath the water and villains on the beach, there is a fight with Black Manta, and Amber Heard is shown briefly in the battle.
“I’m supposed to be a king, to bring the land and sea together,” Momoa’s Aquaman states in the trailer.
Some of the comedy includes Momoa telling Black Manta, “No one hits my brother but me.” Patrick Wilson’s King Orm then says, “Do not call me brother!”
Black Manta says, “I’m going to destroy Aquaman and everything he holds dear!”
“Sometimes not giving up is the most heroic thing you can do,” says Tom Curry.
“If you lead, Atlantis will follow,” Orm tells his brother, Arthur.
Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom opens on Dec. 20.
