Aquaman

Numerous 'Aquaman' revelations have come to light during Johnny Depp's defamation trial against his ex-wife Amber Heard — details.

Heard’s talent agent, Jessica Kovacevic, also testified that she had been told a “lack of chemistry” between the two Aquaman actors affected the sequel’s script. Following Heard’s claims that Depp’s allegations affected her role in Aquaman 2, the president of DC films, Walter Hamada, was called as a witness. “In my experience … Your career takes a turn after something like that. During the trial, Heard claimed that the media attention surrounding the case has hurt her career prospects as well. “It’s been six years of trying times,” Depp testified in April 2022. Depp is suing his Rum Diary costar over a 2018 Washington Post op-ed in which she identified herself as a victim of domestic violence but did not mention the Pirates of the Caribbean actor by name.

The actor admitted contacting Warner Bros., but said it was to warn the studio about an onslaught of "ugly" press.

However, the cell phone video of Depp was verified and posted in about “15 minutes,” according, to Tremaine. The video, which Heard admitted to filming on her cell phone, was used as evidence in the case. He said Warner Bros. was getting “upset” about “constant hit pieces” portraying him negatively in the media. Depp and Heard were married from 2015 to 2016, and their divorce became top tabloid news before it was finalized in 2017. However, Judge Penney Azcarate denied the motion. “On one level yes, it’s just acting, it’s just movies.

During his ongoing defamation trial, Depp said his ex-wife Heard asked him to reach out to Warner Bros. executives after her audition for the DC film.

"The character's involvement in the story was sort of what it was from the beginning." Heard later said she isn't sure if she'll appear in the final cut of the movie. "Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom" will now debut in theaters on March 17, 2023. Depp was asked about the latter on the stand. Its sequel, "The Crimes of Grindelwald, in which Depp also starred, made over $648 million worldwide. In 2018, Rolling Stone published a feature, " The Trouble With Johnny Depp," on the actor's marriage "gone very wrong" and a lavish lifestyle he couldn't afford. "Honestly, I felt responsibility for having gone to those people and painted such a beautiful picture," Depp said. Depp was cut off and the question was rephrased. It's just movies, but it's business and it's your word," he added. I'd been on films with them," Depp said Wednesday of his relationship with the studio, adding that Heard "asked me if I would speak to them." So hopefully, I suppose, I had curbed their worries to some degree." I saw the emails.

While Depp says he helped get Heard the role, he also warned Warner Bros. that things were "going to end up ugly" after their split. By Jessica Wang May 25, ...

Depp claimed that "Warner Bros. was starting to get quite upset about some of the things that were being said about" him in the press, adding, "On one level, yes, it's just acting, it's just movies. Heard filed a $100 million countersuit, claiming Depp and his legal team defamed her by calling her allegations false. Heard previously testified that Depp did not help her land her role in the superhero film. Under redirect, Depp explained why he sent that text, saying he felt guilty about initially advocating for Heard to get the part. On Wednesday, Depp returned to the stand and told the court that he "made a phone call" that helped Heard land her role in the 2018 DC film. The charges were ultimately dropped, but fearing the studio behind the movie, Warner Bros., would still have reservations about casting her, Depp said he made phone calls to them on her behalf.

Amber Heard was paid $2 million for the second "Aquaman" film while Jason Momoa enjoyed a $12 million raise.

Meanwhile, Heard has countersued for $100 million for nuisance. Entertainment industry expert Kathryn Arnold testified in the defamation trial of Johnny Depp v. Heard previously testified that she had to "fight really hard" to keep her role in the franchise due to the negative press about her and her involvement in the previous libel trial with Depp.

The actor, who played Princess Mera in the 2018 DC movie, is being sued by Depp for $50m (£39.7m) for implying he abused her in a 2018 Washington Post op-ed.

She added that her contract said she would make $2m (£1.6m) for the second film. “I fought really hard to stay in the movie. Start your Independent Premium subscription today. They just removed a bunch.” Although she didn’t name him, he claims her allegations impacted his ability to work. During her testimony last week, Heard claimed Warner Bros “didn’t want to include me” in Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom, adding that her role in the sequel was cut down after Depp’s team called her initial abuse claims a “hoax”.

Amber Heard witness appears to give away 'Aquaman 2' spoilers during Johnny Depp defamation trial · A witness in Amber Heard and Johnny Depp's trial appeared to ...

In the "Aquaman" comics, Aquaman and Mera do have a child together called Arthur Curry Jr., or Aquababy. However, producer Peter Safran told Deadline that "fan pressure" wouldn't affect a decision on whether to fire Heard. Depp is suing Heard over a Washington Post op-ed she wrote in 2018, describing herself as a victim of domestic abuse.

Walter Hamada, the head of DC Films, testified that the studio considered recasting Heard's role in 'Aquaman 2' due to poor chemistry.

Heard has alleged that her role was “pared down” considerably over time, but Hamada testified it has remained static since the film was first developed in 2018. Heard was paid $1 million for the first “Aquaman,” and $2 million for the sequel. “They didn’t have a lot of chemistry together,” Hamada said.

Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom may replace Mera with Dolphin from the Peter David Aquaman run, all thanks to the toxicity surrounding Amber Heard.

This truly would reverse Dolphin's introduction to Aquaman in the comics, as well as permanently get rid of the much more popular Mera in the movies. To set the stage for Dolphin and rid itself of Amber Heard, Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom may kill off Mera. This will allow Dolphin, who's to be introduced in the film anyway, to take over as the love interest. While this sounds problematic, given how much fans like the character of Mera outside of Amber Heard, but it's in many ways for the best. There are other versions of Peter David's Dolphin, such as the one more recently introduced into mainstream DC continuity via Rebirth. This version is a true Atlantean, albeit with a mutation that gives her fish-like, scaly hands. Dolphin may have swum into obscurity after her inaugural run, but she was once an immensely vital part of the Aquaman mythos. Aquaman's love interest, Mera, is seemingly being sidelined due to behind-the-scenes drama, with her replacement being someone from Aquaman's most popular era in the comics.

Entertainment consultant Kathryn Arnold testified on the DC star's behalf during the ongoing defamation Amber Heard is involved in with ex-husband Johnny ...

Reports surfaced yesterday that Momoa, 42, allegedly defended Heard to keep her role in the sequel. “They just removed a bunch out.” “She ends up in the hospital early in this new ‘Aquaman 2’ movie and doesn’t really come out until the end to kind of wrap things up.

Industry consultant Kathryn Arnold testifies that Jason Momoa and Aquaman 2 director James Wan fought to keep Amber Heard in the DC movie.

Arnold's testimony that Momoa and Wan fought to keep Heard in Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom does align with most of the actress' claims during the trial. Only time will tell how the trial has truly effected her role in the film when Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom hits theaters on March 17, 2023. Development on Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom has seen a rollercoaster of starts and stops with Wan wanting to take his time to develop the sequel rather than deliver a rushed product and having to work around the COVID-19 pandemic during production.

Few filmmakers have proven as ambitious or imaginative in recent decades as James Wan, who got his start in the horror world with franchises like Saw, ...

"As part of our DC slate, some legacy development titles including New Gods and The Trench will not be moving forward," Warner Bros. and DC said in a statement at the time. While the DC Extended Universe has seen a number of successes, its underwhelming experiences are often attributed to the overall franchise lacking a cohesive vision for the series as a whole. So I would say of all the different thoughts and ideas I've come up with, I end up using maybe 20-30% of them in my work, and so I do have a drawer full of ideas that could develop into something else."

DC Films chief Walter Hamada testified Amber Heard was almost booted from Aquaman sequel, but that Johnny Depp's abuse allegations were not why.

He also said that filming the sequel with Heard went smoothly. “The reality is it’s not uncommon on movies for two leads to not have chemistry and it’s sort of movie magic and editorial — the ability to put performances with the magic of a great score and how you put the pieces together, you can fabricate that chemistry. They just removed a bunch.” … This one was more difficult because of lack of chemistry between the two.” “They didn’t have a lot of chemistry together,” Hamada said. I got dropped from a campaign I had shot.

During the Amber Heard and Johnny Depp trial, Warner Bros. acknowledged how it talked about a recast for Mera.

In fact, many seemed to enjoy Heard’s time as Mera and wanted to see more of her. ‘Did the two have chemistry?’ I think 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 to there and would we be better off recasting, finding someone who had better, more natural chemistry with Jason Momoa and move forward that way.” Hamada also confirmed that "[they] did not" take any official steps to audition any replacements. Despite Depp feeling the blowback, Heard has not yet been publically outside of any projects. The feud has quickly become one of the biggest within Hollywood in recent memory. The Pirates of the Caribbean star claimed that Heard is not the victim of domestic violence but the perpetrator––and how the original news article claiming abuse was a ruse to garner the actress positive press.

In the ongoing Depp–Heard trial, an expert testified that Momoa and director James Wan were “adamant” that Heard remain in the film.

“In the public, it’s been very negative,” replied Arnold. “In the industry, they like her work but they can’t work with her right now. “Her world has been silent in terms of opportunities,” she continued. She claimed that her role of Mera, the warrior princess and love interest to Aquaman (and future wife according to the DC comics), was “a very pared-down version” of what she had initially signed on to do following her legal battles with Depp. “They basically took a bunch out of my role,” Heard said on the stand. “They just removed a bunch out.” Because every time her name is mentioned, the negativity flares up again.” Arnold’s testimony supports Heard’s version of events.

DC Films Head Says Amber Heard Was Almost Recast in 'Aquaman' Over Chemistry Issues, Not Johnny Depp Allegations · Walter Hamada said some “movie magic” was ...

Hamada noted that Heard’s performance in Aquaman was well-received at early test screenings, despite the chemistry issues. Hamada testified that he had spoken with Aquaman producer Rob Cowan about the lack of chemistry between Heard and Mamoa as they shot the 2018 film. He was called as a witness by Depp’s team in part to counter some of Heard’s own testimony last week.

Aquaman director James Wan discusses his canceled spinoff movie The Trench and the possibility of reworking its horror concepts into another project.

Canceling a promising spinoff like The Trench is one example of this and an especially curious decision given how successful Aquaman and many of Wan's projects are. While Aquaman 2 will likely revisit the Kingdom of the Trench, Wan seems to be referring to one of his standalone horror projects, his most recent of which is Malignant. After getting his start in the world of horror, Wan transitioned to big-budget action blockbusters with Furious 7 in 2015 and followed that up with his entry into the DC Extended Universe in 2018.

Walter Hamada claimed that the 'Aquaman' co-stars' chemistry had to edited with movie magic.

"It was the concerns that were brought up at the wrap of the first movie, production of the first movie, which was the issue of chemistry. "... The movie was always pitched as a buddy comedy between Jason Momoa and Patrick Wilson." Sometimes it's very easy, you just put the characters on the screen together and they work, and sometimes it's harder." "I think 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. Hamada, President of DC-based film productions for Warner Bros., said that, in pre-production for the second film, which is due out next year, there was a weeks-long period where the studio considered recasting Heard's role. Amber Heard and Jason Momoa's Aquaman chemistry was allegedly fabricated thanks to a bit of movie magic.

Walter Hamada, the high-powered head of DC Films, testified Tuesday that Amber Heard's role in "Aquaman 2" was in no way impacted by innuendo surrounding ...

“The character’s involvement in the story was sort of what it was from the beginning.” “I think editorially they were able to make that relationship work in the first movie,” the movie boss stated. They just removed a bunch out,” Heard testified last week.

Warner Bros. Studios DC Films head Walter Hamada has confirmed that the company considered recasting Amber Heard for Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom.

Despite Hamada's assertions, Heard has been released from her contract with Warner Bros., leaving her future within the Aquaman franchise and the DCEU in question. Heard has claimed that as a result of her personal dispute with Depp, her role as Mera was significantly cut down from its initial size and that Warner Bros. wanted her removed from Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom entirely. Following a libel lawsuit filed by Depp against the parent company of British tabloid The Sun in 2018 (which Depp lost) and his removal from the Harry Potter spin-off film series Fantastic Beasts, fans were calling for Heard to be removed from Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom as well, with millions signing a petition.

In court Tuesday, an executive said the studio considered recasting the role of Mera because Amber Heard and Jason Momoa lacked 'chemistry.'

“But I just know that through the course of postproduction, it took a lot of effort to get there.” The Mera character had first appeared in 2017’s “Justice League,” and Warner Bros. had an option to keep Heard in the role. “The reality is, it’s not uncommon in a lot of movies for two leads to not have chemistry. I got dropped from a campaign I had shot. “I got canceled from jobs. It’s sort of movie magic ... to sort of put performances together with the magic [of] a great score,” the executive said.

Director James Wan isn't ruling out aborted 'Aquaman' spinoff movie 'The Trench' coming back in a different form.

We don’t know much about what Wan’s “drawer full of ideas” for The Trench consisted of, but the filmmaker has previously teased that it might’ve actually featured a popular Aquaman character in a major role. That’s my problem, is I come up with a lot of ideas and I have so many ideas just percolating, but obviously, I can’t use all of them. Following Aquaman‘s phenomenal box office performance over Christmas 2018, it was quickly announced that Warner Bros. had commissioned director James Wan to helm a spinoff.

Aquaman and Wonder Woman both communicate with animals, which makes Aquaman's fish consumption in the post-Flashpoint universe seemingly hypocritical.

The changes made to Aquaman in the post-Flashpoint DC Universe are understandable, given Aquaman’s under-appreciated and misunderstood status within DC’s pantheon of heroes. Both Aquaman and Wonder Woman have the power to communicate with animals, but only the former is mocked for it, leading DC to make him seem hypocritical when mitigating this. Wonder Woman and Aquaman are among the greatest and most iconic superheroes in DC Comics, but unfortunately Arthur Curry is perhaps the most misunderstood hero.

Aquaman star Jason Momoa and director James Wan wanted to keep Amber Heard in the upcoming sequel, Aquaman 2.

This one was more difficult because of lack of chemistry between the two.” “At the end of the day when you watch the movie, it looks like they have great chemistry,” he explained. “But I just know that through the course of postproduction, it took a lot of effort to get there. Sometimes you just put characters together on the screen and they work. So, they may not have hired her again,” Arnold said. “Her management team fought very hard, and they ultimately ended up hiring her, but not only because of what her management did, but also because star Jason Momoa and director James Wan committed to her.”

As the Johnny Depp vs Amber Heard trial enters its final days, more is revealed as to why Heard's role in DC's Aquaman 2 was reduced.

When asked if Heard's role was reduced in the movie, Hamada answered that it wasn’t. He went on to add that Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom was never supposed to have a romantic co-lead like it did in the first film. Amber Heard trial, Heard revealed that she had to fight to keep her role in the upcoming Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom film, and she accused the film's studio of wanting to remove her from the superhero flick entirely. According to Hamada, Heard's role in Aquaman 2 wasn’t reduced due to the reason she alleged in court.

"Aquaman" director James Wan made some intriguing comments about the horror spin-off that never was: "The Trench."

As James Wan explained in a May of 2022 interview with Comic Book, just because "The Trench" never happened doesn't mean he needs to scrap all of the ideas he came up with for it. That honor goes to "The Trench": an "Aquaman" horror spin-off about the titular underwater location that didn't make it far into production. As a result, "Aquaman" has cemented itself as an undisputed hit for Warner Bros.

DC Films chief Walter Hamada testified during the Amber Heard vs Johnny Depp trial that her role in Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom wasn't reduced because of ...

She added that Mera “ends up in the hospital early in this new Aquaman 2 movie and doesn’t really come out until the end to kind of wrap things up. “I believe that in the first act of the movie, she was injured somehow, or it had something to do with a baby,” she said according to Entertainment Weekly, suggesting that Aquaman and Queen Mera (Heard’s character) have a baby in the sequel. “The reality is it’s not uncommon on movies for two leads to not have chemistry and it’s sort of movie magic and editorial — the ability to put performances with the magic of a great score and how you put the pieces together, you can fabricate that chemistry. “They didn’t have a lot of chemistry together,” Hamada testified, refuting Heard’s allegations about the reason behind her role being reduced. She also said that she ‘fought hard’ to keep her job, and that Warner Bros wanted to remove her entirely. During the ongoing trial, Heard said that the legal troubles and allegations have damaged her career, and that her role in the second Aquaman film was reduced because of it.

'Aquaman' director James Wan discusses the possibility of moving his plans for the canceled film, 'The Trench', into other DC Universe projects.

That’s my problem, is I come up with a lot of ideas and I have so many ideas just percolating, but obviously, I can’t use all of them. Most notably, James Wan revealed that the film was actually a solo Black Manta film starring Yahya Abdul-Mateen II. It is not clear why Warner Bros opted not to move forward with the film, though his role in Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom may have had something to do with it. While speaking to Comicbook.com, James Wan was asked if his ideas for The Trench would find their way into another film.

Walter Hamada testified in court Tuesday that Heard's dispute with ex-husband Johnny Depp did not impact her role or pay in the "Aquaman" sequel.

Heard has testified about more than a dozen separate instances of physical abuse she says she suffered at Depp’s hands. "It was all concerns about whether she was the right fit of casting for the movie," he said. "Arthur being Jason Momoa and Orm being Patrick Wilson, so they were always the two co-leads of the movie." She had already ruled Depp could be held responsible for statements made by his lawyer, a principle Depp’s team disputes. No other actresses were auditioned for the part of Mera, Hamada said. Heard’s lawyers had initially suggested they would call Depp as a witness but ultimately opted against it.

A late development in the Johnny Depp and Amber Heard defamation trial had new witness Kathryn Arnold, an entertainment industry consultant, testifying that ...

Adding to the drama is Wan's wife Ingrid Bisu, who made some expletive-laced remarks on Instagram that were seemingly targeted toward the Aquaman actress. The director's recent activity shows that he suddenly unfollowed Heard on Instagram, sparking rumors that he is distancing himself from the Aquaman actress. A late development in the Johnny Depp and Amber Heard defamation trial had new witness Kathryn Arnold, an entertainment industry consultant, testifying that lead actor Jason Momoa and director James Wan fought to keep Heard in Aquaman 2.

James Wan has reflected on canceled Aquaman spin-off The Trench, and how he plans to reuse ideas from the film in future.

Although there will be no spin-off movie based on The Trench, there is nothing to say that the location may not turn up again in the future. However, by April 2021, the spin-off was canceled by Warner Bros., and all focus was put on Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom. However, James Wan has explained that there is every chance his ideas for the spin-off could manifest in another project. In Aquaman, James Wan brought a dark and horrifying world to life in a sequence involving The Trench, a deadly area of the ocean filled with bloodthirsty monsters that Arthur Curry must fight his way through towards the end of the movie.

The Trench, Aquaman's horror spinoff starring Yahya Abdul-Mateen II's Black Manta, may have sunk without a trace last year – but Aquaman director James Wan ...

"That's my problem, is I come up with a lot of ideas and I have so many ideas just percolating, but obviously, I can't use all of them," Wan explained. It was later cancelled in 2021. "So I would say of all the different thoughts and ideas I've come up with, I end up using maybe 20-30% of them in my work, and so I do have a drawer full of ideas that could develop into something else."

The head of DC Films, which produced "Aquaman," testified that the creative team had concerns about Amber Heard's role in the film's sequel over a lack of ...

The music in the scene makes a big difference." The character's involvement in the story was sort of what it was from the beginning," Hamada testified in the deposition. "A good editor and a good filmmaker can pick the right takes and pick the right moments and put scenes together against score. On Tuesday, a March recorded deposition of Walter Hamada, President of DC Films, which is a division of Warner Bros., was played for the jury in the defamation trial between Heard and her ex-husband, Johnny Depp. Hamada testified that "Aquaman" was the highest grossing film ever for the company. And the chemistry wasn't there," Hamada said in the deposition. Depp has sued Heard for $50 million over a 2018 Washington Post op-ed she wrote that the actor claims defamed him and has resulted in him allegedly losing work.

During cross-examination, Amber Heard had responded to the claim saying, 'I got myself that role by auditioning. That's how that works'

However, Depp's legal team had DC Films President Walter Hamada testify that her role as Mera in the sequel was never planned to be significant, and that it's instead a "buddy-comedy" centered on Jason Momoa and Patrick Wilson. After losing that libel case, Depp announced that he had agreed to step down from his role in Warner Bros.'s Fantastic Beasts franchise. "The reality is it's not uncommon on movies for two leads to not have chemistry. In March 2021, Depp's attempt to overturn the decision was overruled. Everything Depp has testified up to this point has been irrelevant to the heart of this case, and there's no reason to believe it would be any different now." Aquaman went on to be a box office hit after it was released in December 2018, the same month Heard's Washington Post op-ed was published. The chemistry wasn't there." Depp also claimed he was not aware of the statements made by his attorney that are the basis of Heard's defamation countersuit until she sued him. "I can only say that she ultimately did get the job in the film. Depp filed his $50 million lawsuit against Heard back in 2019, claiming defamation over a 2018 op-ed she wrote about coming forward with domestic violence allegations, though she didn't mention him by name in the article. In this final week of testimonies, Depp got the chance to respond to some matters brought up during Heard's defense, including her saying he did not get her blockbuster Aquaman role for her. During her cross-examination, Heard was asked by Depp's attorney Camille Vasquez whether it was true Depp got her hired on Aquaman. Heard fired back and said, "Excuse me?

The actor returned to the witness stand on Wednesday (25 May) to give more testimony in his multi-million dollar defamation trial against ex-wife Heard. The ...

Depp claimed that Heard had asked him to speak with his contacts at the studio. Start your Independent Premium subscription today. Asked what he believed happened after Heard auditioned for Aquaman, Depp alleged that she told him that Warner Bros had informed her the film would be shooting in Australia, claiming that the shooting location “was of concern to her because it was a concern to Warner Bros”. “For a few years I had had a multi-film deal with Warner Bros so I knew these people, I had been on films with them so she asked me if I would speak to them,” he said. “Ms Heard had wanted to come with me and Whitney, her sister, had come as well,” said Depp, claiming that while they were in Rio, Heard had informed him that she had to return to Los Angeles for an audition. Asked by his legal team whether he recalls Heard testifying that he “did not assist her in getting her role in Aquaman”, Depp replied: “It’s not exactly true.”

While the DC fandom awaits new entries in the DC Extended Universe, the franchise remains in the public eye due to the oft-discussed defamation trial ...

This is also the first time this news has come out during the trial following Heard's claims that Warner Bros. didn't want to bring her back for Aquaman 2 due to her legal issues. Depp: “I was informed by Ms. Heard that the film was going to be shooting in Australia and that was of concern to her because… Johnny Depp had quite an extensive history with Warner Bros. before this trial, including collaborations on Black Mass and Charlie and the Chocolate Factory outside his role as Grindelwald in the Fantastic Beasts series. Depp continued to share how Heard asked him if he could talk to Warner Bros. due to their long-standing relationship, to which Depp agreed and made phone calls to the company's higher-ups. Part of what makes this situation such a difficult one is the relationship that both Heard and Depp have with Warner Bros, specifically since Depp was asked to leave the Fantastic Beasts series in late 2020. Depp: “After Ms. Heard’s audition, or possibly auditions, for Warner Bros. and, I suppose, the creative team, Ms. Heard expressed to me that…