According to rumors, in an effort to push ‘girl power and feminism,’ the upcoming aquatic DC film may center less on the actual eponymous hero and more on Mera and/or Queen Atlanna.
Amber Heard and Nicole Kidman in ‘Aquaman’ (2018). Image © 2018 Warner Bros. Entertainment/DC Comics.
Even though Donald Trump’s out of the White House, do you still need something to roll your eyes about? Well… you’re in luck! The never-ending frustration-inducing saga that is Amber Heard garners yet another installment. According to the sometimes-dependable tipster Daniel Richtman, Aquaman 2 could be focusing more on Mera and/or Queen Atlanna in an effort to push “girl power and feminism.” Sigh.
Don’t get us wrong, we’re all for strong female characters. However, the franchise is Aquaman, not Mera…man. Especially when it comes to Heard, the less we see, the better. There seems to be a “replace male-led-franchises with females” trend happening, and while equal representation is necessary, we say give the girls their own movies instead of rebooting old ones. Let’s be original, OK?
With no other solid plot details at hand for Aquaman 2, this rumor very well may hold merit. Maybe Heard will be fired before more is revealed.
The first Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom trailer was revealed during last week’s Warner Bros. CinemaCon 2023 panel, and although it has not yet been released to the public, Deadline reports that Amber Heard’s Mera can be seen during a brief battle sequence.
Heard’s role in the film has been on shaky ground since losing a highly televised $50 million domestic abuse court case against ex-husband Johnny Depp.
Fan outrage has been so strong against the actress that one petition to axe the starlet has reached over 4.5 million signatures. However, audience outcries have not been answered, and she will remain in the film in at least a “pared down” capacity, as explained by former studio head Walter Hamada.
While the official plot of The Lost Kingdom remains under wraps, the DCU project’s working title has supposedly been Necrus. In Aquaman lore, Necrus is another underwater city like Atlantis, ruled by the militaristic King Mongo. Unlike Atlantis, its placement is unstable, meaning the location of the city constantly changes, never to be found in the same place twice. Apparently, this is due to alien satellite technology. Sure!
James Wan directs from a script by David Leslie Johnson-McGoldrick, Mort Weisinger, and Paul Norris. Jason Momoa stars as Arthur Curry with Ben Affleck as Bruce Wayne, Patrick Wilson as Orm, and Yahya Abdul-Mateen II as the dastardly Black Manta.
Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom is scheduled to swim into theaters December 20, 2023.
