Entertainment · Film · 12 hrs ago
James Wan says Mera had a smaller role in Aquaman 2 by design
In Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom, Amber Heard’s character Mera has a smaller role than in the first Aquaman film.
Director James Wan said the sequel was designed to focus on Arthur and his half-brother Orm.
He described the first film as a romantic action adventure and the second as a buddy movie.
Heard said during her 2022 trial with Johnny Depp that the studio had reduced her role and that she had fought to remain in the film.
Wan disputed that explanation in interviews in 2023, saying Mera’s reduced presence came from his creative plan.
The dispute matters because Heard linked the change to her legal troubles, while Wan gave a different reason.
The sequel was released in December 2023 and earned $440 million worldwide, compared with $1.1 billion for the first film.
Director James Wan says Mera’s smaller role in Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom was part of his plan for the story.
Wan said the first film focused on Arthur and Mera, while the sequel focused on Arthur and Orm.
Amber Heard had said that changes to the script reduced Mera’s role and that the studio did not want her in the film.
Wan said the change was an artistic choice, not a result of Heard’s legal troubles.
The sequel was released on 20 December 2023 and earned $440 million at the worldwide box office, compared with $1.1 billion for the first film.
- Who
- Director James Wan and actor Amber Heard, who played Mera.
- What
- Wan said Mera’s smaller role in Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom was planned as an artistic choice. Heard had said her role was reduced.
- When
- Wan discussed the decision in September 2023 and again two months later. The film was released on 20 December 2023.
- Where
- The film is set in the DC story world; the sources do not state a real-world location for the events.
- Why
- Wan said the sequel was designed to focus on Arthur and Orm. Heard said script changes reduced Mera’s role and that the studio did not want her to participate.
Amber Heard
James Wan
Reason for Mera’s smaller role
Amber Heard
Heard said script versions removed scenes and gave Mera less to do, and that the studio did not want her in the film.
James Wan
Wan said Mera’s smaller role was part of his story plan and was not caused by Heard’s legal troubles.
I’ve always said that the first Aquaman was the journey of Arthur and Mera, and the second would be about Arthur and Orm.
I was given a script, then different versions where action sequences had been removed.
It’s normal that Amber Heard could say that [that her role had been reduced] because I wasn’t thinking about the character at all when I was working on the film.
But my plan was clear from the start, it was always like that in my head.
Heard said during her trial with Johnny Depp that script versions removed material and reduced what Mera did.
Wan told Entertainment Weekly that the first film followed Arthur and Mera, while the sequel would focus on Arthur and Orm.
Wan told Empire that Mera’s smaller role reflected his plan for the film.
Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom was released in cinemas.
- Director
- James Wan
- Mera
- Played by Amber Heard
- Sequel release
- 20 December 2023
- Worldwide box office
- $440 million for the sequel; $1.1 billion for the first film
- Story focus
- Wan described the first film as Arthur and Mera’s story, and the sequel as Arthur and Orm’s story
Sources
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