Earlier this week, Variety reported that Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom began production, and Amber Heard is set to reprise her role as Mera (Aquaman’s love interest) in the second installment, despite well-publicized abuse allegations against ex-husband Johnny Depp.
Fans of the actor are calling out Warner Bros. for not firing Heard from the Aquaman franchise, even though her violent behavior was exposed during a UK High Court libel case last year. Additionally, many fans are upset that Depp is still not allowed to return to The Fantastic Beasts franchise after he was booted for allegations of abuse against Heard much earlier in the same case.
On Twitter, many fans took to the platform to share their disappointment, and have pledged to boycott the new Aquaman sequel due to Heard’s role in the film:
Due to the controversial abuse allegations, Depp was completely blackballed in Hollywood. Warner Bros. decided to sever ties with Depp, asking him to step down from The Fantastic Beasts franchise, and he will not return to play the role of Grindelwald. Last year, he publicly announced his departure from the film series on his official Instagram account.
Additionally, he was dropped from Disney's Pirates of the Caribbean franchise, where he was originated the role of the famous Captain Jack Sparrow.
In the sixth installment of the Pirates of the Caribbean, Margot Robbie will take on the leading role, while Mads Mikkelsen is set to take over Depp's role in Fantastic Beasts 3.
Depp began dating Heard in June 2012, following his split from Vanessa Paradis. Soon after, they tied the knot in Los Angeles. One year later, Heard filed for divorce.
During their marriage, Heard accused Depp of domestic abuse, and told the British publication The Sun that Depp often struck her, screamed at her, and called her names. The 58-year-old actor filed a $50 million defamation lawsuit against the actress, and in turn, lost the libel case to his former wife.
However, during the court case, Depp described a much different marriage than the one Heard had described. He said that she hit him, verbally abused him, and even recalled a time when he found feces in their bed, calling it the final straw. He said that all of her claims against him were either grossly exaggerated or fabricated entirely.
Warner Bros. has not released an official statement regarding a re-evaluation of their decision to sever their ties with Depp. Additionally, the entertainment company has not shown any signs of firing Heard from the production.
For now, their stance on the issue remains the same regarding their current relationship with Depp and Heard.