Blockbuster 'Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom' faces many troubles before hitting theaters

In mid-September 2023, Warner Bros. released the trailer for the $215 million production budget of Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom . Shortly after, documents from the defamation trial between Johnny Depp and Amber Heard appeared on Reddit, creating a new "headache" for the studio, according to Variety .

Johnny Depp fans have released documents from Amber Heard's therapist, Dawn Hughes. The rough notes, scribbled on a pad of paper, were part of a trial last year in which Depp largely prevailed. They describe how Jason Momoa was allegedly drunk, dressed up as Johnny Depp and forced Amber Heard to quit her role as superhero Mera.

Jason Momoa (as Arthur) in the blockbuster Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom

"Jason said he wanted Amber Heard fired. Jason was drunk, showed up late to set, dressed like Johnny, and wore rings," the Reddit post read.

Jason Momoa's rep declined to comment, but a DC spokesperson denied the reports, saying: "Jason Momoa has always been professional on the set of Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom ." Others echoed that sentiment. "Jason works hard, enjoys the occasional beer like everyone else, but doesn't get drunk on set," said an insider who was on the London set in 2021, adding that the two stars get along well and occasionally joke around. "He doesn't dress like Johnny Depp because he's always been very bohemian," the person added.

However, a source close to the actress confirmed that the notes refer to what happened on set as reflected in the meeting on December 27, 2021.

Jason Momoa isn't the only Aquaman actor to be targeted. Amber Heard is also reportedly being treated like an outcast by director James Wan due to her legal battle with ex-husband Johnny Depp.

"James Wan is known for treating his crew members with the utmost respect and fostering a positive, collaborative environment on set. The Aquaman series is no exception," a DC spokesperson said.

Sources on both sides told Variety that Amber Heard was nearly fired. After Aquaman was released in 2018, the studio and Janes Wan decided to remove the actress from the sequel due to her poor chemistry with Jason Momoa, sending a letter to her lawyer Karl Austen to inform them of their decision.

Amber Heard still appears in Aquaman part 2

That source stressed that the move to remove Amber Heard had nothing to do with Johnny Depp and took place before he filed a lawsuit against the actress in 2019. Jason Momoa was not involved in the decision. But another source disputed that story, noting that Amber Heard had auditioned for season 2 with Momoa before landing the role of Mera and beat out two other actresses, including Abbey Lee.

Ultimately, the studio did not fire Amber Heard because her ex-boyfriend Elon Musk demanded that "a letter be sent to Warner Bros. threatening to burn down the studio" if the actress was not brought back for the sequel, a source confirmed. Warner Bros. reportedly relented and continued working with Amber Heard while Elon Musk did not respond to the incident.

Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom hits theaters on December 20. However, the Aquaman sequel is still expected to be a box office hit, with the first film earning $1.15 billion worldwide , making it the highest-grossing DC film ever. The first Aquaman also earned nearly $300 million in China alone.

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