With the legal debacle between Johnny Depp and Amber Heard having gained new traction with the ongoing libel trial, so too has the famous Aquaman 2 petition. As those who’ve been following the issues between Johnny Depp and Amber Heard likely already know, fans called to have Amber Heard removed from the production of Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom. This was a direct response to the way Johnny Depp was dropped from both the Pirates of the Caribbean and Fantastic Beasts film franchises. While the petition didn’t succeed, considering Amber Heard still played her part during the film’s production, it seems it has regained traction due to the recent ongoing libel trial.
As of this writing, the Aquaman 2 petition located at Change.org has acquired nearly 2 million signatures. It’s currently sitting at 1,938,000 – and it’ll likely far surpass that number in no time. As the trial featuring Johnny Depp and Amber Heard continues to be broadcasted with every day in court, more fans are eagerly supporting Johnny Depp. And it’s clear that they’ve chosen this petition as a means to express that support. While it’s unclear if Warner Bros will have any further reactions to the petition, there’s no doubt that they are well-aware of its existence.
With that in mind, fans will likely have to wait until the release of the film to see what impact Amber Heard’s involvement has. It’s possible that the project could be boycotted – or it could be met with the same financial success as other recent DCEU projects. Either way, fans can stay tuned to ScreenGeek for any further updates as we have them.
Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom is going to be directed by James Wan, director of the first Aquaman film, from a screenplay written by David Leslie Johnson-McGoldrick. He co-wrote the first Aquaman film alongside Will Beall and James Wan.
The film will once again star actor Jason Momoa as the titular superhero, Aquaman. The aforementioned Amber Heard will reprise her role as Mera. The cast also includes Patrick Wilson as Ocean Master, Dolph Lundgren as King Nereus, and Yahya Abdul-Mateen II as Black Manta.
Audiences can currently expect Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom to be released early next year on March 17, 2023.