Rumors of Amber Heard potentially being fired from the upcoming Aquaman sequel have persisted for months. According to a new report from Variety, Heard was almost fired before her then-significant other Elon Musk stepped in.
In a new report on the status of Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom, Variety notes that Warner Bros. Discovery had actually considered firing Heard from the film in 2018. The report notes that Warner Bros. went so far as to send a letter to Heard’s attorneys in 2018 (prior to Heard and Depp’s lawsuit) notifying them of the company’s decision.
The decision had nothing to do with Heard’s lawsuit with ex-husband Johnny Depp — a claim that many fans said was the reason for her potential firing — but instead due to a lack of chemistry the studio thought she had with star Jason Momoa.
However, Variety notes that the company wouldn’t go forward with the move due to Musk — who had dated Heard in 2017 — stepping in. Musk reportedly sent a “scorched-earth letter” to Warner Bros., “threatening to burn the house down” if Heard wasn’t brought back for the sequel.
Musk didn’t respond to Variety’s request for a comment on the matter, so it’s unclear what exactly transpired between the parties. However, Heard is set to return for the upcoming sequel, albeit with multiple scenes cut from the film, according to Variety.
Who else is in Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom?
Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom is once again directed by James Wan from a screenplay written by David Leslie Johnson-McGoldrick. The sequel features the return of Momoa as he reprises the leading role of Arthur Curry/Aquaman. Joining him are various returning cast members, including Patrick Wilson as Orm, Yahya Abdul-Mateen II, Dolph Lundgren as Nereus, and Randall Park as Dr. Stephen Shin.
It will also feature the introduction of new cast members in Game of Thrones alum Pilou Asbaek Indya Moore (Pose, Escape Room: Tournament of Champions), Vincent Regan (300, Ghost Rider: Spirit of Vengeance), and Chinese-Portuguese actress Jani Zhao (Jogo Duplo, The Sugar Captains) in her first major Hollywood film and English-language feature debut. Aquaman 2 is produced by Wan and frequent collaborator Peter Safran.
