Aquaman 2 Petition To Remove Amber Heard Tops 1.5 Million Signatures

[Nergal]

 

Some continue to call for Amber Heard's firing from Aquaman 2, with a petition passing 1.5 million signatures. Heard made her DC Extended Universe debut as Mera, the princess of Xebel, in 2017's Justice League. She went on to have a more prominent role opposite Jason Momoa in Aquaman the next year. Heard is set to play Mera again in Aquaman 2, which is currently set to release in December 2022. Last month, Heard spoke about her part in the film, saying she is "excited to get started next year." However, the actor's comments came as some expressed their desire for Heard to be removed from Aquaman 2.

In early November, a petition was started in support of just that. It calls for Heard's firing from the film in the wake of ex-husband Johnny Depp's exit from Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them 3. For several years, Heard and Depp have been embroiled in scandal over abuse allegations and defamation. However, Heard earned a recent victory when a judge ruled an article from The Sun calling Depp a "wife-beater" was "substantially true." Only days later, Depp revealed he had been asked by Warner Bros. to resign from his role as Gellert Grindelwald in Fantastic Beasts 3.

Now, the Change.org petition arguing for Heard to receive the same treatment in Aquaman 2 has crossed 1.5 million signatures. As of this writing, it sits at over 1,638,000. Around mid-November, the petition surpassed 1 million, indicating its gaining large numbers of signatures in a relatively short amount of time.


As many have pointed out, Warner Bros. is in charge of both the Fantastic Beasts franchise and the DCEU, putting it in a unique position with Heard and Depp. However, despite what the petition argues, the situations with the two actors are quite different. For one, Heard now has a substantial legal case that came out in favor, while Depp does not have the same. Initially, many have been calling for Depp's removal from the Fantastic Beasts franchise for some time, while the outcry from some about Heard hasn't gained the same level of traction until now.

Warner Bros. also had an additional obstacle with Depp, as filming on Fantastic Beasts 3 had already started at the time of his firing. This meant the company had to make a decision sooner rather than later. Meanwhile, Aquaman 2 hasn't started shooting yet, so Warner Bros. has more time to assess the situation. It remains to be seen if the petition against Heard will have any impact on the actor's role in the DCEU, but, judging by the number of signatures, some are certainly hoping it will.

Aquaman 2 (2022)
Release Date: Dec 16, 2022

[niteswim]

This is probably an unpopular opinion -- but I think cancel culture is legitimate. For reasons like this: problematic people that have portrayed toxic traits and ideologies should not be glorified by the media by elevating them to a position of power/status in movies, tv shows, etc. This gives them a platform that influences impressionable young minds who idolize them; it also makes it seem like their problematic behavior is permissible, even justified in some ways. We should hold people accountable for their actions, and that is a summary of what cancel culture is.  That being said, Warner Bros. should remove her from the film, just as Johnny Depp was removed from his.