A bombshell report in Variety today details apparent attempts by star Jason Momoa to get Amber Heard fired from the DC sequel.
According to the report, on the same day that the trailer for Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom dropped, several Redditers paid to obtain documents from the Johnny Depp-Heard defamation trial and then published them online.
Among those notes are descriptions, apparently scribbled on a legal pad by Heard's therapist, of Momoa appearing drunk on set, dressed as Depp, as the actor tried to get Heard fired.
The report goes on to say that Heard was, in fact, almost fired as Mera after the release of 2018’s Aquaman, but not because of the public drama with Depp. According to Variety, it was due to a lack of chemistry with Momoa, similar to testimony that Heard’s agent gave during the defamation trial.
Heard was not fired, but that’s reportedly because of Elon Musk. The Variety report alleges that Heard’s former boyfriend had one of his lawyers send a “scorched-earth letter to Warner Bros. threatening to burn the house down,” causing WB to relent and bring back Heard for The Lost Kingdom.
A DC spokesperson pushed back against the Momoa allegations in Variety’s report, saying, “Jason Momoa conducted himself in a professional manner at all times on the set of Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom.” Another source, meanwhile, claimed that Momoa wasn’t dressing as Depp but rather that he “has always dressed in that bohemian style.”
Still, the notes from Heard's therapist in the documents say, “Jason said he wanted me fired. Jason drunk — late on set. Dressing like Johnny. Has all the rings too.”
The notes also say director James Wan ostracized her on set because of the legal battle with Depp, writing, “He raised his voice at me — ‘I can’t even post about Aquaman’ — made it like it was my fault – I said ‘I’m sorry.' Nobody could take selfies with me on set given blackout.”
A DC spokesperson, however, told Variety, “James is known for treating members of his cast and crew with the utmost respect and for fostering a positive, collaborative environment on set — the Aquaman films were no exception.”
Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom had already been under plenty of scrutiny, with other reports over the summer revealing that it underwent three rounds of reshoots amid confusion over Batman’s place in the film, who at one point was expected to have a small role. While reshoots aren’t uncommon for superhero movies, they can be pricey.
According to today’s Variety report, Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom cost $215 million to produce, and there’s certainly hope it can follow the billion-dollar success of its predecessor when it hits theaters on Dec. 20, 2023.
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