Fans of the DC Extended Universe had mixed reactions after it was reported by several outlets that Amber Heard's role in Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom was reduced. According to reports, Mera will only be having less than 10 minutes of screen time in the sequel but the reason behind this shocking development has yet to be disclosed.
For years now, a lot of fans have been demanding Warner Bros. and DC Films to oust the 36-year-old actress from the DCEU, and while the powers that be have yet to take action amid Amber's highly-publicized legal battle with Johnny Depp, the public perception of the actress isn't going to change anytime soon.
This is why if DC Films plans to extend Mera's role in the Aquaman franchise after the sequel, many believe Amber should get recast. Of course, it's already no secret to most of you that Emilia Clarke is the favorite to become her potential replacement.
However, it looks like the Game of Thrones alumnus has some fierce competition in the form of Blake Lively. In fact, there's an ongoing Change.org petition suggesting that the 34-year-old star would be a good choice as the Queen of Atlantis. As it stands, over 7,700 fans have signed the said petition.
Also Read: Aquaman Director James Wan Unfollows Amber Heard on Instagram
Lively is already no stranger to the world of superhero films and if you may recall, she starred in the divisive Green Lantern film opposite Ryan Reynolds. Fun fact: that's where their romance pretty much blossomed.
With rumors of Warner Bros. reducing Amber's role in Aquaman 2, it would be a safe guess that they're planning to write the character off and after the film, Mera might not even cease to exist.
I doubt this will happen though but with The Flash reportedly set to hit the reset button on the DCEU, it would be the perfect time to do a soft reboot on the Aquaman franchise and it would allow someone else to take over the Mera mantle.
Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom's theatrical release has been rescheduled to March 17, 2023.