In a recent interview with UPI while promoting his upcoming film ‘Wanted Man,’ Dolph Lundgren spoke about the changes made to his and Amber Heard’s roles in the latest DC film, ‘Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom.’
Lundgren expressed his thoughts on the reshoots that affected the sequel’s storyline, leading to reduced screen time for both his character and Amber Heard’s Mera:
“My opinion is that I thought the original script was great. I was a bigger part of it, and Amber Heard was a bigger part of it. The studio decided, I guess, to just reshoot a bunch of footage to try to rebuild a slightly different storyline. That’s tricky because you can’t reshoot the whole movie.”
He then admitted that these changes made him feel frustrated and disappointed:
“When you start inserting different story elements into something [with which] there was a unity that worked, then you can get in trouble. It was a little frustrating for me. I felt a little disappointed, but life goes on.”
DCEU Revamped: What Happened?
The reshoots came as a result of Warner Bros.’s decision to reboot the DC Extended Universe (DCEU) under James Gunn. It also saw the removal of Michael Keaton’s Bruce Wayne from the film. Ben Affleck’s Batman was brought in as a replacement cameo, but the final edit excluded Batman entirely, which ended up making the film a standalone sequel.
Controversy surrounding Heard’s role in the sequel gained attention following her defamation case with Johnny Depp. An online petition to remove Heard from the film had big support, but the film’s co-producer, Peter Safran, confirmed her appearance in the sequel. However, Heard’s role was notably reduced, aligning with her claims during the Depp v. Heard trial.
Despite the adjustments, ‘Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom’ made an impact at the box office. Since its release in North American theaters on December 22, 2023, the film has surpassed $330 million globally and is tracking to end its theatrical run above $400 million. This follows the first ‘Aquaman’ film’s impressive $1.15 billion global haul.
What’s in Store For the Future?
Lundgren has several upcoming projects, including ‘Wanted Man,’ ‘Hellfire,’ a rumored appearance in ‘Drago,’ and ‘Malevolence,’ and the TV series ‘The Witcher Rats’ spinoff. As for Amber Heard, currently, she has no new projects announced.
Meanwhile, speculation about the future of Aquaman in James Gunn’s DC Universe remains, with Jason Momoa rumored to continue his association with Warner Bros./DC as Lobo.
