Director James Wan argued that the choice to remove Amber from the trailer was a creative one, as the sequel was a “bromance” film
The Queen of the Deep has finally arrived! Fans get a brand new glimpse at Amber Heard as Mera in the newest television spot for James Wan’s Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom.
Aquaman 2 has mostly been marketed as a buddy-cop adventure film between Arthur Curry and his brother Orm to stop Black Manta from destroying his family. However, one key member of that family has been mostly absent from marketing: Mera. A fresh TV spot for the film features a blink-and-you’ll-miss-it scene of Amber Heard in the upcoming DC Universe project:
It’s no secret as to why Amber Heard has been all but absent from Aquaman 2 marketing. Even ignoring her reduced role in the film, the contentious nature of her legal battle with Johnny Depp has left Warner Bros. understandably wary about using her to market the sequel. Hopefully, those legal woes don’t impact the final splash of Atlantis in the DC Universe!
The future of the DC Universe
James Gunn and Peter Safran told journalists that their vision for the DC Universe includes locked scripts, wiggle room, and a unified storyline across film, television, animation, and video game projects. The two explained that the DC Universe could bring back elements from previous DC regimes, meaning that their eight-to-year plan is not a full reboot.
Jason Momoa filmed with multiple Batmans for Aquaman 2 – is this the beginning of DC's multiverse? | British GQ (gq-magazine.co.uk)
WarnerMedia/Warner Bros. Discovery unit (2018–present)[edit]
On February 21, 2020, the Co-Publisher of DC Comics, Dan DiDio stepped down after 10 years at that position. The company did not give a reason for the move, nor did it indicate whether it was his decision or the company's. The leadership change was the latest event in the company restructuring which began the previous month, as several top executives were laid off from the company.[100][101] However, Bleeding Cool reported that he was fired.[102]
In June 2020, Warner Bros. announced a separate DC-themed online-only convention. Known as DC FanDome, the free "immersive virtual fan experience" was a 24-hour-long event held on August 22, 2020.[103] The main presentation, entitled "DC FanDome: Hall of Heroes", was held as scheduled on August 22.[104] The remaining programming was provided through a one-day video on demand experience, "DC FanDome: Explore the Multiverse", on September 12.
As Warner Bros. and DC's response to San Diego Comic-Con's cancellation due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the convention featured information about DC-based content including the DC Extended Universe film franchise, the Arrowverse television franchise, comic books, and video games. The convention also returned for the virtual premiere of Wonder Woman 1984[105] and returned once again on October 16, 2021.[106]
In August 2020, roughly one-third of DC's editorial ranks were laid off, including the editor-in-chief, senior story editor, executive editor, and several senior VPs.[107]
In March 2021, DC relaunched their entire line once again under the banner of Infinite Frontier. After the events of the Dark Nights: Death Metal storyline, the DC Multiverse was expanded into a larger "Omniverse" where everything is canon, effectively reversing the changes The New 52 introduced a decade prior.[108]
Furthermore, AT&T spun off WarnerMedia to Discovery, forming Warner Bros. Discovery. This merger was completed on April 8, 2022.
In January 2023, DC is set to relaunch their line under the banner of Dawn of DC following the conclusion of Dark Crisis on Infinite Earths and Lazarus Planet.[109] Later that year, Jim Lee was promoted to President of DC in May