Warner Bros’ plans to film the sequel to “Aquaman” at its Movie World studios in Australia have reportedly been disrupted due to issues with actress Amber Heard’s Australian visa.
The original film featured an expensive underwater set, which was set to be used again for the sequel.
However, sources have indicated that Heard has been temporarily banned from entering the country due to her involvement in a dog smuggling incident involving her ex-husband, actor Johnny Depp.
The incident occurred while Depp was filming “Pirates of the Caribbean” in Australia, and involved Heard smuggling her two Yorkshire terrier dogs into the country.
Heard was initially given a small fine and a slap on the wrist for the offense, but new evidence has come to light that suggests she was aware of Australia’s strict laws and deliberately attempted to bypass them.
Leaked Instagram messages show Heard bragging about lying to the authorities in order to bring her dogs into the country.
Witnesses, including her former assistant, have also come forward claiming that she was briefed on Australia’s travel laws and threatened to fire her assistant if she revealed any information.
As a result of this new evidence, a hearing was held by the Australian government’s Department of Agriculture to determine Heard’s visa status.
It is believed that Warner Bros has been aware for some time that Heard’s chances of returning to Australia for the “Aquaman” sequel were slim, leading the studio to make backup plans to film elsewhere.
An insider at Warner Bros revealed that the studio had made early preparations to abandon the expensive Australian underwater set due to Heard’s conflict with the country.
“Amber has some really important friends at Warner Bros,” the source said.
“Despite all the negative press, they still want her even if it costs them a lot of money. They had to make backup plans to film elsewhere due to the whole dog smuggling incident.”
Despite the controversy surrounding Heard, Warner Bros has continued to support her, with some speculating that the studio’s decision may be influenced by her connections to Rupert Murdoch’s media empire.
The Australian government is unable to disclose the current status of Heard’s visa.
As for the two Yorkshire terrier dogs involved in the incident, their whereabouts are currently unknown. It is not clear whether they are still alive.
This is not the first time that Heard has faced controversy. In 2020, she was accused of domestic abuse by her ex-husband, actor Johnny Depp.
Depp filed a defamation suit against Heard, claiming that she had fabricated the abuse allegations in order to advance her career.
The case is ongoing, with both parties presenting evidence in support of their respective claims.
Regardless of the outcome of the defamation case, it seems that Heard’s involvement in the “Aquaman” sequel has been impacted by the dog smuggling incident and her uncertain visa status.
It remains to be seen how Warner Bros will proceed with the film in light of these developments.
