Warner Bros./DC Entertainment and director Zack Snyder have revealed the first image of actress Amber Heard as Mera from next year’s “Justice League” movie.
The image originally debuted on IGN and has since been retweeted by both Snyder and Warner Bros.
In various versions of the Aquaman comic books published by DC Comics, Mera is the queen of Atlantis, ruling alongside Arthur Curry/Aquaman (a half human/half Atlantian, and at times reluctant ruler of the seas.)
While it is probable that Mera won’t have a large part in “Justice League,” she could play a vital role in the film’s plot. The first “Justice League” trailer shows Bruce Wayne/Batman (Ben Affleck) traveling the world, looking for meta-humans who can help him with a still-unknown threat to humanity. With Superman (Henry Cavill) currently dead (though we assume he’ll come back to life), Aquaman (Jason Momoa) is the most powerful being that can help Batman as he and Wonder Woman (Gal Gadot) try to assemble a team.
In the trailer, Aquaman seems reluctant to help at first, slamming Bruce Wayne against a wall when he starts asking too many questions. We don’t know yet if Mera and Aquaman are romantically involved in “Justice League” as they are in the comic books, but with their shared heritage of living under the sea, she could be the voice of reason that Aquaman needs to start the journey toward being a hero for the surface world, and not just the seven seas.
Even if her “League” role is brief, we know Heard will play a much larger role in Momoa’s solo “Aquaman” film, directed by James Wan and expected to hit theaters on July 27, 2018.
“Justice League” arrives in theaters Nov. 17, 2017.