When Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom’s trailer was unveiled in the middle of September, Warner Bros. discovered itself in rough waters. The movie, which had a hefty $215 million budget, was intended to be a big draw for the studio, but it got caught up in a new controversy including accusations and behind-the-scenes conflict.
The highly publicized defamation suit involving Johnny Depp and Amber Heard served as an inspiration for the drama. The court costs for the disclosure of paperwork from Heard’s therapist, Dr. Dawn Hughes, were covered by donations from Depp’s supporters. These unedited notes, scrawled by hand on a legal pad, were shown at Depp’s trial from the previous year, in which he mainly won.