Johnny Depp, Amber Heard drama could cost Disney $50m

“Alice Through The Looking Glass" has nosedived at the Box Office following Amber Heard’s claim that Johnny Depp 'violently attacked' her.

The sequel to 2010 hit “Alice in Wonderland,” directed by Tim Burton is expected to draw less than a third of the original film on the Memorial Day weekend. Taking just $9.8m on Friday compared to $40.8m for the original, its performance is extremely disappointing. Average reviews may have also contributed to the weak opening with a lack of early buzz for the film.

To make matters worse, an LA judge filed a temporary restraining order against Depp this week that was quickly followed up by an online backlash with people calling for a boycott of his latest film.

Heard was pictured with a black eye after it was reported that Depp had thrown a phone at her during an argument however she did not press charges against him. The LAPD had been called to her house last Saturday but there was no evidence that she had sustained any injuries.

Depp’s lawyers argue that Heard is attempting to acquire “premature financial resolution by alleging abuse,” in the divorce settlement according to a report by The Wrap. Amber Heard filed for divorce on May 23rd

More damaging in the aftermath of the alleged assault is the impact on Disney’s fortunes for Depp’s current and future projects. Johnny Depp will reprise the role of Captain Jack Sparrow in “Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales” next year and depending on the resolution of this case, could affect the film’s earning potential. The fifth instalment of the franchise is currently in post-production and is set to hit theaters May 2017.