"Why is it being made into a parody"?: Fans slam Netflix's Depp v. Heard documentary

The new Netflix three-part documentary titled Depp v. Heard has taken the internet by storm. This project shed light on the infamous trial between former couple Johnny Depp and Amber Heard, which took place in Fairfax County, Virginia from April 11 to June 1, 2022.

The trial was viewed by millions across the world as it was broadcasted live. Fans formed opinions based on what they witnessed, as some sided with Depp and others with Heard. With #JusticeForJohnnyDepp getting 20 billion views and #JusticeForAmberHeard only 77.5 million, the internet truly believed that Depp was the victim and Heard, the abuser.

However, the new documentary has been criticized by fans on X (formerly known as Twitter). One of them bluntly called it a parody.

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Depp v. Heard on Netflix receives mixed reactions from fans

Depp v. Heard was directed by Emma Cooper. In a recent interview with Variety, she revealed that she was completely prepared for the storm that was about to hit once the documentary was released.

The infamous court trial involved Depp and Heard accusing each other of domestic violence. They filed complaints of defamation against each other. In the end, Depp emerged victorious. Heard was ordered to pay him $10 million in damages, however, it was ultimately agreed upon $1 million.

In the Variety interview, Emma Cooper said:

"You know, it’s a balanced level of hate. I pride myself that it tends to be very 50/50. I found myself compulsively watching the live feed, and then discussing it with my friends, and looking at what everybody was saying on social. And I wondered what that said about me that I was so interested in what felt like a rather a sad open event of a private relationship."

She continued:

"My intention, right from the start, was to make a cogent and interesting reflection of what happened without using interviews or experts."

However, people who watched that series displayed mixed reactions. This is what they had to say on X:

While some fans went for either Team Depp or Team Heard, a huge chunk of netizens were unable to understand the purpose of the documentary. They claimed that it was time for everyone to move on from the case as there was no point speaking of the past.

Some fans expressed their hate towards Johnny Depp as they believed that he was a monster. However, many said that Netflix had done a poor job with Depp v. Heard. They said that research and reliable information was almost nonexistent. They even hope that a better version gets made soon.

Depp v. Heard was released on August 16, 2023, on Netflix.