Pirates of the CaribbeanstarJohnny Deppcontinues his (somewhat controversial) comeback, with the actor landing his biggest role so far since legal proceedings with his ex-wife Amber Heard concluded in 2022. Depp has joined Lionsgate‘sDay Drinkerand will star opposite his formerBlowco-starPenelope Cruzin this action thriller crime caper set on a cruise ship.
Day Drinkeris all set to bedirected by Marc Webb, who is best known for helmingThe Amazing Spider-Manfranchise and the romantic comedy(500) Days of Summer. According toDeadline,Day Drinkeris based on an original spec screenplay by Zach Dean, and you can check out the synopsis for the movie below.
“Day Drinker watches as a cruise ship bartender meets a mysterious day drinker — only for both of them to find themselves entangled in a criminal underbelly, and connected in unexpected ways.”
Day Drinkerwill see Depp reunite with Cruz, with the pair having shared the screen multiple times before in the likes ofthe crime dramaBlow, Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides, and the Agatha Christie adaptationMurder on the Orient Express. It was originally reported thatEuphoriastar Sydney Sweeney would be starring in the movie, but this is no longer the case.
Adam Fogelson, chair of Lionsgate Motion Picture Group, heaped praise on filmmaker Marc Webb and the twoDay Drinkerstars in a statement, saying:
“Day Drinker combines a highly commercial concept with wildly outrageous twists and turns all set in an incredible world, and there is no better filmmaker than Marc or two more perfectly cast actors than Johnny and Penélope to bring that world to life.”
Day Drinker Marks the First Major Studio Project for Johnny Depp Since Depp v. Heard
Day Drinkermarks the first project with a major studio for Johnny Depp following the legal back-and-forth betweenhimself and ex-wife andAquamanstar Amber Heard. Beginning back in 2019, and after losing a libel case in the U.K. against tabloid newspaper The Sun in which they accused him of being a “domestic abuser,” the much-publicized Depp v. Heard trial saw the actor suing Heard for defamation over a December 2018 op-ed in The Washington Post. Ultimately, the jury found largely in favor of Depp, awarding the actor $10 million in compensatory damages and $5 million in punitive damages.
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This period saw Depp lose several major roles, including that of the villainous Gellert Grindelwald in theFantastic Beastsfranchise. The role was recast with (the arguably better choice) Hannibal star Mads Mikkelsen, who played the part in 2022’sFantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore.
Depp will nexthelm the biopicModì, Three Days on the Wing of Madness. Based on the life of Italian artist Amedeo Modigliani, the movie stars Riccardo Scamarcio as Amedeo Modigliani alongside Stephen Graham and Al Pacino as Maurice Gangnat and made its debut out of competition at the 72nd San Sebastián International Film Festival back in September.
