Johnny Depp has been hiding in the shadows for the better part of the last two years, following the conclusion of his legal battle against ex-wife Amber Heard. Now, however, it appears that the decorated actor is ready to make his return to Hollywood — or at least attempt to.
The trial against Heard concluded in June of 2022 and since then, Depp has starred in the French period drama Jeanne Du Barry and directed an indie movie called Modi: Three Days on the Wing of Madness, both of which you’ve probably never seen. Now his return to Hollywood looks set, and it will feature a familiar face alongside the actor.
Johnny Depp is set to star opposite Penélope Cruz in the upcoming Lionsgate action thriller, Day Drinker. This will be the fourth time that the two stars have shared the screen, and they’re supported by a roster of experienced creatives in the action film industry.
Directing the movie will be Marc Webb, known for his work on The Amazing Spider-Man films. Basil Iwanyk and Erica Lee are set to produce the movie. The pair have plenty of experience in action films, having worked on the John Wick series in the past. Other producers include Adam Kolbrenner and Zach Dean, who have also worked on plenty of major action projects from Free Guy to Fast X and a lot more.
While many details about the movie have been kept under wraps, a synopsis says that it will focus on a cruise ship bartender who meets a mysterious day drinker. After connecting on board the cruise ship, these two wind up thrust into a criminal underbelly. Lionsgate chairperson Adam Fogelson also shared a statement to promote the movie and its cast.
“Day Drinker combines a highly commercial concept with wildly outrageous twists and turns all set in an incredible world,” the announcement read (per The Hollywood Reporter). “There is no better filmmaker than Marc or two more perfectly cast actors than Johnny and Penélope to bring that world to life.”
Depp’s return to Hollywood will be the fourth time that he has shared the screen with Cruz. First, the two appeared in the 2001 film Blow before meeting up again for the sequel Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides. Most recently, the duo appeared in Murder on the Orient Express, which was released in 2017.
Since their last appearance together, Cruz has appeared in several projects including the TV series American Crime Story, Pandemica, and the 2023 film Ferrari starring alongside Adam Driver. Cruz was herself brought into Depp’s legal drama with Heard in 2022, when she penned a written deposition defending her longtime collaborator.
“I’ve seen Johnny in so many situations and he is always kind to everyone around,” Cruz’s statement read. “He is one of the most generous people I know.”
It remains to be seen how Depp’s Hollywood comeback will be received, but taking on a role in an action thriller like this seems like as safe a bet as there can be. No further details were shared about the production timeline or when fans can expect to see the movie completed, so if you’re eager to see how this turns out you’ll need to hang tight for more news in the coming months.