Johnny Depp

Johnny Depp to Produce Film Based on Upcoming Memoir from West Memphis Three’s Damien Echols

by Matt Goldberg    Posted: February 7th, 2012 at 12:45 pm

Now that the West Memphis Three have been released from prison and their saga “completed”, films based on their ordeal are rushing into production.  Atom Egoyan is adapting Mara Leveritt‘s non-fiction novel Devil’s Knot, and now Johnny Depp is producing a film based on an upcoming untitled memoir from the West Memphis Three’s Damien Echols.  Echols’ was one of three teenagers wrongly convicted for the murder of three eight-year-old boys in West Memphis, Arkhansas in 1993.  Their story was originally brought to national attention by the documentary Paradise Lost.  Since that time, celebrities like Depp, Peter Jackson, Eddie Vedder, Natalie Maines, and Henry Rollins have supported Echols, Jessie Misskelley Jr, and Jason Baldwin and their quest for justice.

Hit the jump for more details on the project.

New Image from Tim Burton’s DARK SHADOWS Featuring Johnny Depp

by Adam Chitwood    Posted: January 19th, 2012 at 12:50 pm

While we’ve yet to see a trailer for Tim Burton’s adaptation of the cult TV series Dark Shadows, we’ve actually gotten a look at quite a few images from the pic. Today we’ve got a new look at the protagonist by way of a very pointy Johnny Depp. Depp plays a vampire who struggles to reintegrate with his descendants after having been buried for 200 years. Burton recently talked at length about the project’s tone and setting, calling it “a weird soap opera.” While the material is decidedly Burton-esque, I’m encouraged by the diverse cast and period setting. With this bevy of images at our disposal, hopefully a trailer is coming soon.

Hit the jump to check out the image. The film also stars Michelle Pfeiffer, Chloe Moretz, Eva Green, Gulliver McGrath, Bella Heathcote, Ray Shirley, Jackie Earle Haley, and Jonny Lee Miller. Dark Shadows opens May 11th.

New Images from THE AMAZING SPIDER-MAN, MEN IN BLACK 3, ABRAHAM LINCOLN: VAMPIRE HUNTER, and Tim Burton’s DARK SHADOWS

by Adam Chitwood    Posted: January 12th, 2012 at 4:36 pm

Images are starting to surface from the latest issue of Entertainment Weekly, giving us a peek into some of the biggest films of 2012. A new image from The Amazing Spider-Man features Andrew Garfield yet again doing some Spidey business sans mask, and we’ve also got a new image from Men in Black 3 which shows Will Smith and Josh Brolin riding some very uncomfortable-looking monocycles. Additionally, a clear image has finally been released of Benjamin Walker as our ass-kicking 16th President in Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter. Last but not least is a new look at Johnny Depp and Michelle Pfeiffer in director Tim Burton’s Dark Shadows. Based on the classic cult TV series, Dark Shadows centers on a vampire’s attempt to reintegrate with his descendants after having been buried for 200 years. Depp looks considerably less strange in this image than others, but with Burton involved we can rest assured that there’ll probably be enough weirdness in the film to go around.

Hit the jump to check out the images. The Amazing Spider-Man opens in 3D July 3rd, Men in Black 3 will be released in 3D on May 25th, Dark Shadows hits theaters May 11th, and Abraham Lincoln: Vampire Hunter opens in 3D June 22nd.

Christopher Lee Talks THE HOBBIT, HUGO and DARK SHADOWS

by Dave Trumbore    Posted: December 29th, 2011 at 4:34 pm

In a Christmas address by the incomparable Christopher Lee, the actor remarked on his completed works of 2011 (including a tongue-in-cheek clarification of his role in The Wicker Tree). More notably, Lee also touched on his role in Hugo and his working relationship with director Martin Scorsese, his own personal vitality (Lee will turn 90 in 2012) and his work in Dark Shadows with Tim Burton and Johnny Depp. Oh and you might have been wondering about his reprisal of the role of Saruman in Peter Jackson’s The Hobbit movies. Not to worry as Lee goes into some detail about his involvement and it’s safe to say the actor’s work has been completed on both films. Hit the jump to check out the video.

Tom Wilkinson and Ruth Wilson Return to THE LONE RANGER; Movie Trying to Reassemble Supporting Cast

by Matt Goldberg    Posted: December 7th, 2011 at 9:10 am

Earlier this summer, Gore Verbinksi‘s adaptation of The Lone Ranger was rounding up its cast.  Johnny Depp was signed on to play Tonto, Armie Hammer was playing the Ranger, and the movie was lining up Tom Wilkinson, Ruth Wilson (Luther), Dwight Yoakam, Barry Pepper, and Helena Bonham Carter for supporting roles.  But then Disney pumped the brakes and wanted a lower budget, they eventually got it after some protracted negotiations, and now pre-production is back underway.

However, this delay moved back the start of production which meant that scheduling had changed for the actors.  Depp and Hammer never really left, and now it looks like Verbinski is trying to get his other actors back.  Deadline reports that Wilkinson has returned to play the villain Latham Cole while Wilson is still playing the movie’s female lead.  Disney is talking again with Carter, Pepper, and Yoakam as well as James Badge Dale.  Production on the $215 million cowboy movie begins in February 2012 for a May 31, 2013 release.

TOP 5: PHANTOM MENACE 3D and MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE – GHOST PROTOCOL Trailers, IN TIME, ANONYMOUS, THE RUM DIARY Interviews

by Jason Barr    Posted: October 29th, 2011 at 10:30 am

Today is a good day. The Cardinals are World Series champions, trick r’ treaters will soon be out in full force, and I’ve got a night of horror films to look forward to. Once a year, my fiancée agrees to watch a few pics of the scary variety (or at least Halloween themed ones, i.e. Ernest Scared Stupid) with me in the hopes that I won’t ask her to partake in them again until the following Halloween weekend. Last year’s highlights included Drag Me to Hell and Trick r’ Treat. This year is shaping up to be Tobe Hooper-heavy with Poltergeist and The Texas Chainsaw Massacre possibly making the cut. Like I said, today is a good day.

Before you dive into whatever Halloween festivities may await you, I hope you’ll take a few minutes and check out what this week’s “Top 5″ has to offer. In this installment you’ll find the first trailer for Star Wars: Episode I – The Phantom Menace 3D, a new trailer for Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol, and interviews for this weekend’s openers In Time, Anonymous and The Rum Diary. Hit the jump for a brief recap and link to each.

THE RUM DIARY Review

by Matt Goldberg    Posted: October 28th, 2011 at 6:02 am

Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas is widely considered to be the best adaptation of a Hunter S. Thompson book, but there can be no bigger love letter to the late author than The Rum Diary.  Written and directed by Bruce Robinson, The Rum Diary draws in Thompson’s language, ideology, and attitude. The film meanders through episodic misadventures and provides mere snapshots of supporting characters, but these weaknesses become strengths because they stay true to the subtext and tone of the story.  The only misstep is the lack of chemistry in the relationship between the two lead characters, but for the most part, the movie always knows where to stumble.

Johnny Depp and Director Bruce Robinson THE RUM DIARY Interview

by Christina Radish    Posted: October 26th, 2011 at 6:49 pm

The Rum Diary was a novel written by future Gonzo journalist Hunter S. Thompson, inspired by his time in San Juan, Puerto Rico in 1960, but it remained unpublished for decades until actor and close friend, Johnny Depp, accidentally discovered the manuscript while visiting Thompson’s house. That same night, they decided to publish it and adapt it into a film, turning the project into a labor of love for both Depp and filmmaker Bruce Robinson, who came out of retirement to make the movie.

During a press conference for the film’s release, Johnny Depp and Bruce Robinson talked about bringing a character to life that is loosely based on Hunter S. Thompson as a young man, prior to the Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas character, the challenges of adapting the novel for the big screen, how impossible it is to get Hunter out of your blood stream once you play him, and that Hunter’s ability to voice his opinions is something that every generation should be exposed to. Depp also talked about how he’s looking forward to getting started on The Lone Ranger, now that the budget has been worked out, and that The Thin Man is in the early stages, but is coming along. Check out what they had to say after the jump.

Watch Johnny Depp Rip on Ricky Gervais About the Golden Globes in Guest Appearance on LIFE’S TOO SHORT

by Ethan Anderton    Posted: October 26th, 2011 at 2:54 pm

Back in March we learned that the British comedy series Life’s Too Short from Ricky Gervais and Stephen Merchant, the creators of the UK version of The Office, would feature some great guest stars like Jerry Seinfeld and Johnny Depp alongside series star Warwick Davis (best known for playing Wicket the Ewok and Professor Flitwick in the Harry Potter franchise). The series won’t hit HBO until sometime next year (though it will air across the pond before then), but now we have an absolutely hilarious clip of Johnny Depp meeting Ricky Gervais and absolutely tearing him a new one about his jokes during his hosting stint at the Golden Globe awards. Of course, it’s all in good fun as Depp has his fedora handed to him a couple times as well. And if there’s one thing you’ll learn from this clip, is that Depp is quite a big fan of a certain 90′s sitcom star. See the clip from Life’s Too Short after the jump.

Johnny Depp Talks THE LONE RANGER and Dr. Seuss Biopic; Reveals Seuss Characters Will Appear in Film

by Adam Chitwood    Posted: October 23rd, 2011 at 1:32 pm

After Disney nearly pulled the plug on the big-budget adaptation of The Lone Ranger, the production is now a go.  Director Gore Verbinski, producer Jerry Bruckheimer, and stars Johnny Depp and Armie Hammer all agreed to take pay cuts, and Ted Elliott and Terry Rossio reworked the script by Justin Haythe (Revolutionary Road) to excise some of the more costly aspects.  All in all, the creatives involved were able to bring the budget down from $250 million to $215 million (which is still an insane amount of money for a western).  While the behind-the-scenes drama is well documented, very little about the actual movie is known.  Depp recently talked a bit about the project and elaborated on the direction the film will take. He also touched on the Dr. Seuss biopic that he’s producing (and possibly starring in), revealing that the project will include some of Seuss’ beloved characters. Hit the jump to see what Depp had to say.

Producer Jerry Bruckheimer Talks THE LONE RANGER Budget Negotiations; Plus Brief Update on PIRATES 5

by Matt Goldberg    Posted: October 19th, 2011 at 9:05 am

Major studios are talking about tightening their belts and being more selective in their projects because the DVD revenue market has dried up and nothing has come along yet to replace its riches.  However, one can’t help but be amused that for Disney, belt-tightening meant trimming the cost of The Lone Ranger from $260 million to $215 million and that paying $215 million for a movie based on a serial western from the 1950s is good financial sense.

The wrangling over the budget was done in public and we tracked every ludicrous step.  Eventually, the two sides came to an agreement and the film was re-scheduled from December 21, 2012 to May 31, 2013.  Producer Jerry Bruckheimer recently explained why production was shut down at the 11th hour, how they got the budget down to a “reasonable” number, what was cut from the script, and provides a minor update on Pirates of the Caribbean 5.  Hit the jump for what the prolific producer had to say.  The Lone Ranger will star Johnny Depp as Tonto and Armie Hammer as the Ranger.

New Posters for THE RUM DIARY and NEW YEAR’S EVE

by Matt Goldberg    Posted: October 14th, 2011 at 10:15 am

New posters have been released for The Rum Diary and New Year’s Eve.  The former is kind of cute and almost makes the film look like a light comic spin on Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas, which is appropriate considering that Hunter S. Thompson was the author of both novels.  As for the New Year’s Eve poster, it perfectly encapsulates the cynical, greedy reason for the movie’s existence.  The point isn’t to convey a plot, but to jam as many stars into the film as possible in the hopes that you’ll like one or two of them enough to see the movie.  However, the stars you like will most likely be in the film for probably less than ten minutes total.  If you think watching a star you like play a poorly defined character is worth a dollar a minute, then you like wasting money.

Hit the jump to check out the posters.  The Rum Diary opens October 28th.  New Year’s Eve opens December 9th.

Johnny Depp, Armie Hammer, Gore Verbinski, and Jerry Bruckheimer Take Paycuts to Make THE LONE RANGER Happen

by Brendan Bettinger    Posted: October 12th, 2011 at 9:12 pm

Disney very nearly pulled the plug on The Lone Ranger because of the absurd proposed $250 million budget.  Director Gore Verbinski and producer Jerry Bruckheimer have spent the last two months searching for ways to cut costs, and here’s what they came up with according to Variety:

• Verbinski, Bruckheimer, and stars Johnny Depp and Armie Hammer will all take 20% paycuts; certain payments will be deferered until The Lone Ranger starts making money
• Bruckheimer Films will be responsible for any cost overruns.
• Ted Elliott and Terry Rossio (Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl) reworked the script by Justin Haythe (Revolutionary Road) to eliminate a few expensive sequences involving supernatural elements that require a lot of effects work.

That’s all well and good, and I applaud the waste reduction efforts on a movie that should not cost $250 million.  But the gesture is less meaningful when the result is a $215 million budget.  The report indicates Tom Wilkinson and Ruth Wilson are also still on board and confirms the shoot will probably be delayed from November to February 2012.  As such, The Lone Ranger will likely forfeit its right to a December 21, 2012 release date.  Hit the jump for Depp’s take on the situation.

New Clip and 19 New Images from THE RUM DIARY

by Matt Goldberg    Posted: October 12th, 2011 at 2:05 pm

FilmDistrict has released 19 new images and clips from The Rum Diary.  The film is based on the novel by Hunter S. Thompson and centers on a journalist who makes his way down to Puerto Rico for a life of rum-soaked leisure but ends up with a moral conflict when he encounters a beautiful woman, and her shady businessman fiancée.  As you’ll see from the clip, it’s easy to get the words “astrologer” and “astronomer” confused when you’ve been drinking and see Amber Heard skinny-dipping.

Hit the jump to check out the clips and the images.  The film also stars Johnny Depp, Richard Jenkins, and Aaron Eckhart.  The Rum Diary opens October 28th.

Johnny Depp May Play Dr. Seuss in Biopic He’s Producing with Illumination Entertainment

by Brendan Bettinger    Posted: October 6th, 2011 at 8:31 pm

Johnny Depp is developing a Dr. Seuss biopic through his production banner Infinitum Nihil in collaboration with Illumination Entertainment.  Risky Business says Depp is producing “with the potential to star as Seuss.”  I am not sure where this falls on the spectrum of attachment, so please keep your expectations—be they positive or negative—in check.

Illumination is currently animating the finishing touches on an adaptation of one of Seuss’s books, The Lorax, for a March 2, 2012 release.  The biopic, however, will be live-action.  Mostly, at least.  The studio did not rule out incorporating some animation into Keith Bunin’s screenplay.  Universal—another studio with Seuss experience bringing How the Grinch Stole Christmas and The Cat in the Hat to the big screen—will distribute the movie.  Depp’s Infinitum partner Christi Dembrowski as well as Illumination’s Christopher Meledandri and David Kennedy are also on board as producers.  More, including background on the life of  Theodor Seuss Geisel, after the jump.

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