Opening March 4^th is Rango, Industrial Light and Magic’s first fully animated film. Written by John Logan, directed by Gore Verbinski and starring Johnny Depp, Isla Fisher, Abigail Breslin and a slew of famed character actors, the film tells the story of Rango (Depp), a pet lizard lost in the desert who lies his way into becoming the sheriff of a western town. Things go well as he uses luck, gumption, and improvisational skills to fake his way through the job, but when someone steals the town’s water supply, Rango is forced to become a real hero.

I was lucky enough to sit down with the film’s principal cast and Verbinski to discuss the film. We’ll have an interview every day this week, beginning tonight with Johnny Depp. We talked about his selectivity in animated projects, the existential origins of the film, the gonzo influences, and what’s up with The Rum Diaries and Dark Shadows. Hit the jump to watch: