Hollywood is ready for a Johnny Depp comeback, multiple insiders say. Depp was one of the biggest movie stars before his contentious divorce and legal dispute with his ex-wife, actress Amber Heard, which led to allegations of domestic violence from both parties. This has had a significant impact on Depp's reputation and career, though winning the defamation trial against Heard last June has increased his odds of a comeback. Recently, Depp was received warmly at the Cannes Film Festival, though it remains to be seen if American audiences are ready to embrace him again.
Now, after Depp's Jeanne du Barry movie received a standing ovation at Cannes, multiple insiders say that Hollywood is ready for his comeback. In a report by IndieWire, several anonymous agents, producers, screenwriter Larry Gross, and script consultant Nancy Nigrosh spoke about how Hollywood is ready to start casting Depp again, under the condition that he gets in shape, shows up on time, and re his lines. See what each individual said below:
He would have a better chance of working in the U.S. if he looked a little better. He looks bloated and unhealthy in the few photos I’ve seen of him recently — he doesn’t look like a movie star to me. If he gets in great shape and if he’s professional (on time, knows his lines, etc.) on the films he works on now, I think Hollywood will cast him in leads again.
JD has U.S. as well as ROW [the rest of the world] box office value among young moviegoers and adults alike when he plays an odd character. It’s when he does something dramatic and real that it usually seems not his strong suit.
People have short memories. Think it will be same for Depp — unless he continues to be out of control during shooting. That has been a major black mark against him.
He is a great actor so I think he is hirable. The question is what price. My gut says 2-4 [million]. And I am sure the streamers would let him co-lead a series.
Gross: JD is a good enough actor to resuscitate a career. But due to age it will be as a credible character actor rather than as a leading man — he could be the kind of compelling eccentric presence that a Christopher Walken or an Ian McKellen or a Jason Robards have been in their later years.
Nigrosh: [Depp should find] a small but crucial role in something classy (classy = not based on a comic book or low-rent genre) that is perfectly tailored to his grown-up bad-boy persona, he could be seen as someone who can truly carry his own baggage.
What's Next For Johnny Depp?
Depp currently doesn't have any acting roles lined up after Jeanne du Barry, with his only project being a Modigliani biopic starring Al Pacino which he will direct. The prospect of a Hollywood comeback remains dicey since Depp is still a divisive figure amongst American audiences. It's unlikely he returns to his most commercially successful role as Jack Sparrow in the Pirates of the Caribbean franchise with Margot Robbie lined up to star. Testimony during the defamation trial about the star's misbehavior on set of Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Men Tell No Tales was also quite damaging for Depp.
Depp also resigned from his role as Grindelwald in Fantastic Beasts and was replaced by Mads Mikkelsen. Still, Hollywood may be willing to cast Depp again in offbeat roles, where he has excelled in the past. Depp could reunite with his frequent collaborator, Tim Burton, who has Beetlejuice 2 and Wednesday season 2 in the works. If a respected American filmmaker is willing to cast Depp, it will likely be in a ing role rather than as a leading man.
As Hollywood is apparently ready for Depp's comeback, it's unclear if the actor is even interested in such. During a press conference at Cannes, Depp said that he doesn't "feel boycotted by Hollywood" nor does he "have much further need for Hollywood." This would seem to suggest that Johnny Depp isn't even interested in the prospect of his own Hollywood comeback and is content with making foreign art films like Jeanne du Barry.
Source: IndieWire
