Depp to Play Martin…or is it Sinatra?

Frank Sinatra - Martin Scorsese - Johnny Depp

Daughter of famed crooner Dean Martin, Deana Martin, recently publicly revealed that she LIKE likes Johnny Depp as a candidate to play the role of her father in a Dean Martin biopic (just ignore the whole Electra Complex thing):

“[Depp] is a tremendous actor, he has that charm, that swagger, and the resemblance of my father is there” Martin said. “I’m sure he would do the role justice!”

Its difficult to discern from her comment whether she’s expressing her desire to marry Depp and have lots and lots of babies, or whether she’s actually involved in casting. As of right now, Martin has no confirmed role in production; she’s merely expressing her number one pick for the role. However, though her involvement is in question, The Examiner reveals that this latest attempt at a Dean Martin biopic has already been penned by Bonnie Hunt and is currently under the control of Joe Mantegna.

This is not the first time Martin’s life has been slated to celluloid. Previous attempts include one by Martin Scorsese, dubbed Dino (the singer, not the pet dinosaur), which was written by Nicholas Pileggi (Casino, Ocean’s Eleven). The film, which has since lost steam, was set to star Tom Hanks as Martin (really? I mean seriously, really?). However, Scorsese has not given up hopes of producing a Rat Pack-related film; he’s recently been tied to a Frank Sinatra biopic that is rumored to be starring, you guessed it, Johnny Depp. Does Depp have the chops to play the entire Rat Pack? How about all in the same film? Peter Lawford, Sinatra, and Martin shouldn’t be too much of a stretch – but Sammy Davis, Jr.? Should make for some interesting press.

Separated @ Birth?

Seriously though, how will Depp portray Martin? Perhaps it’ll be something of a cleaner, more placid Jack Sparrow? Their swaggers are about equal; just take that Keith Richards thing from Pirates of the Caribbean and tune it down a bit. Toss in a healthy serving of Dillinger from Public Enemies, and I think we’ve got Dean Martin. And this isn’t Depp’s first foray into crooning, either. You’ll all surely remember (I know my wife does) Depp’s classic portrayal of Cry Baby Walker, the eponymous lead in the 1990 musical Cry Baby, in which he played a brooding and troubled greaser with a sensitive side known for shedding a single tear. Whaddya think? If this Martin project doesn’t cut the mustard, perhaps it can be repackaged as “Cry Baby 2: The Electric Boogaloo?” Either way, ladies, prepare to swoon.