The highly publicized defamation trial between Johnny Depp and Amber Heard is being turned into a movie called Hot Take: The Depp/Heard Trial. The two first met while making the 2011 film The Rum Diary. They married in 2015, but the marriage came to an end in 2017 when the couple divorced. In 2018, via an op-ed for The Washington Post, Heard seemingly accused Depp of domestic violence without mentioning him directly, which he nevertheless claimed negatively affected his career. Following the accusations, the actor exited the Fantastic Beasts franchise and was blocked from returning to his most notable role as Captain Jack Sparrow in the Pirates of the Caribbean films.
Depp chose to sue Heard following the fallout surrounding his career, with the actor seeking $50 million in damages. Heard counter-sued, seeking $100 million, asserting that she was the one being wronged. The trial between the two quickly spiraled into a media circus, getting daily coverage as the proceedings were televised. Both actors saw their share of highs and lows through the trial, but ultimately, Depp was awarded $15 million from a jury decision, which was later reduced to $10 million, while Heard received $2 million. However, with the Depp/Heard trial ending only a few months ago, it may come as a shock that a film about it is already being fast-tracked with a cast in place.
As reported by Variety, the free streaming service Tubi has fast-tracked the production of Hot Take: The Depp/Heard Trial. The film is directed by Sara Lohman, who previously helmed the made-for-TV movies The Reunion and Secrets in the Woods. The script was written by Guy Nicolucci of The Daily Show. Hot Take stars Mark Hapka as Depp, Megan Davis as Heard, Melissa Marty as Depp's lawyer Camille Vasquez, and Mary Carrig as Heard's attorney Elaine Bredehoft. Surprisingly, the movie will also be available to watch this month, on September 30. While that turnaround seems extremely rapid, Tubi's chief content officer stated that the film was quickly developed "to capture a timely take on a story that became part of the cultural zeitgeist, painting a unique picture of what millions watched play out in the headlines over the summer."
For better or worse, the Depp and Heard trial was one of the biggest news stories of the summer, leading to countless debates and questionable responses. Because of its notoriety, it seemed inevitable that it would someday become a movie. However, the speed at which it was made is bound to raise more than a few eyebrows. Very little time has passed, which means the dust hasn't fully settled. Because of that, it could be that Hot Take will present a rather surface-level version of the trial, and it likely won't provide much new insight into what happened.
With Tubi being a free streaming service and the intense attention surrounding the Depp/Heard trial, Hot Take is likely to draw in curious viewers. However, with the quick turnaround of the film, it could equate to a made-for-TV movie comparable to films produced by Lifetime or Hallmark. Still, many just might tune in when Hot Take: The Depp/Heard Trial hits Tubi.
Source: Variety