Johnny Depp will direct his first movie in 25 years with Modigliani, which will be produced by Al Pacino. Depp remains one of the most recognizable actors working in Hollywood today, having starred in the likes of the Pirates of the Caribbean franchise, Edward Scissorhands, and Public Enemies, among many others. Recently, however, the star has found himself the subject of headlines because of his personal life, and his highly publicized defamation trial against ex-wife Amber Heard.
The trial, which was in response to a 2018 op-ed written by Heard that alluded to her being a victim of domestic abuse, ultimately saw Depp emerge victorious, with Heard ordered to pay over $10 million in damages. However, Depp lawyer Adam Waldman was also found guilty of defamation, for which Depp was ordered to pay Heard $2 million. Since the conclusion of the trial, Depp has slowly returned to the world of acting, appearing in a recent short film for a mobile game called Sea of Dawn. The actor will also be making his return to the big screen with Jeanne du Barry, an upcoming biopic that sees Depp playing King Louis XV, his first major acting role since 2020's Minamata.
Now, as part of the actor's continued Hollywood comeback, THR reveals that Depp will be taking on his first directorial project in a quarter of a century with Modigliani. The film is said to chronicle a turbulent 48-hour period in Italian painter Amedeo Modigliani's life in Paris, as he experiences a turning point and solidifies his position in history as an artistic legend. Modigliani will see both Pacino and Barry Navidi oversee the project as producers, with production expected to start next spring in Europe. Check out comments from Depp and Navidi below on Modigliani below:
Depp: The saga of Mr. Modigliani’s life is one that I’m incredibly honored, and truly humbled, to bring to the screen. It was a life of great hardship, but eventual triumph — a universally human story all viewers can identify with.
[...]
Navidi: This project has been very close to Al [Pacino's] heart. Al introduced me to the play Modigliani many years ago and I instantly fell in love with it. This is a slice of Modi’s life and not a bio. It’s been a dream of mine to work with Johnny again — he’s a true artist with an amazing vision to bring this great story to the screen.
The upcoming biographical drama is part of a general career reinvigoration for the former Pirates of the Caribbean star, who has been absent from film work for several years now. Although 1997's The Brave marks the only feature-length directorial effort for Depp, he has also served as director on a number of music videos, including most recently for the song "Unloveable" by Babybird in 2010. Depp previously said that his legal victory over Heard "gave [him his] life back," and this would certainly seem to be the case, considering the recent announcements regarding his upcoming projects.
It's currently unclear if Depp himself will be taking on any role in front of the camera, but considering that Modigliani is not a particularly well-known figure among most movie-goers, the film will likely need a recognizable face to play the titular artist. In an age when biopics continue to be strong box office contenders, with Rocketman, Bohemian Rhapsody, and, most recently, Elvis proving popular with audiences, it's interesting that Navidi clearly affirms that Modigliani is not a biopic, but instead a slice-of-life-style movie. With production not starting until next year, it will likely be awhile before fans of Depp see any promotional material from the film.
Source: THR