Johnny Depp Makes Major Comeback In New Film

Lionsgate has announced the start of production on “Day Drinker,” unveiling a first-look image of the actor in his latest role.

This marks Johnny Depp’s significant return to Hollywood following his widely publicized legal battles with ex-wife Amber Heard.

The film, directed by “500 Days of Summer” and “The Amazing Spider-Man” filmmaker Marc Webb, reunites Depp with Penélope Cruz for their fourth onscreen collaboration, having previously shared the screen in “Blow,” “Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides,” and “Murder on the Orient Express.”

Rising star Madelyn Cline joins the cast, alongside Manu Ríos, Arón Piper, Juan Diego Botto, and Anika Boyle.

Set aboard a private yacht, “Day Drinker” follows a bartender (Cline) who crosses paths with a mysterious guest (Depp). Their encounter spirals into a tangled web involving a criminal figure played by Cruz, revealing unexpected connections between the trio.

Filming is underway in Spain, with a production team stacked with Hollywood heavyweights.

The project is being produced by Thunder Road’s Basil Iwanyk and Erica Lee, best known for their work on the “John Wick” franchise, alongside Adam Kolbrenner (“The Tomorrow War,” “Free Guy,” “Prisoners”) and writer-producer Zach Dean, whose latest film “The Gorge” was recently released on Apple TV+.

“This is gonna be fun,” Webb said in a statement, per Variety. “I’m excited to be starting production with Johnny, Madelyn, Penelope, and this incredible cast. We’re in a beautiful location with a fantastic crew and a thrilling, ferocious story to tell.”

Behind the camera, the creative team includes director of photography Javier Aguirresarobe (ASC, AEC), production designer Jan Roelfs, editor Doc Crotzer (ACE), and costume designer Penny Rose. Casting was led by Hannah Ashby Ward and Alejandro Gil.

“Day Drinker” is executive produced by 30WEST, which is co-presenting the film with Lionsgate. It’s the second project to stem from the collaboration between the two companies, following the upcoming “Power Ballad” starring Paul Rudd and Nick Jonas.

With a high-profile cast, gripping storyline, and Depp back in a lead role, “Day Drinker” is shaping up to be one of the most talked-about thrillers on the horizon.

A seven-person jury unanimously ruled that Heard defamed Depp in a 2018 op-ed she wrote for The Washington Post, awarding the actor $10 million in compensatory damages and an additional $5 million in punitive damages.

The trial marked a dramatic chapter in a saga that began more than a decade ago when Depp and Heard first met. Their relationship eventually led to marriage, and then spiraled into a toxic, highly scrutinized breakup. The couple divorced in 2016, but legal disputes continued long after their split, culminating in the defamation case that became a media spectacle.

At the center of the dispute was Heard’s 2018 op-ed, in which she described herself as a survivor of domestic violence. Although Depp was not named in the essay, the actor claimed it clearly referenced him and irreparably damaged his career.

Depp sued for $50 million, asserting that Heard’s allegations were false and malicious.

The jury agreed, finding that Heard not only failed to prove her abuse claims but also acted with actual malice in publishing the essay. According to the verdict, Heard “could not substantiate her allegations against Depp” and “knew her claims of abuse were false when she published her 2018 essay.”

Heard, for her part, countersued Depp for $100 million, focusing on three 2020 statements made by Depp’s former attorney Adam Waldman to the Daily Mail, in which he labeled her abuse allegations as a “hoax.” The jury determined that Depp, through Waldman, defamed Heard on one count and awarded her $2 million in compensatory damages, but no punitive damages.