Apr 15, 2025 01:34 PM IST
According to reports, Johnny portrays an enigmatic guest who forms an unusual connection with a bartender, played by Glass Onion star Madelyn Cline
Popular American actor Johnny Depp is making a significant return to mainstream Hollywood with the thriller Day Drinker, his first major studio film in years.
On Monday, the Canadian-American entertainment company, Lionsgate released the first look of Johnny in the upcoming thriller, marking his fourth collaboration with Penélope Cruz. Directed by Marc Webb and written by Zach Dean, the film stars Madelyn Cline as a yacht bartender who befriends an enigmatic guest played by Johnny. Their relationship leads to an entanglement with Penelope’s character, a criminal figure, unveiling surprising connections among them.
This marks Johnny’s first major release since a series of high-profile legal battles with ex-wife Amber Heard, where he was accused of domestic violence. Although a 2018 UK libel ruling upheld claims against him, a 2022 U.S. defamation case ruled in his favor, stating Amber’s allegations were false.
For the unversed, in the U.S. trial, Johnny filed a defamation lawsuit against Amber over a 2018 op-ed in The Washington Post, where she described herself as a “public figure representing domestic abuse.” Although she didn’t name Depp, he claimed the article damaged his reputation. The jury awarded Johnny $10 million in compensatory damages and $5 million in punitive damages, later reduced to $350,000 due to Virginia’s state limit. Amber was awarded $2 million in her countersuit.
Following the trial, Johnny focused on European projects, including the French drama Jeanne du Barry and the Italian film Modì. Day Drinker signifies his return to big-budget cinema after being dropped from several franchises amid public controversy . According to reports, the production for the film has officially commenced in Spain, with Webb expressing enthusiasm about the film’s story and cast.
