Ever since winning his defamation case against his ex-wife Amber Heard back in June, Johnny Depp has wasted no time getting back to work. The embattled actor is set to direct his first feature-length film in 25 years, and he’s already nabbed Al Pacino to produce the project.
Per Variety, Depp’s upcoming film is Modigliani, a biographical drama about the Italian painter Amedeo Modigliani. Set in 1916 Paris, the film “navigates a turbulent and eventful 48 hours that will become a turning point in [Modigliani’s] life, ultimately solidifying his reputation as an artistic legend.”
“The saga of Mr. Modigliani’s life is one that I’m incredibly honored, and truly humbled, to bring to the screen,” Depp wrote in a statement. “It was a life of great hardship, but eventual triumph — a universally human story all viewers can identify with.”
The last (and first) full-length movie Depp directed was The Brave, in which he also starred as a Native American. Unfortunately for him, the 1997 film got such poor reception even before its release that it actually never landed in theaters.
Since allegations that Depp abused Heard first surfaced, the actor has been nixed from a number of projects. In 2018, Brad Furman’s City of Lies, a drama about the murders of Tupak Shakur and The Notorious B.I.G., was pulled from theaters one month before its release due to Depp’s role. He won’t be starring in Disney’s reboot of their Pirates of the Caribbean franchise, and he was also fired from the Fantastic Beasts franchise.
Outside of film, Depp recently reportedly sold some original paintings for more than $3.6 million. Last month, he shared a collaborative album with Jeff Beck called 18, comprising covers of rock classics as well as a few new songs.
