Johnny Depp returns to Hollywood after boycott
Johnny Depp is returning to big cinema. Depp played Scrooge in a new adaptation of Dickens' "A Christmas Carol" — "Scrooge and the Spirit of Christmas" (Ebenezer). It is released by Paramount Pictures and directed by Ti West. This is the first major studio film starring Depp since the legal battles with his ex-wife Amber Heard, the BBC reports .
A still from the film "Scrooge and the Spirit of Christmas"
Depp vanished from Hollywood after losing a libel suit in the UK in 2020 against The Sun newspaper, which called him a wife-beater. The judge ruled that the newspaper had substantially printed the truth, and Warner Bros immediately dropped Depp from "Fantastic Beasts."
In 2022, he won a defamation lawsuit against Heard in the US, but during the trial, intimate details of their relationship and drug use were revealed to the public.
Depp himself said that Hollywood had boycotted him.
The central theme of the new film's promotional campaign is Depp's comeback. The trailer references his well-known roles, and he himself says he is glad to be back.
The comeback may well succeed, industry experts believe. Depp won the US lawsuit, and the rebel persona was already part of his brand anyway. Moreover, Hollywood forgives when it generates money, and fans actively supported the actor throughout the trials.
In its opening weekend, the film is projected to bring in $22 million, and over $100 million across its entire US box office run. The film's budget is around $38 million.
Even after the trials, Depp continued acting in Europe, attended Cannes in 2023, and remained the face of Dior. Heard, on the other hand, had only a minor role in "Aquaman 2" and has not acted in anything since.
If the film is successful, Depp could return to "Pirates of the Caribbean": producer Jerry Bruckheimer has already stated that the franchise is being revived with him. Additionally, the thriller "Day Drinker," co-starring Penélope Cruz, is set for release in March, and its trailer also touches upon the theme of Depp's return.