Al Pacino will produce Johnny Depp's first film in 25 years | CTB NEWS

Al Pacino will produce Johnny Depp's first film in 25 years.

For the first time in almost 25 years, Johnny Depp will go behind the camera of a feature film.

The actor will direct again for "Modigliani," a biopic about the life of the Italian artist Amedeo Modigliani. Both Al Pacino and Barry Navidi are serving as producers on the picture. The film has the support of IN.2, the European branch of production business Infinitum Nihil.

The narrative of Italian-born painter and sculptor Amedeo Modigliani, set in Paris in 1916 and based on Dennis McIntyre's play of the same name and adapted for the screen by Jerzy and Mary Kromolowski. The film's synopsis states, "Modigliani, long considered by himself a critical and financial failure, navigates a chaotic and exciting 48 hours that will prove a turning point in his life, finally cementing his position as an artistic legend."

"The narrative of Mr. Modigliani's life is one that I'm immensely honored, and sincerely humbled to bring to the cinema," Depp said in a statement. This is a story that each human can relate to, the narrator says, because "it was a life of enormous hardship, but eventual victory."

Depp is using this film as part of his ongoing campaign to relaunch his career following the widespread coverage of his defamation trial against ex-wife Amber Heard. Juries agreed that Heard's 2018 opinion post in the Washington Post, in which she implied that Depp had been a domestic abuse victim, libelously slandered Depp. In defending himself from Heard's accusations, however, the jury decided that Depp defamed her through his lawyer.

Although Hollywood has shied away from Depp, he has found success working with European studios. He also plays King Louis XV in the upcoming "Jeanne du Barry," a historical romance drama about a royal's concubine, directed by French filmmaker Mawenn.

Since his appearance as war photographer W. Eugene Smith in the independent film "Minamata," which is set for release in 2020, "Jeanne du Barry" will be Depp's first significant acting role since then. In the same year that Depp lost his libel case against the British newspaper The Sun for labeling him a "wife abuser," Warner Bros. fired him from the "Harry Potter" spinoff series "Fantastic Beasts." In 2022's "Fantastic Beast: The Secrets of Dumbledore," Madds Mikkelson took over for Depp as the evil wizard Gellert Grindelwald.

Known for his roles in films like "Pirates of the Caribbean" and "Sweeney Todd," the actor made his directing debut with the 1997 film "The Brave," in which he also acted alongside Marlon Brando. The neo-Western bombed at the box office and with critics; Variety called it "turgid and preposterous." Since then, he hasn't helmed another picture, but he has produced or executive produced a number of films, including Hugo, The Lone Ranger, and Minimata.

Pacino and Navidi, who previously collaborated on "The Merchant of Venice" in 2004, reteam for this picture. Both "Wilde Salomé" (2011) and "Salomé" (2013) (20 13

Al has a deep personal investment in this work. A long time ago, Al showed me the play Modigliani, and I fell in love with it," remarked Navidi. To paraphrase the author, "This is not a bio but a piece of Modi's life. Working with Johnny again has been a lifelong ambition of mine; he's a genuine artist with a breathtaking vision for bringing this fantastic narrative to the cinema.

It was first reported by The Hollywood Reporter that Depp would be making a comeback to filmmaking.