Months after his contentious defamation trial with ex-wife Amber Heard, Johnny Depp is looking to move forward and resume his work as an actor. Though these past several years have been turbulent for him, he has managed to land a few acting roles. One major gig to come his way is Jeanne Du Barry, which is the first motion picture he’s worked on since the legal proceedings ended. It’s been public knowledge for a little while now that the movie is set to make its debut at the Cannes Film Festival in the spring. However, newly announced details on the premiere have been released, and it sounds like the production is getting some fancy treatment.
Having your film play at the marquee event is a major honor in and of itself, yet Jeanne Du Barry received an even greater distinction from Cannes. It’s been confirmed that the historical drama will officially open the celebration when it kicks off in Palais on May 16, per Deadline. As far as we know, Johnny Depp himself will also be present and will walk the carpet alongside his collaborators. Given how extravagant the festival typically is, it’s fair to assume that the organizers are going to make a big to-do of the occasion. Other features scheduled to play throughout the affair are Wes Anderson’s Asteroid City, Martin Scorsese’s Killers of the Flower Moon and James Mangold’s Indiana Jones and the Dial of Destiny.
With the legal hurdles the Pirates of the Caribbean star has faced as of late, some may honestly be a bit surprised over this latest development. Even after his highly publicized court case, rumors have swirled around the 59-year-old actor. To that point, some insiders even alleged that Hollywood bigwigs will steer clear of him from this point on. The star has, however, seemingly maintained a firm level of popularity as evidenced by his concerts with the late Jeff Beck and other engagements. And naturally as time goes on, he’s becoming further removed from his long-running legal woes.
As for his latest movie, Jeanne Du Barry (or La Favorite) is written, directed and produced by Maïwenn, who also plays the lead role. The film centers on a young woman who uses her cunning personality to make her way up the social ladder. Johnny Depp will play the role of King Louis XV, who becomes enthralled by the clever lady’s vivaciousness, and that preoccupation eventually proves to be the ruler’s downfall. Sometime after the movie bows at the festival, it’ll jump to its streaming home on Netflix.
Johnny Depp also has his hands full with a few other endeavors. After being in front of the camera, he’ll direct his first film in over two decades, Modigliani, a biopic centered on Italian artist Amedeo Modigliani. The production will also pair him with Al Pacino, who is producing the movie alongside the star. At the end of 2022, Depp also landed a seven-figure deal that ensures he’ll remain the face of Dior’s Savauge fragrance. He’s also established a lucrative side gig by crafting silk-screen prints of notable people like River Phoenix and Heath Ledger.
Things have indeed seemed to be looking up for the Academy Award nominee as of late, and this Cannes news is another notch under his professional belt. How he – and the film itself – are received during the event remains to be seen. Either way, the premiere is sure to get plenty of buzz.
The Cannes Film Festival is set to run from May 16-27. Those who want to see Jeanne Du Barry in the comfort of their own homes at some point will want to grab a Netflix subscription.
