Aquaman, now a father to Arthur Curry Jr., is trying to find a balance in being a father and the King of Atlantis. Black Manta, driven blind by revenge, sets out to track down the mythic Black Trident, a weapon with ancient powers. As Black Manta closes in, Aquaman must turn to the former King of Atlantis – Orm, to forge an alliance. Together, they will protect the kingdom and Aquaman’s family.
The underwater comic book movie held its US premiere on December 19, 2023 at The Grove in Los Angeles. The film was released domestically on December 22, 2023. Originally, ‘Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom’ was scheduled to be released on December 16, 2022. The film’s release was changed three times due to the COVID-19 pandemic and the reshuffling of the studio’s release dates.
‘Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom’ has a runtime of 2 hours and 4 minutes. If you missed the movie on the big screen, it is now available to rent or purchase on VOD platforms such as Apple TV, Prime Video, Google Play, YouTube, and Vudu. Prices range from $19.99 for rental or $24.99 for purchase.
Since the first ‘Aquaman‘ film is available to stream on Max, it is likely the sequel will eventually land on the streaming platform. However, an official date has not been released or confirmed by Warner Bros Discovery.
For fans of physical media, you’re in luck. ‘Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom’ is now available for pre-order. Prices range from $19.99 for DVD, $24.96 for Blu-ray, and $32.99 for 4K UHD. There’s also an option to purchase a two-film collection, which will include the first film ‘Aquaman’ and the sequel ‘Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom.’ for $32.99. The official release date for home release is March 12, 2024.
To go up against Black Manta, who wields the power of the Black Trident, Aquaman needed to team up with his brother (and former King of Atlantis), Orm. Although an unlikely pair, Jason Momoa and Patrick Wilson made for a great duo screen, whether it be brotherly witty banters or coordinated fight scenes. Their chemistry amplified the movie.
‘Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom’ is the final movie of the previous DECU era. Current DC co-chairs James Gunn and Peter Safran are working towards their new vision for DC. The two previously announced ‘Superman Legacy,’ a film that will be a part of the new DC Universe Chapter One, ‘Gods and Monsters.’ Other DC films, such as ‘Joker: Folie á Deux’ will exist in Elseworld.
This could mean that there’s a slight chance we can see Momoa’s Aquaman return in some capacity, as Elseworld stories do not connect to the main canon of the new DCU.
Gunn and Safran introduced their new DC slate a year ago and have announced that ‘Superman Legacy’ has started production, and the ‘Creature Commandos’ episodes are being finished, with the series being released later this year. Gunn also teases upcoming projects and says, “incredible talents are being attached to new projects, planned & unplanned.”
“Today, ‘Superman Legacy’ is about to start production, episodes of ‘Creature Commandos’ are being finished that will release later this year, at least 2 more projects are gearing up to go in the next couple months, amazing scripts keep coming in, & incredible talent are being attached to new projects, planned & unplanned. Thank you!!”
Watch the official trailers for ‘Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom’ below:
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The official synopsis for ‘Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom’ is below:
After failing to defeat Aquaman the first time, Black Manta wields the power of the mythic Black Trident to unleash an ancient and malevolent force. Hoping to end his reign of terror, Aquaman forges an unlikely alliance with his brother, Orm, the former king of Atlantis. Setting aside their differences, they join forces to protect their kingdom and save the world from irreversible destruction.
Directed once again by James Wan (who made the billion-plus success that was the first ‘Aquaman’), it arrives following a wave of delays and changes. So, does the sequel live up to the silly-but-fun original?
Regrettably, we must answer a solid no to the question. ‘The Lost Kingdom’ feels more like a senior handing in a sloppy work project, little concerned with how it’ll be received.
This is superhero storytelling on autopilot, another world-threatening situation, another rote test for the hero, another villain with even less shading than he had in the first movie. And fairly shocking given the people involved and how they managed last time.
Written once again by David Leslie Johnson-McGoldrick, based on a story by not just director Wan but also Momoa and his producing partner Thomas Pa’a Sibbett, this is the sort of film that makes you wonder just why it took so many people to come up with a movie screenplay this basic.
Mired in some very obvious tropes and storylines, ‘Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom’ is really just the 7500th telling of the “hero tested by returning villain who has found some dark ancient power to help his cause, forcing the protagonist to team up with another former antagonist to save the world”. And if you felt me falling asleep as I wrote that, imagine what I went through during the movie.
This is a film that borrows so heavily from other, better movies –– a dab of ‘The Matrix’ (in Black Manta’s squid-like attack craft), a splash of ‘The Lord of the Rings’ (the backstory for the ancient power at the heart of the story) and just a sprinkling of ‘Black Panther’ (both in Arthur’s clash with someone who feels they should have his job and in a way we won’t explore here).
Aside from a callback to the drumming octopus known as Topo (an element from the comics that served as a one-off joke in the first movie but is here revealed to be an intelligence agent and a source of more occasional humor in this one) there is very little that feels at all fresh or truly interesting here.
The whole affair is tired and repetitive, the treatment of the story beyond rudimentary and the drama only really serving to stitch together set pieces that themselves come across as several different variations on the idea of Aquaman and Patrick Wilson’s Orm running from things or punching them.
Wan, meanwhile, gets to inject some of his usual horror overtones into the movie –– one or two sequences work (such as Black Manta showing up at Aquaman’s father’s house in darkness after he has conspired to shut off the power). But in general, let down by varied quality of the visual effects (for a film that took this long to finish, you have to worry about some sequences that look like they’re from the theme park version of the movie), this is certainly among his lesser movies.
The re-shoots and changes that happened along the way clearly had an effect, and most of what still works about the movie is by sheer luck rather than design.
If there is any real saving grace in the movie, it’s Momoa’s committed performance as the leading man, full of wisecracks (even if he does start to sound like Robert Downey Jr’s Iron Man at times) and finding fun chemistry with Wilson’s Orm.
For his part, Wilson gives good snark, fully embracing the idea of the frustrated ruler who can’t stand the doofus who is on what he sees as his rightful throne.
Elsewhere? Poor Yahya Abdul-Mateen II is reduced to an afterthought as a villain, who has his vengeful mission but very little else to do. At his side is Randall Park as scientist Dr. Stephen Shin, making the most of a nebbishy stock character and scoring one or two laughs.
And the rest of the heroic characters are barely there –– Temuera Morrison as Aquaman’s father Tom has a couple of solid scenes with his son and grandson, but you have to wonder why Nicole Kidman bothered showing up again as Momoa’s character’s mother beyond a contract and a payday.
Coming out even worse, though, is Amber Heard, who occasionally appears to be added in through visual effects and beyond one helpful moment, has so little to do you can understand Heard’s concerns that her character has been reduced to nearly nothing.
As an ending to the DC universe in its pre-Gunn era, this is like the mess of sticky drinks left on the floor after a party –– there’s no real wrap-up for anything and the usual teasing hint for future stories is pretty much absent.
Given how Wan, Momoa and the rest brought some knowing fun to a character who has been a joke in the past, it’s all the more disappointing that their follow-up is a bombastic but hollow enterprise, a less-than-satisfying end to a movie universe.
‘Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom’ receives 6 out of 10 stars.
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What’s the story of ‘Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom’?
Having failed to defeat Aquaman (Jason Momoa) the first time, Black Manta (Yahya Abdul-Mateen II), still driven by the need to avenge his father’s death, will stop at nothing to take Aquaman down once and for all.
This time Black Manta is more formidable than ever before, wielding the power of the mythic Black Trident, which unleashes an ancient and malevolent force. To defeat him, Aquaman will turn to his imprisoned brother Orm (Patrick Wilson), the former King of Atlantis, to forge an unlikely alliance. Together, they must set aside their differences in order to protect their kingdom and save Aquaman’s family, and the world, from irreversible destruction.
Who else is in ‘Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom’?
The cast for the new superhero outing also includes Amber Heard as Mera, Nicole Kidman as Atlanna, Dolph Lundgren as King Nereus and Randall Park as Dr. Stephen Shin.
Opening in theaters, On Demand and digital beginning October 13th is the new thriller ‘In The Fire,’ which was directed and co-written by Conor Allyn (‘No Man’s Land’).
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What is the plot of ‘In the Fire’?
A doctor from New York (Amber Heard) travels to a remote plantation in the 1890s to care for a disturbed boy who seems to have inexplicable abilities. She begins treating the child, but in doing so ignites a war of science versus religion with the local priest who believes the boy is possessed by the Devil and is the reason for all the village’s woes.
Who is in the cast of ‘In the Fire’?
Amber Heard as Grace Burnham in the thriller, ‘In the Fire,’ a Saban Films release. Photo courtesy of Saban Films.
Moviefone recently had the pleasure of speaking with director Conor Allyn about his work on ‘In the Fire,’ developing the screenplay and the themes he wanted to explore, the idea of science vs. religion, working with Amber Heard, why she was right for this role, directing young Lorenzo McGovern Zaini, Grace and Martin’s bond, the makeshift family they create, and balancing the movie’s different tones.
‘In the Fire’ director Conor Allyn.
You can read the full interview below or click on the video player above to watch our interview.
Moviefone: To begin with, can you talk about developing the screenplay and the themes that you wanted to explore with this film?
Conor Allyn: Yes, so I think I wrote the first draft of this in maybe 2014 or 2015, and anything I write almost always has to do with exiles and outcasts. I guess through some formative years I felt like that myself, so that comes out in the writing whether I want it to or not. This is fundamentally, it’s a movie about science versus religion, facts versus what we believe, something we’re still dealing with today, and I’m sure we always will be. But one issue that I feel is ingrained well in the movie that really speaks to the modern world is what we would call now just bullying. This is a period movie and it takes place a hundred years ago. It’s about this disturbed boy in a small town who is isolated from the rest of the world and he’s also isolated from his own small town because he’s different, because he’s disturbed. When things go wrong, he gets blamed. Equally, this woman doctor studies psychology, and she’s also kind of an outcast in her own way. She’s a female doctor in a time when there weren’t any, and she studied psychology at a time when that was not a respected science. So these are two outcasts who form a relationship and she’s trying to protect him from the bullying that’s happening at this time, and he’s in physical danger for his life or to be exercised by the local priest, and she finds herself bullied as well. She gets dragged through the public square and whipped because of her convictions to try to protect this kid, and that relates to our lives today very much. I was bullied quite a bit as a kid and that comes through in my writing.
(L to R) Amber Heard as Grace Burnham and Luca Calvani as Father Antonio in the thriller ‘In the Fire,’ a Saban Films release. Photo courtesy of Saban Films.
MF: Can you expand on the idea of science vs. religion and how that plays out in this story?
CA: Again, I guess your own issues come out. I went to Catholic school for my entire education from kindergarten through college, and faith is a really interesting thing. I mean, religion can be the best thing in someone’s life. It can do wonderful things. It can save people, it can help people, and I’ve also seen it hurt people really badly when used incorrectly. We’re all humans, we fail sometimes, and it’s an issue that we’re still dealing with today. There’s facts and then there’s beliefs. They are not the same. Often people substitute belief for fact and it gets us into a lot of friction.
Amber Heard as Grace Burnham in the thriller, ‘In the Fire,’ a Saban Films release. Photo courtesy of Saban Films.
MF: What was your experience like working with Amber Heard and as an actress, what did she bring to this role?
CA: It was a marvelous experience. I had written a TV pilot that she was attached to, and that show has not happened yet, but getting to know her during that, people don’t know this about her, but she lived in Mexico City for a while. She speaks fluent Spanish. She’s really intelligent. She knew a lot about the history of South America, which is where this TV show was set. So I shared with her ‘In the Fire’ and she connected with it in a snap, which of course is what I was hoping. A lot of personal connections for her. I mean, like I was just saying, this is a character who is a fearless truth teller who has these convictions and sticks to them even when it gets her in hot water, even when it gets her physically dragged through the town square and whipped. It is not a coincidence that Amber Heard connected to a character who goes through this. She is herself a fearless truth teller who, this is the 21st century version, but she goes out and speaks her truth and just gets mercilessly bullied for it online. I’m horrified by what she went through in these last years, but she was able to draw from a lot of personal life experiences to be in touch with this character. I mean, the timeline was tight. We shot this movie just weeks before she went to Virginia for her trial. So when we wrapped this movie, she went straight from Guatemala to Virginia for the trial. The way she was able to commit herself and give 100% on this movie where she’s the lead, and she was on set all day, every day, in Italy and Guatemala, for six or seven weeks. But behind the scenes, after hours, she was working on trial prep and having the looming cloud of that, having to share your most horrible stories and stuff with the public. I can’t imagine it. I really can’t.
Lorenzo McGovern Zaini as Martin Marquez in the thriller ‘In the Fire,’ a Saban Films release. Photo courtesy of Saban Films.
MF: There’s an old saying in Hollywood: “Never work with children or animals.” Can you talk about directing young Lorenzo McGovern Zaini and did he and Amber bond on set?
CA: “Don’t work with kids or animals.” We did! We had horses, chickens, rabbits, and kids in this movie. If this movie hadn’t had a star in the child role of Martin, it would have been a waste of time. It’d be a garbage movie without a good performance from him. I’m so blessed to have found such a wonderful actor. Lorenzo’s only 11-years old, remarkably talented, and speaks four languages. He was wearing these contact lenses that make your pupils look different sizes, which make you practically blind. You’re basically seeing through a dot. So he’s basically blind acting through this whole movie and he’s terrific. The relationship that blossomed between him and Amber on and off-screen was, I mean, it’s the foundation of the whole movie. These are two people who are not very emotional. She’s a doctor who’s has purposely cut herself off from emotions, and he’s mentally disturbed, so physically he doesn’t have them. So these two people making a relationship out of nothing, that’s what the movie is, this core personal relationship within the movie. The two of them really did it in real life too, and it was awesome to watch.
Amber Heard as Grace Burnham in the thriller, ‘In the Fire,’ a Saban Films release. Photo courtesy of Saban Films.
MF: Can you talk more about the deep connection between the two characters? What potential does Grace see in Martin, who is being demonized by the townspeople?
AC: So I think the real arc that’s important for her character is that she comes to this remote village with her science and her medicine, her facts, and her preconceived notions of, “Here’s this boy, and he is disturbed. I’m going to diagnose him. I’m going to put a label on it. I’m going to treat him, and then I’m going to send him on his way.” That’s what she comes in hoping or planning, and she finds a lot more than that. Like the audience is asked in this movie, she has to question all those facts and figures she showed up with. A lot of what she sees from the kid, yes, he’s disturbed, but she’s also seeing some other stuff that she can’t explain with her science and her medicine. The audience is being asked that same question of you see something that has a practical explanation but also might be a little magical. Her arc in the movie is that she goes from treating this kid and protecting him because she’s a doctor and that’s the right thing to do, to protecting him instinctively more as a maternal figure because she loves him, not just because she’s a doctor.
Eduardo Noriega as Don Marquez in the thriller, ‘In the Fire,’ a Saban Films release. Photo courtesy of Saban Films.
MF: Can you talk about the makeshift family that Grace creates with Martin and his father, Nicolas?
AC: Yeah, this whole family is sort of outcast. The father, Martin’s father basically is protecting his kid from the local priest who wants to do an exorcism. He’s protecting his son out of honor, not love. He’s kind of with the local town and he blames the kid for his wife’s death. She, in addition to treating the boy, Amber’s character also really treats this father. The love story in this movie is very much between the father and the boy of realizing that he can love his son, even if he’s different.
Lorenzo McGovern Zaini as Martin Marquez in the thriller ‘In the Fire,’ a Saban Films release. Photo courtesy of Saban Films.
MF: Finally, the film has horror aspects, romance elements, and even at times plays like the origin story in a superhero movie. Can you talk about balancing all the different tones of this project?
AC: I love genre movies, but what I really love is creating a unique storytelling space. I’d much rather even try and fail to create a new space, a new story, than to rehash something that we’ve all seen before. So as far as our atmosphere, I decided I’m going to go with this western romantic remote town in South America because we haven’t seen that before. It’s grabbing a bit of the western genre and it’s touching upon the religious horror genre, pulling some of these different elements together and trying to fit them into a cohesive unit. I think that’s a lot of fun. Certainly a lot of fun for me, and hopefully a lot of fun for the audience.
Amber Heard as Grace Burnham in the thriller, ‘In the Fire,’ a Saban Films release. Photo courtesy of Saban Films.
(Left) ‘Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom’ director James Wan at CinemaCon 2022. Photos by Eric Charbonneau. (Right) Jason Momoa on the set of ‘Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom.’ Photo courtesy of Jason Momoa’s Instagram account.
Following the huge, $1 billion-plus success of the first ‘Aquaman’ movie, a sequel was pretty much a given. ‘Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom’ originally shot in 2021, but since then has been through all manner of changes, both in terms of release date and footage.
Yet despite several stories about issues behind the scenes, director James Wan has now opened up about the process, clearing up rumors and debunking some, while admitting it has been a challenge getting the movie to this point?
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What’s the story of ‘Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom’?
Jason Momoa on the set of ‘Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom.’ Photo courtesy of Jason Momoa’s Instagram account.
In the previous movie, Aquaman, AKA Arthur Curry (Jason Momoa) embraced his destiny as a leader of Atlantis and thwarted the devious schemes of half-brother Orm (Patrick Wilson).
For ‘Lost Kingdom’, the feuding siblings form an uneasy partnership to take on another of the first film’s big bads, Yahya Abdul-Mateen II’s Black Manta, a vengeance-seeking and now hugely powerful supervillain in possession of the Black Trident, which gives him the ability to command an ancient evil.
James Wan on whether Batman is in ‘Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom’
(L to R) Ben Affleck and Jason Momoa on the set of ‘Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom.’ Photo courtesy of Jason Momoa’s Instagram account.
Originally planned to surface in theaters last December, the ‘Aquaman’ sequel has seen several different release dates and is also caught up in the end of the DC Extended Universe (and the shift to James Gunn and Peter Safran’s new plans).
The change in arrival dates also meant Wan and co. had to work to figure out cameos and more so as to fit into the storyline following ‘The Flash’.
A big part of that is which version of Batman would appear in the film (if at all), with scenes shot featuring either Michael Keaton’s take (as returned to screens in ‘The Flash’) or Ben Affleck.
“The tricky thing early on was not knowing whether ‘Aquaman’ would come out first or come out after ‘The Flash’. So, we just had to be prepared. At the end of the day, the best thing I would say about this movie is that it is not connected in any way to any of those films.”
He won’t be drawn on whether Batman actually shows up, preferring to go no comment on that front.
The chatter about additional photography has also been a big part of the rumor sphere, but Wan is quick to explain…
“We have big actors in this movie, and everyone’s schedule is really hard. So, we had to break up our shooting schedule into sections. We’ll shoot a bit here now, because this actor’s available, and then we’ll do another shoot now, because this guy’s available. People are like, ‘Oh, they’re doing a whole bunch of different shoots!’ No. If we actually combined them all together, it’s actually not that many number of days at all.”
Wan on Amber Heard’s claims that her role as Mera was “pared down”
Amber Heard in 2010’s ‘The Ward.’
Amber Heard, who plays Atlantean warrior Mera in the first movie and returns for the second, made comments in 2022 that she felt her role in the new movie felt “pared down”.
But for Wan, it was simply a case of David Leslie Johnson-McGoldrick’s script focusing on a different dynamic this time:
“I always pitched this to everyone from the get-go. The first Aquaman was Arthur and Mera’s journey. The second movie was always going to be Arthur and Orm. So, the first was a romance action-adventure movie, the second one is a bromance action-adventure movie. We’ll leave it at that.”
You’ll get your chance to see more of the movie when the first trailer arrives online tomorrow. For now, check out the teaser below:
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‘Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom’ will be in theaters –– hopefully –– on December 20th.
‘Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom’ is produced by Warner Bros. Pictures, Atomic Monster, The Safran Company, and DC Films. The movie is scheduled to release in theaters on December 20th, 2023.
(L to R) Ben Affleck and Jason Momoa on the set of ‘Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom.’ Photo courtesy of Jason Momoa’s Instagram account.
Warner Bros. Discovery has, according to Deadline, decided to shift the release dates for a batch of its upcoming movies. And it mostly means that those expecting to see James Wan’s ‘Aquaman and the Lost Kingdom’ next March will be waiting a few months longer.
No, the much-anticipated ‘Aquaman’ sequel isn’t suddenly headed off into a vault as a tax write-off. Instead, the reasoning is that the backlog of visual effects work means that Wan and co. need more time to finish the FX-heavy superhero sequel.
The result? Instead of its original planned March 17th, 2023 release in theaters, the new movie will be a DC Christmas present for fans, releasing on December 25th next year.
Disney is already busy priming the pump for the sequel’s arrival by yanking the original from tis Disney+ servers and putting the movie back in theaters from September 22nd in a shiny new 4K remastered version.
Anticipation for the next ‘Avatar’ remains high despite naysayers trying to claim that it won’t have the same impact. Even if it gets close, ‘The Way of Water’ will be a giant movie, and no one should ever bet against James Cameron.
So ‘Shazam’s second outing (which sees Zachary Levi back leading the cast as the titular hero, who transforms upon saying his name from more regular teen Billy Batson, played by Asher Angel) will now reside in the much more comfortable March 17th slot vacated by its watery superhero sibling, and won’t have to worry about fighting for regular screens and IMAX slots with Cameron’s behemoth.
It also represents Warners considering a March slot to be a winner following this year’s ‘The Batman’.
‘The Conjuring’s ever-expanding franchise continues, meanwhile, with ‘The Nun 2’, directed by Michael Chaves, set for September 8th, 2023. Fellow horror ‘Salem’s Lot’ had been penciled in for April but is now awaiting a new date.
Those weren’t the only announcements. A ‘House Party’ reboot is headed our way this December 9th, while Lee Cronin’s ‘Evil Dead Rise’ is scheduled for an April 21st slot. Both of those movies had originally been targeted for HBO Max, which will add fuel to the fire of those rightfully upset that ‘Batgirl’ is being denied a similar chance.
Finally, Warners also confirmed an untitled event film (whether that’s DC or something else) for February 10th next year, to take advantage of Super Bowl Weekend.
Jason Momoa in 2018’s ‘Aquaman.’
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Johnny Depp in 2012’s ‘Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides.’
Looking to emerge from the mire of his legal battles with ex-wife Amber Heard, Johnny Depp is throwing himself back into creative work, acting and now preparing to get back behind the camera for a new movie.
Jerzy and Mary Kromolowski wrote the script, adapting the play by Dennis McIntyre. The film will tell the story of the painter and sculptor living in Paris in 1916.
While he has suffered under the belief that he’s a critical and commercial failure, Modigliani navigates a turbulent and eventful 48 hours that will become a turning point in his life, ultimately solidifying his reputation as an artistic legend.
We don’t yet know who will star in the movie (and whether Depp will take a role/ the lead), but the cameras should be rolling next year in Europe. Al Pacino, who has worked with co-producer Ben Navidi on various other movies, is also involved in shepherding the movie to screens.
“The saga of Mr. Modigliani’s life is one that I’m incredibly honored, and truly humbled, to bring to the screen,” said Depp. “It was a life of great hardship, but eventual triumph — a universally human story all viewers can identify with.”
“This project has been very close to Al’s heart. Al introduced me to the play Modigliani many years ago and I instantly fell in love with it,” says Navidi. “This is a slice of Modi’s life and not a bio. It’s been a dream of mine to work with Johnny again — he’s a true artist with an amazing vision to bring this great story to the screen.”
(L to R) Amber Heard and Johnny Depp in 2011’s ‘The Rum Diary.’
Depp recently saw a judge rule in his favor in a defamation trial brought against Heard, who has made continued claims of his abusive behavior. But as the case dragged on, both actors saw their names and reputations dragged through the mud of public opinion.
For his part, Depp has seen work in Hollywood dry up, and studios distancing themselves from him, including Warner Bros. ejecting him from ‘Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore’ where he had been set to reprise his role as the villainous Grindelwald (Mads Mikkelsen took over the character).
The actor hasn’t been seen on screen since 2020’s ‘Minamata,’ which saw him play war photographer W. Eugene Smith. He is, however, still finding work from European companies, and is at work on French filmmaker Maïwenn’s upcoming film ‘Jeanne du Barry,’ a historical romance drama about a royal’s concubine, with Depp as King Louis XV.
The last time Depp was calling action, it was for his directorial debut, the 1997 neo-Western ‘The Brave’. Adapted from Gregory McDonald’s novel, it followed an unemployed alcoholic Native American Indian who lives on a trailer park with his wife and two children. Convinced that he has nothing to offer this world, he agrees to be tortured to death by a gang of rednecks in return for $50,000.
Not exactly a crowd-pleaser – or indeed an anyone pleaser – it was critically castigated and largely eschewed by audiences, barely moving the needle on box office figures despite Depp starring alongside Marlon Brando.
He’ll no doubt be hoping for better things with ‘Modigliani’, but given the obscure subject matter, that remains to be seen.
Johnny Depp in Disney’s ‘Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl.’
For the past few months, most of what has been written about Johnny Depp has been about the lurid celebrity defamation trial between the actor and ex-wife Amber Heard.
The trial dominated headlines, and Depp’s cinematic career only got a mention as it related to the trial’s coverage of his career and the various scandals’ impact upon it. Depp brought a lawsuit against Heard for statements she made in a Washington Post op-ed alluding to claims of domestic abuse.
Heard has now been ordered to pay $10.35 million in damages to Depp. “From the very beginning, the goal of bringing this case was to reveal the truth, regardless of the outcome,” Depp said in a statement following the verdict. “Speaking the truth was something that I owed to my children and to all those who have remained steadfast in their support of me. I feel at peace knowing I have finally accomplished that.”
That film is ‘La Favorite’, a period drama from French director Maiwenn (‘Mon Roi’), which will find the actor as King Louis XV. In addition to calling the shots, Maiwenn will also star as Jeanne du Barry, a countess who became Louis’ final mistress.
It’s planning to shoot for a few months this summer in locations including the Versailles Palace.
(L to R) Amber Heard and Johnny Depp in 2011’s ‘The Rum Diary.’
Though there had been talk that Netflix was providing financial backing for the movie, Variety has learned that that’s not the case, but the streaming service has picked up rights to stream it in France once the 15-month theatrical window has closed.
‘La Favorite’s cast also includes Pierre Richard and Noémie Lvovsky, with Pascal Caucheteux and Grégoire Sorlat as the movie’s producers.
Before that, though, if you are looking for Depp’s current movie, ‘Minamata’ is available to watch on Hulu.
Adapted from Aileen Mioko Smith and W. Eugene Smith’s novel, it follows Depp as the latter Smith, a reclusive American photojournalist who headed to Japan in the 1970s to investigate the emergence of a strange disease.
He ends up clashing with the corporate forces responsible for the disease and works to make the information about the health crisis known to the world. Thanks to that effort, he became an icon within the world of photojournalism.
The movie was originally scheduled to arrive in theaters in February 2021, before it was delayed as cinema closures continued to impact the States. It eventually arrived this past February to little attention (despite positive reviews) and is now on streaming.
We’re still waiting to hear when American audiences will be able to watch ‘La Favorite’.
Johnny Depp in 2000’s ‘Chocolat.’
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The upcoming limited series adaptation of Stephen King’s “The Stand” is getting a new ending — from the author himself.
The CBS All-Access project also added four actors to the cast in key roles, including James Marsden and Amber Heard.
“The Stand” is set in a world decimated after an apocalyptic pandemic and embroiled in an elemental struggle between good and evil. The fate of mankind rests on the frail shoulders of the 108-year-old Mother Abagail and a handful of survivors. But they must contend with a man of unspeakable powers: Randall Flagg, the Dark Man.
King will write the show’s finale episode, which will include “a new coda that won’t be found in the book” that will reveal more about what happened to the survivors.
As for the new cast members, they are led by “Westworld” star Marsden, who will portray Stu Redman, “an ordinary working-class factory man in an extraordinary situation with a damaged quality to him that belies his exterior.”
“Aquaman” star Heard will play Nadine Cross, “a deeply conflicted woman who feels the consequences of her actions, but is still compelled by her allegiance to Randall Flagg, the Dark Man.”
Odessa Young (“A Million Little Pieces”) will play Frannie Goldsmith, “a pregnant young woman navigating a strange new world, who also has the foresight to recognize that there is evil lurking beyond the Dark Man.”
Henry Zaga (“13 Reasons Why”) will portray Nick Andros, “a young deaf and mute man who finds himself in a position of authority when the unthinkable happens. He has a habit of risking his own well-being for the safety of others.”
Casting is underway for CBS All Access’s 10-episode adaptation of Stephen King‘s post-apocalyptic epic “The Stand,” with some big names reportedly close to signing on the dotted line.
Deadline reports that James Marsden (Teddy Flood on “Westworld”) will play Stu Redman, the first man who’s immune to the virus that’s ravaged the planet. He eventually becomes the leader who confronts the evil Randall Flagg. Gary Sinise memorably played Stu in the 1994 ABC miniseries.
According to Collider, here’s who’s currently in various stages of negotiations for other key roles:
• Amber Heard (“Aquaman”): Nadine Cross, a school teacher who becomes obsessed with Flagg. Laura San Giacomo played Nadine in 1994.
• Whoopi Goldberg: Mother Abagail, who is immune to the superflu and claims to be a prophet of God. Ruby Dee originated the character.
• Greg Kinnear: Glen Bateman, an arthritic professor who joins Stu on his journey to meet Mother Abagail. Glen was played by Ray Walston in the ABC miniseries.
• Odessa Young (“Assassination Nation“): Frannie Goldsmith, a pregnant woman who leaves her devastated community and ends up falling in love with Stu. Molly Ringwald played her in the 1994 miniseries.
• Henry Zaga (“Teen Wolf”): Nick Andros, a young, deaf-mute grifter who wears an eye patch for most of the book. Rob Lowe played him in 1994.
Josh Boone (“The Fault in Our Stars”) and Ben Cavell (“SEAL Team”) adapted King’s novel and Boone will also direct and produce.
“I’m excited and so very pleased that ‘The Stand’ is going to have a new life on this exciting new platform,” King said earlier this year. “The people involved are men and women who know exactly what they’re doing; the scripts are dynamite. The result bids to be something memorable and thrilling. I believe it will take viewers away to a world they hope will never happen.”
No names were mentioned to play the villainous Flagg, who was played by Jamey Sheridan in the 1994 miniseries.
A representative for CBS All Access refused comment to Collider on this casting list.
Per THR, former WB head Kevin Tsuijihara will be testifying about a claim that Depp asked him to blacklist Heard from all WB projects, including “Aquaman.”
Heard obviously did play Mera as planned in “Aquaman,” most likely because she’d already appeared as the character in “Justice League.”
In her motion to dismiss Depp’s $50 million defamation lawsuit against her, Heard said, “Following my highly-publicized separation from Johnny, … I lost a part for a movie in which I had already been cast.” Whether that refers to “Aquaman” or another film, we don’t know.
Depp’s representative, Adam Waldman, said that issuing subpoenas to Heard, Elon Musk and Tsujihara is “a last ditch effort to divert attention and stall [the] looming day of reckoning” for Depp’s former lawyers.
