Johnny Depp Heads To France To Film First Movie Role Since Amber Heard Defamation Trial

Johnny Depp and Amber Heard’s legal battle has lasted years, but things really heated up when their defamation case in Virginia went to trial. With cameras in the courtroom, fans dissected every frame and made countless TikToks and memes about the testimonies. He was ultimately the victor, and has been spending his time touring as a musician. Now Depp is heading to France to film his first movie since the defamation trial against Heard.

Prior and during their deflation trial, Johnny Depp and Amber Heard made various allegations of abuse against the other. And both actors’ careers have seemingly suffered as a result, with Depp noticeably fired from his role as Grindelwald in the Fantastic Beasts franchise. But things are seemingly looking up for the Pirates of the Caribbean actor, as he was spotted by TMZ traveling to France for his next big movie.

Johnny Depp’s first post-defamation trial role will be playing Louis XV in a movie titled Jeanne du Barry. His lawyers have been clear about how the trial only happened so Depp could clear his name, and it’ll be fascinating to see how his career ultimately recovers from that public legal battle. Before this role, his last major movie gig was in Minamata. That project is arriving on Hulu in July, which also seems like another positive sign for this next stage in his acting career. 

As previously mentioned, Johnny Depp was notably fired from his role in the Fantastic Beasts franchise, after appearing in the first two installments as the main antagonist Grindelwald. This happened shortly after the actor lost his libel case against The Sun. He was suing the U.K. publication for referring to him as a “wife beater” but the judge ultimately ruled in The Sun’s favor. Shortly after, Depp was asked to step down from his role as Grindelwald– eventually being replaced by Mads Mikkelsen for The Secrets of Dumbledore.

Given Johnny Depp’s long tenure as a character actor and his recent viral moments in court, all eyes will be on what he does when returning to the big screen as Louis XV in Jeanne du Barry. While the jury in the defamation case was on his side, the viral footage from the courtroom helped to sway public opinion. Indeed, there are countless folks on the internet who are on Depp’s side in regard to his split from Amber Heard and the various lawsuits.

While Johnny Depp might be back on a film set shortly, he’s not totally out of the woods legally. It’s currently unclear if Amber Heard’s legal team is actually going to try and appeal the jury’s decision. What’s more, Depp also has an upcoming assault case going to trial, with his now-famous lawyer Camille Vasquez expected to represent him again.

Jeanne du Barry doesn’t currently have a release date, as it’s still in the development stage ahead of filming. Be sure to check out the 2022 movie release dates to plan your next movie experience. 

Corey Chichizola
Movies Editor

Corey was born and raised in New Jersey. Graduated with degrees theater and literature from Ramapo College of New Jersey. After working in administrative theater for a year in New York, he started as the Weekend Editor at CinemaBlend. He's since been able to work himself up to reviews, phoners, and press junkets-- and is now able to appear on camera with some of his favorite actors... just not as he would have predicted as a kid. He's particularly proud of covering horror franchises like Scream and Halloween, as well as movie musicals like West Side Story. Favorite interviews include Steven Spielberg, Spike Lee, Jamie Lee Curtis, and more.