It’s been a few years now since Johnny Depp and Amber Heard’s defamation trial came to a close and, since then, the former has been seeking to make a comeback of sorts. Depp’s lined up a few acting gigs and even directed a film. He's now headlining what’s arguably his most mainstream movie in sometime. Depp is starring in Day Drinker, which will reunite him with Penélope Cruz. The first look at the leading man in character has been released and, with the gray hair he’s sporting, he doesn’t look like himself.
The 61-year-old actor has been known to don some eclectic looks for films over the years, and, even today, he continues to surprise audiences with his aesthetic choices. In Day Drinker, he’ll not only be sporting longer hair and a beard but, as mentioned, those locks will also be gray. Lionsgate officially released a still of the star as he will appear in the movie, and you can check it out for yourself below:
Honestly, I had to do a bit of a double take when I first saw the still above. It’s true that it’s not one of Johnny Depp’s most grandiose looks for a film. (This is, after all, the man who played Edward Scissorhands, Captain Jack Sparrow and Gellert Grindelwald.) Still, the changes are just striking enough that it would arguably be easy for someone not to recognize Depp at first glance. I can’t help but wonder if his character was described as having gray hair in the screenplay or if this was a creative suggestion on Depp’s part.
This upcoming feature marks Johnny Depp’s first collaboration with a big studio in several years. The last film he was a part of that fell into that category was Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald, which opened in theaters in 2018. Announced in 2024, Depp’s latest film is written by Zach Dean and directed by Marc Webb, who notably helmed the Amazing Spider-Man movies, 500 Days of Summer and Disney’s recently released Snow White remake. Day Drinker centers around a bartender on a private yacht (Madelyn Cline) who crosses paths with an enigmatic figure (Depp) and, in time, both find themselves in conflict with a criminal (Cruz).
Marc Webb’s film was embroiled in a bit of controversy a little over a year ago due to a casting rumor. It was reported at the time that Sydney Sweeney had been tapped for a role in the film. However, Sweeney’s team eventually clapped back at the claim that she’d joined the film, brushing them off as just "rumors."
In the aftermath of his legal battle with his ex-wife, Johnny Depp starred in a handful of films shepherded by international production companies. One of those titles is the French historical drama Jeanne du Barry, and it premiered at the Cannes Film Festival in 2023. Depp previously spoke about how “grateful” he was that director Maïwenn took a chance on him. Depp then directed his second movie, 2024’s Modì, Three Days on the Wing of Madness, a biographical drama about Italian artist Amedeo Modigliani.
Johnny Depp’s latest film marks a major step for him professionally, considering the jobs he’s landed in the past few years. It’s far too early to say whether this will produce a performance akin to Depp’s greatest work. At the very least, though, the first-look photo indicates that the actor decided to treat this as a somewhat transformative role, from a physical standpoint.
As of this writing, an official release date has not been announced for Day Drinker. While you wait for further developments on that front, check out the 2025 movie schedule for information on big-screen titles headed to a cinema near you soon.
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