Johnny Depp is no stranger to lawsuits these days, but the newest legal action being taken on the actor's new film isn't actually his fault, at least, not directly. Depp's newest movie, City of Lies, about the investigation into the deaths of Tupac Shakur and The Notorious B.I.G., was originally set to be released next week, but earlier this month the film was pulled from the release schedule. Now, one of the banks that helped finance the film is suing the studios for refusing to release the film.
Bank Leumi is an Israeli bank that reportedly loaned production company Good Films $23.2 million for the production of City of Lies. As part of the minimum guarantee that was owed back to Leumi, Film distributor Open Road was to release the film in a minimum of 1,800 theaters and the bank would receive a payment of nearly $6 million. However, up until now, no payment that size has apparently been received, and Open Road has no plans to release City of Lies at all.
The exact reason why Open Road isn't releasing the film isn't entirely clear. The Wrap reports that parent company Global Road is essentially being run by its creditors right now as it attempts to avoid bankruptcy, so it could be that the company is simply trying to avoid spending money, but it's also being reported that there's a feeling that releasing the movie, with Johnny Depp in a starring role, would be difficult.
Johnny Depp is currently involved in his own City of Lies lawsuit, for allegedly punching a location manager while on the set of the film. While Depp himself doesn't admit to striking the crew member, his legal representatives say the injuries were a result of the man making Depp feel unsafe, while the writer of City of Lies says the altercation came after Depp came to the defense of a homeless woman who was being insulted by the crewmember.
Of course, Johnny Depp has also spent all of 2018 involved in his own personal legal fight over the state of his finances. He has sued, and been sued, by his former business manager over mismanagement of funds. There's also been the ongoing controversy regarding Depp's relationship with Amber Heard, which has caused many to become critical of the actor, and those willing to work with him.
We'll almost certainly see City of Lies released by somebody at some point in some fashion, though at this point, exactly when is anybody's guess.
