Johnny Depp to play controversial French king Louis XV in new historic drama

By ANI

WASHINGTON: Actor Johnny Depp is ready to tackle the position of French king Louis XV.

As per Variety, the 58-year-old star will characteristic because the controversial royal in a brand new film from French filmmaker Maiwenn. The shoot for the upcoming movie will start this summer time.

The yet-to-be-titled film’s precise plot particulars are stored below wraps. It is being produced by Pascal Caucheteux and Gregoire Sorlat’s Paris-based Why Not Productions with Wild Bunch International dealing with world gross sales.

Filming will happen for 3 months on location throughout Parisian landmarks, primarily on the Versailles Palace.

Apart from directing the film, Maiwenn may even star alongside Depp as Countess Jeanne du Barry, Louis XV’s remaining mistress.

Louis XV, who was nicknamed ‘the beloved’ and reigned for 59 years, the longest within the historical past of France after that of Louis XIV. Paradoxically, Louis XV died as an unpopular king after being accused of corruption and debauchery.

The upcoming movie is the primary that Depp has signed on to since dropping his libel case towards a British tabloid in November 2020. He beforehand sued the outlet after it known as him a “wife-beater,” following his contentious cut up from now-ex-wife Amber Heard.

After dropping the case, Depp agreed to exit the position of darkish wizard Gellert Grindelwald within the ‘Harry Potter’ spinoff collection, ‘Fantastic Beasts’. Mads Mikkelsen was then forged because the villainous character within the franchise’s upcoming third installment, ‘Fantastic Beasts: The Secrets of Dumbledore’.

Depp’s most up-to-date position was as photographer W. Eugene Smith within the drama ‘Minamata’, which he additionally co-produced. While ‘Minamata’ was not launched within the US till final month, it premiered on the Berlin International Film Festival on February 21, 2020.

Although he has fallen from Hollywood’s good graces, Depp hasn’t confronted a lot backlash in Europe.

He just lately acquired honorary awards on the Karlovy Vary Festival and San Sebastian Film Festival. Depp was additionally celebrated on the Deauville American Film Festival, within the French Normandy, in 2020, and acquired an award from the arms of Catherine Deneuve.

Depp, who’s taking over the position of the French king, lived in France for a few years with Vanessa Paradis, with whom he has a daughter, Lily Rose Depp.

The interval film will mark a departure for Maiwenn, an actor-turned-filmmaker whose movies are all up to date and infrequently private.

Her final movie ‘DNA’, a thought-provoking ensemble household drama was a part of Cannes 2020’s Official Selection. Her earlier movie, ‘Mon Roi’ earned its star Emmanuelle Bercot a finest actress award at Cannes in 2015; whereas her 2011 drama ‘Polisse’ received the Cannes jury prize.