Johnny Depp finally has a movie coming out in US theaters in 2024, but with such a limited release, the actor’s comeback may go entirely unnoticed.
Jeanne Du Barry hitting US theaters means Johnny Depp is finally getting a domestic comeback, but the limited release may go entirely unnoticed.
Though once a huge box-office star, the actor hasn’t had a major Hollywood role since his legal troubles with ex-wife Amber Heard.
Depp’s recent French film Jeanne Du Barry saw significant success overseas, leading to the film’s coming to the United States.
However, this may not be the triumphant return home that Depp’s fans have been waiting for, and it could take more than this to get the actor back into Hollywood.
Leading up to Depp’s famous defamation trial against Heard, he was dismissed from several major projects, including the Pirates of the Caribbean franchise and Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them.
In the lawsuit against his ex-wife, Depp noted that her claims had significantly limited his work, and it seemed for a time that his glory days were at an end.
However, the actor’s victory appeared to wipe the slate clear, and it was hoped that Depp could return to the sorts of box-office hits his fans had grown used to.
However, his first film since is 2023’s Jeanne Du Barry, which premiered in France.
Johnny Depp’s Jeanne Du Barry Is Finally Releasing In The United States
The 2023 movieJeanne Du Barry is a historical drama in which Depp plays King Louis XV. It’s directed by French actor and filmmaker Maïwenn, who also stars as the titular Madame Du Barry, who becomes a favorite lover of Depp’s King Louis.
The script is entirely in French, which makes Depp’s performance all the more intriguing. Acting in a different language to English audiences is one thing, but since Jeanne Du Barry premiered in France, Depp had to make his second language sound passable to native speakers. Ultimately, it seems he was successful.
Jeanne Du Barry premiered at the 2023 Cannes Film Festival and reportedly (via Screen Rant) received a seven-minute standing ovation that brought Depp to tears.
It was undoubtedly a triumphant return to the screen for the Pirates of the Caribbean actor—a moment that justified the arduous effort of clearing his name in court. Ultimately, Jeanne Du Barry proved that Depp still has a loyal fan base in Europe, but US audiences are still waiting for their turn to support the actor’s efforts—thankfully, that chance will come May 2, 2024, when Jeanne Du Barry comes to US theaters.
Jeanne Du Barry Is Only Coming To 500 US Theaters
Unfortunately, not all Depp’s fans will have access to Jeanne Du Barry‘s US release. The film is only coming to 500 theaters on May 2, 2024, significantly less than the 4,163 theaters that played Depp’s last US release, Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald.
There is a slight chance that more theaters will play Jeanne Du Barry, but this is dependent on the film doing exceptionally well. Considering its foreign status and the release of the highly anticipated Kingdom of the Planet of the Apes on May 10, 2024, this seems unlikely.
Ultimately, this means that most Depp fans will have to wait until Jeanne Du Barry hits a streaming platform before they can watch the actor’s big return, and there is currently no word on when that will happen.
This means that it could be difficult for this French film to lead to a Hollywood comeback since it may take more for major studios to invest in Depp or for the man himself to decide that it’s worth returning to the world that forced him out.
Could Johnny Depp’s New Movie Still Lead To A Hollywood Comeback?
The fact that Depp is still working and taking on ambitious projects that challenge his abilities as an actor is a good sign that he will eventually find his way back to major Hollywood blockbusters. However, it’s difficult to say whether Jeanne Du Barry will be the film to do it.
Additionally, it’s still unclear whether Depp is even interested in getting back in bed with the studios who blacklisted him during this dark period leading to his defamation trial.
The Pirates of the Caribbean actor famously stated that he wouldn’t work with Disney again for any amount of money—but could that change?
Whether Hollywood and Depp work out their differences and make more blockbusters or not, the actor is sure to grace US screens again after the limited release of Jeanne Du Barry .
Depp has a long history of working with Tim Burton, and given this director’s familiarity with controversy, it seems likely that he would again cast the Alice in Wonderland star in a future film.
However, since Burton frequently works with Disney, this, too, may be complicated. Regardless, Depp has always taken on roles that interest him (even if the financial potential is low), which means he is no stranger to indie films.
Whether Hollywood and Depp work out their differences and make more blockbusters or not, the actor is sure to grace US screens again after the limited release of Jeanne Du Barry.
