New Johnny Depp movie will open Cannes Film Festival

AFP

Johnny Depp's first live-action film since the widely watched defamation trial against ex-wife Amber Heard was selected as the opening movie for next month's Cannes Film Festival in France.

The French-language film Jeanne du Barry stars director Maïwenn Le Besco, known as Maiwenn, as Jeanne Becu, a woman who rose from poverty to the circles of King Louis XV. Depp plays the king in the movie, which will have its world premiere at Cannes on May 16.

The Pirates of the Caribbean actor has made few film or TV appearances since his trial concluded in June 2022. He made surprise cameos at the MTV Video Music Awards and Rihanna's Savage X Fenty fashion show.

Depp also voiced an animated puffin in last month's Johnny Puff: Secret Mission.

The actor is trying to rebuild his career after winning a near-total victory in his US legal battle with Heard, a fellow actor who had accused him of abuse. Depp denied hitting her or any other woman.

Two years earlier, Depp lost a libel suit in Britain against the Sun tabloid, which called him a "wife beater". A London High Court judge ruled that Depp had repeatedly assaulted Heard. He was soon dropped from "Harry Potter" spinoff franchise "Fantastic Beasts" and largely shunned by Hollywood.

More from Entertainment

  • Taylor Swift to present category at Grammy Awards

    Pop superstar Taylor Swift will take the stage at least once at the Grammy Awards ceremony in Los Angeles on Sunday, when she presents a trophy at the highest honors in music, organisers said.

  • 'Michael Learns To Rock' is coming to Dubai

    Legendary Danish band 'Michael Learns To Rock' will perform at the Coca-Cola Arena on April 27, 2025, bringing their signature sound and timeless hits to Dubai under their "Take Us To Your Heart" tour.

  • Singer and actress Marianne Faithfull dies aged 78

    Marianne Faithfull, the wild woman of London's Swinging '60s who survived drug addiction, homelessness, two comas, cancer and COVID-19, died at age 78, after a singing career that began as a teenager and lasted until her 70s.

  • Billie Eilish joins Green Day on stage at FireAid concerts

    Billie Eilish made a surprise appearance on stage with Green Day on Thursday to kick off one of two star-studded concerts in Los Angeles put together to raise funds for people affected by deadly wildfires in California this month.

Coming Up