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Credit: DisneyIt’s been a long time since Johnny Depp has starred in a major studio film that had Hollywood and fans buzzing again.
For years, the man once known for bringing larger-than-life characters to the big screen found himself caught in a very different kind of spotlight — one that had nothing to do with acting, and everything to do with his personal life. The legal battle with his ex-wife Amber Heard dominated headlines, red carpets were replaced by courtrooms, and for a while, it seemed like the world had more or less closed the curtain on Johnny Depp.
But if there’s one thing we’ve learned about Depp, it’s that he’s not the type to disappear quietly. He’s always marched to the beat of his own drum — from his early days as a teen heartthrob on 21 Jump Street, to his decades of iconic, offbeat roles in films like Edward Scissorhands, Sweeney Todd, and, of course, Pirates of the Caribbean.
So it should surprise no one that he’s stepping back into the spotlight on his own terms, and not with some safe, predictable comeback.
For fans of Depp who’ve been waiting for the moment he’d return to the kind of project that could land in theaters around the globe, the wait is finally over. Not only is he back — but he’s teaming up with a familiar face from one of his most beloved franchises. And this time, he looks nothing like the Johnny Depp you remember.
Reunited With a Pirates Favorite in a Brand-New Role
The new movie is called Day Drinker, and it marks Depp’s first major studio-backed film since all the chaos. The project is being helmed by Marc Webb — the director behind The Amazing Spider-Man and the live-action Snow White adaptation — and also stars Penélope Cruz, who Pirates of the Caribbean fans will instantly recognize as Angelica from On Stranger Tides (2011).
Their chemistry in that film was electric, and this new movie looks to rekindle some of that same spark, but with a modern, mysterious twist.
In Day Drinker, Depp plays a mysterious guest aboard a private yacht who forms a connection with a bartender played by Outer Banks star Madelyn Cline. But things quickly go off course when they get entangled with a criminal figure — played by Cruz — and uncover dangerous secrets neither of them saw coming. It’s got drama, suspense, and a stylish international vibe that already has people talking.
What’s grabbing even more attention, though, is Depp’s totally transformed look. He’s nearly unrecognizable — rocking a full gray beard, long salt-and-pepper hair pulled back with just a couple strands hanging loose, and what appear to be colored contacts over his normally dark brown eyes. The vibe? Somewhere between mysterious millionaire and world-weary philosopher, dressed in a crisp navy suit with a cocktail in hand.
Could This Be the Spark Disney’s Been Waiting For?
And let’s not overlook what this film means for his career. While Depp hasn’t been absent from acting entirely — he starred in the French film Jeanne du Barry and directed Modi, a biopic about Italian artist Amedeo Modigliani — those were more indie, arthouse projects. Day Drinker is different. This is Lionsgate. This is a wide release with real studio push. This is, in every sense of the word, a comeback.
The reunion with Penélope Cruz is especially meaningful. This marks the fourth time the duo has shared the screen, following Blow (2001), Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides (2011), and Murder on the Orient Express (2017). Their on-screen dynamic has always leaned into tension — romantic, dramatic, or both — and Day Drinker looks like it’s going to capitalize on that once again. For fans of Pirates, it’s an almost poetic reunion.
The timing couldn’t be better. Disney has been spinning its wheels trying to figure out what to do with the Piratesfranchise ever since Depp was effectively blacklisted from the sixth film. Rumors of reboots, Margot Robbie-led spin-offs, and even a younger Jack Sparrow prequel have floated around for years, but nothing has stuck. And the truth is, fans have never stopped associating the success of that franchise with Depp himself.
New Cast, New Look, Same Star Power
In many ways, Day Drinker feels like a reset. It’s stylish, story-driven, and backed by a cast that spans generations. Alongside Cruz and Cline, the film also brings in actors like Manu Ríos and Arón Piper (both of Netflix’s Élite), Juan Diego Botto (The Suicide Squad), and Anika Boyle, who’s making her feature film debut after performing in the West End’s Stranger Things stage show.
It’s an international cast for a film that promises sun-soaked mystery and high-stakes drama on the open water — and that kind of setting plays perfectly to Depp’s strengths.
So no, Day Drinker isn’t a Pirates sequel — but it may just be the spark that lights the fuse for Depp’s next big chapter. After seven years of silence from the major studios, he’s back on the scene. And with Cruz by his side, you can’t help but feel like something familiar is brewing again.
Whether Disney takes the hint or not remains to be seen. But for Johnny Depp fans who’ve been waiting patiently — or loudly — this is the comeback they’ve been hoping for.