Credit: Columbia Pictures (left) Disney (right)After the recent jokes surrounding the Johnny Depp movie reboot of The War of the Roses, some pondered whether a remake was actually a good idea. Hear me out; this is the concept of taking a satirical classic and using fiction to imitate life, then imitating fiction to remake a classic movie.
The War of the Roses: A Potential Johnny Depp Movie Gem
While Johnny Depp has had ample opportunity to work alongside Tim Burton and other big names, Alice Cooper thinks it would be “a great idea” to reboot the 1989 movie. As a quick Johnny Depp movie recap, it’s a satirical black comedy based on the novel of the same name.
It follows a supposedly perfect marriage of a wealthy couple as a divorce ensues (talk about life imitating fiction). The fact that it’s a Johnny Depp movie that’s also satirical adds to its value, especially after the recent release of the Netflix documentary that follows the Johnny Depp trial.
How the Idea Started: Johnny Depp’s Reaction
When Johnny Depp reacted to remaking a movie with Amber Heard, the idea was that it was an Alice Cooper joke. Yet it draws attention to a powerful piece of cinema that harkens to many of the Johnny Depp movies in which he excelled.
Big-Name Features for Johnny Depp
It’s impossible to forget the iconic Johnny Depp movie, Pirates of the Caribbean and his unforgettable role as Captain Jack Sparrow. Alongside this are Sweeny Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street, Sleepy Hollow, Edward Scissorhands, and Fantastic Beasts get ample attention. But what about the lesser-known Johnny Depp movies, both historical and upcoming?
Smaller, Niche Johnny Depp Movies
Johnny Depp movies tend to make a splash in Hollywood and smaller venues like the “Hollywood Vampires” tour spots. His contributions to Cannes Film Festival are part of the lesser-known successes.
A brief reminiscence of Chocolat, What’s Eating Gilbert Grape?, and The War of the Roses all lend to the historical success in a more niche environment, some Johnny Depp movies, others more classical pieces. Looking into the future of Jeanne du Barry suggests that Depp has an ongoing interest in making great cinema.
Why a Remake Merits Consideration
According to a film historian and Inside the Magic contributor, the idea of a remake is worthwhile, “The War of the Roses is Danny DeVito’s black comedy masterpiece. It’s an underseen classic and the fact that Alice Cooper made such a cogent comparison to Johnny Depp is fantastic.
“The world wasn’t ready for the dark humor of the film, especially when expectations were high after the trio of Michael Douglas, Kathleen Turner, and DeVito had previously worked together in the hit “Romancing the Stone (…)”
It highlights the merits of the iconic Johnny Depp, but also the supporting actors that make any movie great. The upcoming role as French King Louis XV shows an ongoing commitment to film, and the “Hollywood Vampires” tour is yet another example of dedication to media.
Johnny Depp Movies of Note
The world of entertainment is increasingly recycling IP and using it to retain or regain audiences. By taking the Tim Burton star and Jack Sparrow icon and harkening to times past (and also present), it presents a unique opportunity to remake a classic film as a Johnny Depp movie, according to many.
Among the other opportunities for historical IP reboots, infused with the potential of John Christopher Depp II, are:
- Black Mass
- On Stranger Tides
- The Rum Diary
- Hugo
- Jack and Jill
- Before Night Falls
- From Hell
- What’s Eating Gilbert Grape? (Where Johnny Depp starred alongside a young Leonardo Dicaprio.)
- Lone Ranger
- Corpse Bride
- Alice in Wonderland (Where he starred alongside Helena Bonham Carter.)
- Blow
- Willy Wonka (Another Helena Bonham Carter and Tim Burton adaptation.)
- The Astronaut’s Wife (A personal favorite.)
Potential Johnny Depp Reboot Co-Stars
Depp stars alongside some powerful talent; Alice Cooper and Joe Perry are in Johnny Depp’s band. That, paired with relationships with the film industry and global notoriety for playing Captain Jack Sparrow, it’s easy to imagine a The War of the Roses remake in his image.
With potential costars like Helena Bonham Carter, the help of Tim Burton, Warner Bros, or Disney, it’s easy to imagine a reboot. The potential to adapt the movie using modern cinematography and CGI lends support to the existing style of the director and the nature of the story.
“The Time Has Come, The Walrus Said”
The world was different in 1989, and perhaps this comedy noir goes relatively unnoticed. But the Los Angeles icon showed serious acting talent then and now. If there was ever a time for cinema to break the fourth (or even the fifth) wall, it’s now. Accordingly, a The War of the Roses remake has the potential to be phenomenal.
Do you agree with this Johnny Depp film assessment? Make yourself heard in the comments below!