Johnny Depp transformed into a silver fox for his Hollywood comeback.
Lionsgate announced Monday that production was underway on the Marc Webb-directed thriller “Day Drinker” and shared a photo of Depp on set with a drink in his hand.
The 61-year-old “Pirates of the Caribbean” star looked unrecognizable with a full gray beard and blue contact lenses in place of his dark brown eyes.
He traded his signature shaggy brunette hair for a full salt-and-pepper look.
Although Depp starred in the French historical drama “Jeanne du Barry” in 2023, the upcoming film marks his first movie from a major distributor since 2018’s “Harry Potter” spinoff “Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald.”
He plays a “mysterious” guest onboard a private yacht who “forms an unlikely bond with a grieving bartender,” played by Madelyn Cline, according to IMDb.
The two “soon find themselves entangled with a criminal figure,” played by Depp’s longtime collaborator Penélope Cruz.
The “Edward Scissorhands” star and Cruz, 50, previously co-starred in 2001’s “Blow,” 2011’s “Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides” and 2017’s “Murder on the Orient Express.”
Depp took a step back from Hollywood amid his highly publicized defamation trial with ex-wife Amber Heard in 2022.
The “Alice in Wonderland” star won all three counts against Heard, 38, over a 2018 op-ed she wrote alleging domestic abuse. He was awarded $15 million in damages, which was later reduced to $10.3 million.
Although the jury mostly sided with Depp, the actress also won one of her three defamation counterclaims and was awarded $2 million in damages.
While Heard appealed the decision, the two later agreed to a settlement that saw her pay the actor $1 million, which he donated to charity.
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The “Aquaman” actress has since left Hollywood behind and now lives in Spain.
Depp, for his part, moved to a “quiet” neighborhood in London, where he has been “prioritizing his health and well-being.”
“He’s taking advantage of being in this better headspace,” an insider told People last year. “There’s a lot of good energy, and he surrounds himself with a good group of people.
“It is more of a quiet life, but filled with painting and music,” they added. “He’s jamming out with friends and playing solo in times when he’s not focused on filmmaking.
While Depp laid low for a while after the trial, he is ready to get back to work on the big screen.
However, he doesn’t view his return as a “comeback,” previously telling journalists that he doesn’t “feel much further need for Hollywood.”
“I keep wondering about the word ‘comeback,’ because I didn’t go anywhere,” he said. “Maybe people stopped calling out of whatever their fear was at the time, but I didn’t go anywhere.”
He added, “Saying ‘comeback’ is almost like I’m going to come out and do a tap dance — dance my best and hope you approve.”
“Day Drinker” is expected to come out sometime next year.
