Johnny Depp’s New Movie Revives A 25-Year Partnership

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Johnny Depp is returning to mainstream Hollywood with a new film, marking his first big project in over eight years. He’s been largely absent from major American films due to his well-publicized legal issues with Amber Heard. While he appeared in the French film Jeanne du Barry (2023) and voiced a character in the animated Johnny Puff: Secret Mission (2024) after winning his defamation case in 2022, fans are excited to see him back in a major Hollywood production. This new movie will also reunite him with a frequent collaborator.

Johnny Depp is set to star in the new action thriller, Day Drinker, directed by Marc Webb and written by Zach Dean. He plays Kelly, who meets a bartender named Lorna (Madelyn Cline) while on a yacht. They quickly discover a surprising connection as they become entangled in a dangerous criminal underworld, orchestrated by the powerful Cara Lauzzana, played by Penélope Cruz.

Penélope Cruz is a huge star, making her role in the new film Day Drinker really exciting. Fans are also eager to see her reunite with Johnny Depp, as they’ve worked together before on several movies. Day Drinker will be their fourth film together, following Blow (2001), Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides (2011), and Murder on the Orient Express (2017). This project marks Depp’s return to Hollywood after a period away.

How Johnny Depp & Penélope Cruz’s Previous Collaborations Have Fared

The strong rapport between Johnny Depp and Penélope Cruz is a great sign for their upcoming film. Their established chemistry – whether as a couple or just as actors – should translate well on screen. By the time the new movie comes out on March 25, 2027, it will have been 26 years since they first worked together on the 2001 film Blow, which earned $83 million worldwide. Viewers clearly enjoyed their connection in Blow – the film has an 83% audience score on Rotten Tomatoes.

Ten years later, in 2011, the two actors reunited for the fourth installment of the Pirates of the Caribbean series, Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides. Penélope Cruz joined the cast as a complex love interest for Johnny Depp’s Captain Jack Sparrow. While the film wasn’t as well-received by critics (32% on Rotten Tomatoes) or as popular as previous movies (audience score of 54%), it was still a major financial success, earning over $1 billion worldwide.

After working together on the fourth Pirates of the Caribbean film, Johnny Depp and Penélope Cruz teamed up again for the 2017 movie Murder on the Orient Express. Like their previous collaboration, this film received mixed reviews. Critics at Rotten Tomatoes gave it a positive rating 60% of the time, and general audiences approved of it 54% of the time. Despite the mixed reception, the film was a financial success, earning $353 million worldwide.

Johnny Depp Is No Stranger To Regular Collaborators

It makes sense that Johnny Depp’s return to Hollywood would be with a familiar face. He often works with the same actors repeatedly. Director Tim Burton frequently casts Depp, as seen in films like Edward Scissorhands (1990), Sleepy Hollow (1999), Charlie and the Chocolate Factory (2005), Corpse Bride (2005), Sweeney Todd (2007), and Alice in Wonderland (2010). He and Helena Bonham Carter have appeared together in four of those films, making her another key collaborator.

As a movie lover, it’s always been clear to me that when Johnny Depp collaborates with the right people – certain actors or directors – the results are just incredible. I’m really hoping that his new project with Joaquin Phoenix and the film Day Drinker will be another one of those magical pairings. After seeing him make such a strong comeback, I’m genuinely excited to see who he chooses to work with next – it’s always a good sign when he reunites with people he’s clicked with before.

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2026-05-31 16:30