Johnny Depp directs Al Pacino in photos from the set of Modi

Last Updated on January 24, 2024

Johnny Depp has been hard at work on his next movie, which actually sees him stepping behind the camera for the first time in over twenty years. Johnny Depp recently wrapped production on Modi, which features Al Pacino, and a handful of images from the project have been released.

You can check out the Modi photos featuring Johnny Depp and Al Pacino below.

The project is a biopic of Italian artist Amedeo Modigliani and is based on Dennis McIntyre’s play Modigliani, with a screenplay by Jerzy and Mary Kromolowski. Modi takes place over the course of 48 hours, with the synopsis reading, “On the run from the police, Modi’s desire to end his career and leave the city is dismissed by fellow Bohemians: French artist Maurice Utrillo, the Belarusian-born Chaim Soutine and his English muse and lover, Beatrice Hastings. Modi seeks advice from his Polish art dealer and friend Leopold Zborowski, but the chaos reaches a crescendo when he’s faced with a collector who could change his life.” Al Pacino plays a supporting role in Modi as real-life French art collector Maurice Gangnat.

In a statement, Johnny Depp called Modi “an incredibly fulfilling and transformative experience,” adding, “I would like to express my profound gratitude to the entire cast, crew, and producers for their unwavering commitment and creativity. To Al, who requested that I make this film — how could I refuse Pacino? A sincere acknowledgement for generously contributing his talent and dedication to this project. Modi is a testament to the collaborative spirit of independent filmmaking, and I am excited to present this unique and compelling story to the world.”

Modi marks Depp’s first time directing a movie since The Brave. The 1997 neo-western starred Depp as a down-on-his-luck American Indian recently released from jail who is offered the chance to ‘star’ as the victim of a snuff film, the resulting pay of which could greatly help his poverty-stricken family. The film, which also starred Marlon Brando, didn’t receive the best reviews upon its debut at the Cannes Film Festival and was never given a proper release in the United States.