Earlier this summer it was reported that Johnny Depp was going to star in Wes Anderson’s next film THE GRAND BUDAPEST HOTEL, which had me excited if for no other reason than to see Johnny Depp make his most exciting career choice in a while. But alas, the potential pairing is not to be.
As per a recent interview with Anderson:
Your next movie is The Grand Budapest Hotel,” which is reported to star Johnny Depp?
It’s not Johnny Depp.
Oh, it’s not?
No. There’s a lot of… You know, the Internet has a way of announcing things on its own [laughs]. You will find that even though I’m very aware of the cast that has been announced on its own devices, you’ll never find me saying who’s in the movie. Or, as far as I know, anybody else. I really don’t know where it all comes from. In fact, Johnny is somebody who I would love to work with at some point, but he’s not going to be in this movie. But I actually have not put the cast out — I have not announced the cast. We have quite a great cast.
Well, Bill Murray is in it. He’s been telling people during his HYDE PARK ON HUDSON press tour that he’s in it. Unless he’s lying?
[Laughs] That’s true. That’s true. Bill is in it. Bill is in it.
You’ve labeled it a European story.
Yeah, it’s “Euro.” That’s about all I’ve been saying.
So there you have it. Glad to know Murray’s for sure back, of course, and nothing has been said to dispell the remaining members of a rumored cast that includes Willem Dafoe, Owen Wilson, Edward Norton, Jeff Goldblum, Bill Murray, Adrien Brody, Jude Law, and Angela Lansbury. But are you bummed that Depp won’t be involved? And conversely, who are some new folks Anderson could bring into his greater ensemble of actors?
I wonder why Gwyneth Paltrow hasn’t worked with Anderson since THE ROYAL TENENBAUMS…