Just when things couldn’t seem to get worse for actor Johnny Depp the actor’s new movie CITY OF LIES has just been pulled from its release schedule only a month before coming out. The biographical thriller from Brad Furman (THE LINCOLN LAWYER) about the investigations into the murders of Tupac Shakur and Biggie Smalls was set to hit theaters on September 7, but Global Road Entertainment has taken it off the calendar with no new date to replace it with.
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Based on the book "LAbyrinth" by Randall Sullivan, the movie stars Depp as retired LAPD detective Russell Poole who teams with a reporter (Forest Whitaker) to find out the truth behind Tupac and Biggie's deaths. Though the movie may have no official release date anymore, a source (via IndieWire) claims Global Road is still looking to release the movie sometime before the end of 2018. “With the climate around Depp right now, the studio chose to hold back releasing the movie until the situation improves or is resolved,” the source said.
This news comes a month after a lawsuit was filed against Depp by location manager Gregg “Rocky” Brooks accusing the actor of assault. Brooks’ story goes that one night he went to tell Depp that production would have to run late after their shooting permits had expired, leading Depp to grow angry and punch Brooks. Along with Depp the suit also filed claims against Global Road, Furman, producer Miriam Segal, Good Films Productions, and Depp’s own production company Infinitum Nihil, with the lawsuit seeking damages for a hostile work environment, wrongful termination and more.
The lawsuit is just one of several publicity nightmares Depp has found himself in recently. Back in June a Rolling Stone profile with Depp as the subject was released and instantly went viral. The piece shined a light on Depp’s financial woes (which came to public attention late 2017), as well as his – to put it gently – extravagant and bizarre lifestyle. Then there are the other lawsuits Depp has gone through, including one he filed against his business managers for "gross neglect" of his finances, which he settled last month.
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Although the fate of CITY OF LIES is up in the air at this point Depp still has his big ticket item hitting theaters later this year in FANTASTIC BEASTS: THE CRIMES OF GRINDELWALD. The actor will be playing the title villain, Gellert Grindelwald, but his casting has also sparked controversy. Many fans of the Harry Potter franchise have spoken out against his involvement given claims of physical abuse filed against him by actress and ex-wife Amber Heard, claims Depp denies.
The whirlwind of madness and controversy that's been following Depp doesn't seem to be going anywhere, so who knows when CITY OF LIES will be back on the schedule. Global Road seems intent on getting it out, so perhaps once the lawsuit is settled they'll find a slot for it. However, if they are indeed waiting for the climate around Depp to change they could be waiting for a bit.
FANTASTIC BEASTS is in theaters November 16, and CITY OF LIES is out…eventually?