Johnny Depp's Notorious BIG Movie Pulled A Month From Release
Mo Jonny mo problems?
Despite rumours that Johnny Depp will return to the Pirates Of The Caribbean franchise for a sixth chapter (even though Disney sacked James Gunn for offensive jokes, which rank significantly lower on the crime ladder than physical assault), there's potentially some bad news for the actor as well.
Strangely, City of Lies, which is about the investigation into the death of rapper Notorious BIG and stars Depp and Forrest Whittaker has reportedly been pulled from its planned theatrical release just a month before it was supposed to come out.
In it, Depp plays LAPD detective Russell Poole as he nvestigates the murder of the iconic rapper Biggie Smalls the year after the murder of Tupac Shakur. Opposite him, Whittaker plays journalist Jack Johnson, who joins forces with Poole to solve the case. It's a story of intrigue and corruption that absolutely deserves to be told, but you might not get to see it in cinemas now.
Even despite the difficult production - including Depp allegedly assaulting a crew member who sued the film's director and producers when he was sacked for not agreeing not to sue - it's unlikely we won't see it in some form. It's just unclear where and how.
Could it be that we'll see it land on Netflix or a similar service rather than in theatres? That's the kind of captive audience that would be absolutely controversy proof for Depp and it would ensure Netflix big viewing figures if they could pull it off. Hell, if Adam Sandler can be their most viewed movie star, Depp should have a cake walk.
Time will tell.