We're still not convinced
Johnny Depp will completely commit to starring in a remake of seminal private eye classic
The Thin Man, frankly because it's a property that's way cooler than he is right now and it's strictly not a Tim Burton or Jack Sparrow type-movie, but Warner Bros seem optimistic as hell he will.
THR say they have just hired
Jerry Stahl (Bad Boys II) to write the screenplay. Depp and his Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides director
Rob Marshall (POTC 4) have been attached since October. Based on the classic tale by
Dashiell Hammett, The Thin Man would follow Depp as Nick Charles, a guy who marries into a wealthy family who allow him to retire and live a life of debauchery (if only we were all so lucky, eh?). There he becomes a loveable alcoholic who teams up with his socialite wife to solve a murder involving an eccentric inventor! The novel is pure film noir fun but we'd expect a more adventure type blockbuster, maybe something along the lines of Sherlock Holmes or the forthcoming The Three Musketeers, especially with the period setting reportedly remaining in tact. Secretly WB will be hoping for a franchise to be spawned as the original movie birthed no less than five sequels over two decades but it's the original that is a true classic and we'd hope that Depp shows it the kind of respect that means we won't see a repeat of his drunken buffoonery antics as Jack Sparrow translated over. Something more along the lines of his Hunter S. Thompson portrayal in Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas would be much more apt for Nick, a guy who only does anything with a drink in hand. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nSNJ-8ouQEM Stahl is the least known of the screenwriting trio that were circling the remake (including Chris McQuarrie and Terry Rossio, who have worked on Depp movies The Tourist and POTC franchise respectively) though the trades suggest the new film will aim to translate a 'contemporary attitude', so that might explain things, especially as Stahl might be best known for his heroin day confessional memoir Permanent Midnight, a frank tale of his own addiction troubles. Ben Stiller played him in a later movie adaptation, so it could prove to be an unlikely but inspired choice. Now they truly don't make them like they used to and The Thin Man is a true two-part character piece between William Powell and Myrna Loy, an actor and actress who have that magic spark together, something Angelina Jolie and Johnny Depp, two of the hottest stars on the planet couldn't muster in The Tourist, and chemistry rarely seen these days. Though Depp and Marion Cotillard had it in Public Enemies... now there's a casting suggestion for you. Depp's busy with Burton's Dark Shadows this summer and then will move on to Kathryn Bigelow's Triple Frontier (we hope anyway), so don't expect to see this one made until next year... well, unless Disney through millions at Marshall & Depp to do POTC 5 instead.