Johnny Depp’s latest role is his most ‘offensive’ yet-Tori Brazier-Entertainment – Metro

Johnny Depp has landed a controversial new role as he continues his onscreen comeback (Picture: Getty)

Johnny Depp has been cast to play Satan by director Terry Gilliam in what will be his next film role for The Carnival at the End of Days.

The star, 60, will take on the devilish part after his comeback movie, Jeanne du Barry, was finally released in the UK in April, nearly a full year after it premiered at Cannes Film Festival in 2023.

Gilliam’s latest project sees Depp’s Satan in search of two humans to present to God (Jeff Bridges) as the modern Adam and Eve.

The Time Bandits and Brazil filmmaker has stacked his cast with Bridges as Depp’s counterpart, and then Adam Driver and Depp’s ex-wife’s former co-star Jason Momoa, whose roles are currently under wraps.

Gilliam teases that the film ‘will be very funny for those who like to be offended’.

Depp continued his return to screens after a turbulent time involving two highly publicised court cases, one on each side of the Atlantic, with Amber Heard and the ugly fallout of their marriage.

The actor last starred in Jeanne du Barry, which finally released in the UK in April (Picture: Why Not Productions/Alamy)

Depp will next be seen as Satan in Terry Gilliam’s new film The Carnival at the End of Days, with the director supporting him on the Jeanne du Barry red carpet (Picture: Dave Benett/WireImage)

While he won his defamation case against the Aquaman star in Virginia in 2022, he lost a libel case against The Sun newspaper in 2020, which had branded him a ‘wife-beater’.

Jeanne du Barry was not without controversy either, after French director Maïwenn seemed to hint at a troubled production with her leading man, telling The Independent the crew were ‘afraid of him’ – before lashing out at the interview and insisting her words were used ‘without [their] context and subtleties’.

Gilliam confirmed he will be working with Depp once again after collaborations on films including Fear and Loathing in Las Vegas and their last movie together, 2009’s The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus.

Discussing the plot in further detail, the Monty Python star told French publication Premiere that The Carnival at the End of Days is a ‘comedy where God decides to destroy Humanity, and the only one who tries to save us is Satan. Because he needs people in hell, otherwise he won’t have a job for eternity!’

Depp’s last film with Terry Gilliam was 2009’s The Imaginarium of Doctor Parnassus

The film will begin shooting in January 2025 but Gilliam is already aware that the ambitions he has for this movie are going to make it a costly project – namely due to Bridges’ role as God.

He will ‘not be the God we are used to’ but rather ‘a nature that can speak to you’, the 83-year-old explained.

He added: ‘I’m going to need animation to bring it to life, because in the scene with God there are at least fifteen animals. And it’s going to be complicated because it has to be realistic. And it’s going to be very expensive!’

Jeff Bridges has been cast as God (Picture: Taylor Hill/WireImage)

Fans appear to be thrilled by the news of Depp’s casting, with Joey Schmo commenting on X: ‘This will be epic. Great cast, can’t wait.’

‘I’ll be there, man,’ added Taylor Styes of the film’s announcement.

Pirates of the Caribbean actor Depp is also busy working on new film Modi, which he has directed, about the life of Italian artist Modigliani.

Jason Momoa, Depp’s ex-wife Amber Heard’s former Aquaman co-star, will also star (Picture: Warner Bros/Everett Collection)

Previous big roles for Depp include serial killer Sweeny Todd in Tim Burton’s film adaptation of the musical (Picture: Leah Gallo/Dreamworks/Warner Bros/Kobal/Rex/Shutterstock)

It stars Al Pacino, Stephen Graham, Bridget Jones actress Sally Phillips, Riccardo Scamarcio and Antonia Desplat.

His last major role was in 2018’s Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald, before he was asked to step down and replaced with Mads Mikkelsen for the third film in the franchise.

He has also previously made a splash in the US with his work on Tim Burton films like Edwards Scissorhands, Sweeney Todd and Charlie and the Chocolate Factory.

In a recent interview with Metro.co.uk, it sounded unlikely that Depp will return to Hollywood anytime soon.

Saying that ‘they threw me in the bin’, the actor ripped into studio heads as ‘glorified accountants’ who are ‘disposable and they realise it’.

The Carnival at the End of Days is yet to receive a release date.

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