Despite Johnny Depp’s recent controversies, Wednesday director Tim Burton says he’s willing to work with Depp again. Burton, who is currently promoting his upcoming Addams Family-inspired series for Netflix, began his filmmaking career as an animator for Disney. Burton’s works, which range from the horror-comedy Beetlejuice to the biographical drama Ed Wood, are known for his dark whimsical style. Throughout his career, Burton has frequently collaborated with Depp, who stars in several of his films, including Edward Scissorhands, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory, Corpse Bride, and Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street. The pair last worked together in 2012 for Burton’s big-screen adaptation of Dark Shadows.
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Although he was once the lead star in Disney’s popular Pirates of the Caribbean series, Depp’s career has become embroiled in controversies in recent years. Perhaps most notably, the actor was involved in a highly publicized defamation trial against his ex-wife Amber Heard, after she alleged that Depp was verbally and physically abusive during their relationship. The trial concluded in June, and although the jury ruled in Depp’s favor, the proceedings had already seemingly dealt damage to Depp’s career. In 2020, Warner Bros. asked Depp to resign from its Fantastic Beasts series during the production of the third film, and Disney had already released a statement confirming that Depp would not be returning for the planned Pirates of the Caribbean 6
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Although it appears Depp’s popularity has waned since the abuse allegations began, he isn’t being abandoned by his long-time collaborator, Tim Burton. In a recent interview with Reuters (via ComicBook.com), Burton claimed he would work with Depp again, explaining that he looks for the right person for all of his work. Check out Burton’s statement below:
“If the right thing was around, sure… I think with anybody, you just, I never work with anybody even with my friends, it’s not like a party so I always would like to try it with him or anybody to kind of go; what is the part? What is the thing? And then is it the right thing, is it the right character? I take things on those basis and no others.”
Can Johnny Depp Make A Comeback?
Although Burton is willing to cast Depp again, the actor has appeared in few roles since the defamation trial began, and even well before that. Depp’s reputation has certainly faced serious setbacks in recent years, and with the sharp drop in acting roles Depp has received, it currently seems unlikely that he can ever reach the widespread popularity he once held. After all, Depp has no plans to return to his two biggest roles: Jack Sparrow in Pirates of the Caribbean and Gellert Grindewald in Fantastic Beasts. The actor’s next role will be as King Louis XV in the upcoming French film, La Favorite.
Still, despite such controversy, Depp still has a dedicated fanbase and many supporters. In addition to Burton, Mads Mikkelsen, who replaced Depp in the third Fantastic Beasts film, said he would support Depp’s return to the Fantastic Beasts franchise if it happened. Depp will also be appearing in the Savage X Fenty fashion show which will be available to stream on Prime Video on November 9. Perhaps, with these appearances and if Burton follows through on his words, Depp can someday overcome the past allegations.
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Source: Reuters (via ComicBook.com)