The question isn't just if he’s working. It’s whether Hollywood will ever let him be "Johnny Depp" again.
If you haven't been keeping up with the trades lately, you might think the guy just vanished into a cloud of scarf-flecked smoke after that 2022 trial. But honestly? Is Johnny Depp still acting? The short answer is yes. He’s very much still at it. But the "how" and the "where" have shifted so drastically that it barely looks like the same career he had ten years ago.
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He isn't exactly jumping back into the Spandex-and-sequels world of Disney just yet. It's more of a slow burn. A pivot toward Europe. A move behind the camera. Basically, he’s rebuilding the house from the ground up, stone by stone.
The Big Return: Day Drinker and the Lionsgate Deal
For the longest time, the major studios wouldn't touch him. He was "radioactive." That’s the word you’d hear whispered in the backrooms of agencies. But the ice is finally cracking.
The biggest news hitting the wire right now is Day Drinker. This isn't some small indie project filmed in a French basement; it’s a full-on action thriller from Lionsgate. He’s starring alongside Penélope Cruz, which, let’s be real, is a pairing that usually equals box office gold. They’ve done Blow, Pirates, and Murder on the Orient Express together. They have that shorthand.
The plot sounds like classic Depp territory. He plays a "mysterious guest" on a private yacht who gets tangled up with a bartender (played by Madelyn Cline) and a criminal figure (Cruz). It’s being directed by Marc Webb—the guy who did The Amazing Spider-Man—which tells you everything you need to know about the scale. It's a "major" Hollywood movie. Finally.
He’s Scrooge Now? The Ti West Project
Then there’s the weird stuff. The "Depp-esque" stuff.
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Reportedly, he’s in talks (and basically confirmed by several outlets) to play Ebenezer Scrooge in a new adaptation called Ebenezer: A Christmas Carol. But don’t expect a Muppets vibe here. It’s being directed by Ti West. If you know horror, you know West is the mastermind behind X, Pearl, and MaXXXine.
This is going to be a "thrilling ghost story" set in Dickensian London. Think dark. Think supernatural. Think Depp under three hours of prosthetic makeup. It’s scheduled for a November 2026 release, and insiders say he’s getting a $10 million paycheck for it. That’s a far cry from his old $20 million+ Pirates days, but it's the biggest check he’s seen in a long, long time.
Why the European "Exile" Actually Worked
Before Lionsgate came knocking, Depp had to go where the baggage didn't weigh as much. That meant Europe.
He spent 2023 and 2024 leaning into French cinema. He played King Louis XV in Jeanne du Barry. It opened Cannes. People stood up and cheered for seven minutes. It was a weird, lavish period piece where he spoke almost entirely in French. It wasn't a global blockbuster, but it served a purpose. It proved he could still show up, hit his marks, and command a screen.
Modì: Three Days on the Wing of Madness
While everyone was asking about his acting, Depp was actually busy directing. His latest film, Modì, is a biopic of the Italian artist Amedeo Modigliani. It’s his first time in the director’s chair since 1997.
- Cast: It stars Riccardo Scamarcio, Stephen Graham, and—get this—Al Pacino.
- The Vibe: It covers 48 chaotic hours in World War I-era Paris.
- Release: It hit North American theaters in late 2025 via Vertical.
Working with Pacino is a huge flex. It’s a "peer-to-peer" validation that matters more in some circles than a Disney contract. If Al Pacino wants to be in your movie, you aren't exactly "canceled" anymore, are you?
Will He Ever Be Jack Sparrow Again?
This is the $300 million question. Disney is notoriously cautious. They dropped him from Pirates 6 faster than a hot potato when the allegations first surfaced.
Jerry Bruckheimer, the producer behind the franchise, has been pretty vocal about wanting him back. He’s gone on record saying he’d love to have Depp return as Captain Jack. But the actor himself? During the trial, he famously said he wouldn't come back even for "$300 million and a million alpacas."
Lately, though, the tone has softened. Insiders suggest there’s a "never say never" atmosphere developing. Disney needs a hit. Depp needs the ultimate vindication. But for now, Pirates 6 is still in the "scripting and development" phase with no official casting.
The Reality of "The Comeback"
It’s not all sunshine and red carpets. There are still major hurdles.
- Insurance issues: Large-scale movies need to insure their stars. For a while, the "risk" of hiring Depp was too high for some underwriters.
- Reputation management: While he has a massive, loyal fanbase (the #JusticeForJohnnyDepp crowd hasn't gone anywhere), some brands are still hesitant to link up with him.
- Creative shift: He seems less interested in being a "movie star" and more interested in being an "artist." He’s touring with the Hollywood Vampires (his rock band), painting, and directing.
He’s 62 now. He’s not the young heartthrob from 21 Jump Street or the wiry guy from Edward Scissorhands. He’s a veteran character actor who happens to have one of the most famous faces on the planet.
What You Should Keep An Eye On
If you want to follow his actual career trajectory in 2026, stop looking at the tabloids and start looking at the production schedules.
Keep a lookout for the first trailers for Day Drinker. That will be the litmus test. If that movie does well at the box office, the "exile" is officially over. If it flops, he might settle into a permanent niche of high-end European indie films.
What you can do next: If you’re a fan or just curious about his current work, check out the trailer for Modì. It gives a much better sense of where his head is creatively than any interview he’s given recently. You might also want to track the production of Ti West's Ebenezer—if that film maintains its November 2026 release date, it means the Hollywood studio system has fully re-integrated him into the holiday tentpole cycle.
The industry is watching. You should be too.