You’ve seen the photos. One year he’s the world’s biggest movie star, draped in scarves and rings at a Disney premiere. The next, he’s in a Virginia courtroom, his entire private life laid bare for a global audience of millions. People love to talk about the "fall" and the "rise" of Johnny Depp, but the reality is way more complicated than a simple Hollywood redemption arc.
Johnny Depp then and now isn't just a story about a guy getting his job back. It’s a complete overhaul of how a 62-year-old artist chooses to exist in a world that almost ate him alive.
The Somerset Shift: Why He Left the Spotlight
Honestly, the biggest change in Depp’s life isn’t on a movie set. It’s in his zip code. For decades, he was the king of the Chateau Marmont and the French Riviera. Now? He’s basically a local in the English countryside. Specifically, he’s been spending a massive amount of time in Somerset and East Sussex.
He recently told Somerset Life that he’s actually quite a shy person. That might sound weird for a guy who played Jack Sparrow, but if you look at his history, it tracks. In the UK, he can go to the grocery store without being mobbed for selfies every three seconds. People there treat him like a neighbor. He lives in a 19th-century mansion with twelve bedrooms, but he’s not throwing massive ragers. He’s painting. He’s playing guitar. He’s hanging out with his dogs.
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This isn't the "reclusive star" trope. It’s a survival tactic. After the 2022 defamation trial against Amber Heard, the noise was deafening. Moving to the British countryside allowed him to find a "refuge," as he calls it. He’s trading the high-octane drama of Los Angeles for a sunken garden and a private amphitheater in the woods.
The Career Pivot: From Blockbusters to "Modi"
Let’s talk about the work. The industry tried to write him off. When he was asked to resign from the Fantastic Beasts franchise in 2020, people thought that was the end. But 2026 looks a lot different than 2020 did.
Instead of begging for a Marvel role, Depp is leaning into his indie roots. He recently finished directing Modi: Three Days on the Wings of Madness. This is huge because he hasn’t directed a feature film since 1997. It stars Al Pacino and Riccardo Scamarcio, and it’s not some CGI-heavy spectacle. It’s a gritty, 72-hour snapshot of Italian artist Amedeo Modigliani in war-torn Paris.
- Then: Taking $20 million paychecks for Disney sequels.
- Now: Spending years on passion projects about dead painters.
He also recently wrapped Day Drinker, a thriller where he stars alongside Penélope Cruz. It’s a Lionsgate project, which is a big deal because it marks his return to major studio backing.
That Rumored Disney Return
Everyone wants to know: Is Jack Sparrow coming back?
Producer Jerry Bruckheimer has been very vocal about wanting Depp back for Pirates of the Caribbean 6. He told Entertainment Weekly in 2024 that if it were up to him, Johnny would be in it. But Depp’s relationship with Disney is... rocky. During the trial, he famously said he wouldn’t go back for "$300 million and a million alpacas."
Lately, though, the tone has shifted. Rumors of a massive deal have been floating around the trades in early 2026. Whether he actually puts the eyeliner back on or just serves as a consultant is still the million-dollar question. But the fact that Disney is even at the table shows how much the "now" has changed from the "then" of 2022.
The 2026 Reality Check
Physically, he looks different. He’s older, obviously. He’s been seen at Paris Fashion Week for Dior—a brand that, notably, never dropped him when everyone else did. That loyalty paid off; Sauvage remains one of the best-selling fragrances in the world.
He’s also working on a project with Ti West called Ebenezer: A Christmas Carol. He’s playing Scrooge. It’s a dark, atmospheric take on the Dickens classic, slated for a late 2026 release. It’s the kind of transformative, makeup-heavy role that made him a legend in the first place. Think Edward Scissorhands energy, but with the weight of thirty years of life experience behind it.
What Most People Get Wrong
The biggest misconception is that he’s "back to normal."
He’s not.
The legal battles in the UK and the US changed him. He’s more selective. He’s more guarded. He’s heavily involved in the Hollywood Vampires, his band with Alice Cooper and Joe Perry. For Depp, music was always the first love, and now it’s a non-negotiable part of his schedule.
He isn't chasing the "Sexiest Man Alive" titles anymore. He’s chasing autonomy. He’s focused on being an "uncompromising artist," a phrase that gets thrown around a lot but actually seems to apply here. He’s choosing roles that require him to disappear—whether that’s King Louis XV in Jeanne du Barry or a bitter miser in a ghost story.
If you’re looking to follow the "new" Johnny Depp, keep an eye on the European film festival circuit and his upcoming art exhibitions. He isn't waiting for Hollywood to give him permission to exist; he’s just building a different version of a career on his own terms. Watch for the release of Modi in late 2025/early 2026 and the production updates for the Terry Gilliam project, The Carnival at the End of Days. These are the real indicators of where he’s headed next.