You’d think putting two of the biggest, most attractive human beings on the planet into a romantic thriller set in Venice would be a slam dunk. In 2010, that’s exactly what Sony Pictures thought they were doing. They took Angelina Jolie, fresh off her action-star turn in Salt, and paired her with Johnny Depp, who was basically the king of the world thanks to Pirates of the Caribbean. The result was The Tourist.
But honestly? The movie became more famous for the drama surrounding it than the plot itself. Even now, in 2026, when you look back at movies with Angelina Jolie and Johnny Depp, it’s a weirdly short list. In fact, it's a list of one. They’ve only ever shared the screen in that single, polarizing film.
Why didn't they ever team up again? Why did the critics absolutely shred a movie that made nearly $280 million? To understand the dynamic, you have to look past the red carpet glamour and into the actual production of a film that was, quite frankly, a beautiful mess.
The Venice Connection: Behind the Scenes of The Tourist
The plot is basically a classic Hitchcockian setup. You've got Elise (Jolie), a mysterious woman being watched by Interpol, who hops on a train and picks a random guy, Frank (Depp), to pose as her lover. The goal is to trick the people following her into thinking Frank is actually a wanted thief named Alexander Pearce.
It sounds like a fun, breezy caper.
But the vibe on set was reportedly... stiff. For years, rumors have swirled that the two stars didn't exactly click. According to some reports from the time, like those surfaced by Koimoi and various gossip outlets, Jolie was allegedly "disappointed" that Depp didn't get into better shape for the role or trim his hair. On the flip side, Depp supposedly found Jolie a bit too intense and "full of herself," often retreating to his trailer the second the director yelled "cut."
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Now, you have to take "insider" quotes with a grain of salt. In public, they were nothing but gracious. Depp called Jolie a "walking poem" in a Vanity Fair interview, and Jolie told IGN that Depp was a "thoroughly nice guy" and a "deeply feeling artist."
Still, you can't fake chemistry. Or can you?
Most critics at the time—and many fans today—feel like the spark just wasn't there. Rotten Tomatoes still carries a "Rotten" score for the film, with the consensus being that the scenery was gorgeous but the leads were "muddled." It’s a strange phenomenon when two people who are individually magnetic somehow cancel each other out when they're in the same frame.
Why The Tourist Still Matters Today
Despite the critical panning, The Tourist wasn't a flop. It didn't "fail" in the traditional sense. It actually did quite well internationally. People wanted to see those two together. They wanted to see Venice.
Actually, Venice is the real star of the movie.
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The production didn't use many sets; they filmed in real, iconic locations. If you're ever in Italy, you can visit the Hotel Danieli, where the characters stayed, or the Rialto Market, where Frank famously flees across the rooftops in his pajamas. The movie is essentially high-budget travel porn. Director Florian Henckel von Donnersmarck (who had just won an Oscar for the much more serious The Lives of Others) seemed more interested in the lighting on the canals than the dialogue in the script.
The Tourist remains a fascinating case study in "Star Power vs. Substance."
The Rumors That Won't Die: 2025 and 2026 Reconnection?
Fast forward to the present. Recently, there’s been a massive surge in interest regarding movies with Angelina Jolie and Johnny Depp because of rumors that they are finally reuniting.
Recent reports from mid-2025, including pieces from the Hindustan Times and National Enquirer, suggest the two have been "quietly reconnecting." The gossip mill is working overtime, claiming they’ve had discreet meetings in London and Los Angeles. There’s even talk of a potential new project—a fantasy drama—though nothing has been officially confirmed by their camps.
It’s easy to see why the public is obsessed. Both stars have gone through incredibly public, messy legal battles with their ex-spouses. They are both "outsiders" in Hollywood now, in a way. The idea of these two icons finding solace in each other—or at least in a new creative partnership—is the kind of narrative that fuels the entertainment industry.
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What to Watch If You Want That "Tourist" Vibe
If you're looking for more of that specific Jolie/Depp energy, you’re basically stuck with a one-movie marathon. But you can find similar vibes in their solo work from that era.
- For the Jolie side: Check out Salt (2010). It shows the action chops she brought to The Tourist but with much more intensity.
- For the Depp side: The Ninth Gate (1999) gives you that "confused American in Europe" feel, albeit with a much darker, occult twist.
- For the vibe: To Catch a Thief (1955). This is the Hitchcock movie The Tourist was trying to be. Jolie even admitted to watching it for inspiration.
Actionable Insights for Fans and Collectors
If you're a fan of this specific era of Hollywood, there are a few things you should actually do to dive deeper:
- Track Down the "Gag Reel": Both stars have mentioned in interviews (like Jolie’s 2010 Q&A with The Mirror) that they spent about 20 to 30 minutes in one scene just "corpsing"—laughing uncontrollably. While the full 20 minutes isn't public, bits of it exist in behind-the-scenes features on the Blu-ray. It shows a much more human side of their relationship than the finished film does.
- Look for the Remake Roots: The Tourist is actually a remake of a 2005 French film called Anthony Zimmer. If you want to see how the story should have been told without the weight of two massive Hollywood egos, give the original a watch. It’s tighter and arguably more suspenseful.
- Check the Location Map: If you're planning a trip to Venice, download a filming location map for The Tourist. Even if you didn't love the movie, the locations (like the Scuola Grande della Misericordia) are some of the most beautiful spots in Italy and aren't always on the standard tourist path.
The legacy of movies with Angelina Jolie and Johnny Depp is really just the legacy of a single moment in time where Hollywood tried to manufacture magic. It didn't quite sparkle the way people hoped, but it remains a beautiful, bizarre artifact of the early 2010s. Whether they actually reunite for a new project in late 2026 remains to be seen, but the fascination with their combined "star wattage" isn't going away anytime soon.
To get the full experience of their collaboration, your best bet is to find the 4K restoration of The Tourist. Turn the volume down slightly, let the Venice scenery wash over you, and watch two of the world's most famous people try to figure out how to be in a movie together. It's not a masterpiece, but it’s definitely something you won't forget.