Brett Ratner is going full steam ahead with his new project, “The Libertine,” starring Johnny Depp as a Dominique Strauss-Kahn-like politician accused of sexual assault — despite all the controversy surrounding the star.
Ratner announced his plans for the film at the Cannes Film Festival on May 11. Less than two weeks later, Depp was hit with divorce papers from Amber Heard, and the actress and her friends have leveled intense allegations of physical abuse against Depp, while his pals defended him.
“The Libertine” will star Depp as “a powerful French politician who endures house arrest in a luxury NYC apartment while awaiting trial for sexual assault against a hotel maid,” Deadline reported. The film’s “loosely based” on the 2011 DSK sex-abuse scandal. Criminal charges were dropped against DSK, who settled a civil suit with the maid for an undisclosed amount.
Ratner added, “The whole movie takes place in one location, and I’ve never done that before. It’s one of the best scripts I’ve ever read. People are surprised, because I’ve always been a commercial filmmaker, and this is a much smaller movie.”
But an insider told Page Six of the project,“Everybody agreed it would be impossible to still use Depp in light of the [abuse allegations].” Casting Depp “would create some controversy; they decided it was too hot to go near. You can’t do it. Brett would be devastated as this is a dream project.” But a rep for Ratner said of dumping Depp, “It’s not true,” adding the film is in “active development” with the actor attached.
The film’s produced by Lloyd Braun and Andrew Mittman. Deadline reported at Cannes that Warner Bros. was “involved,” but we hear the project isn’t being developed at the studio.
Depp’s latest film, “Alice Through the Looking Glass,” was a box-office dud for Disney. The actor has denied any abuse allegations through his attorney, Laura Wasser.
We’re told that Heard will be in court in LA for the next hearing in their divorce on June 17. It is not immediately clear if Depp will attend.
