Lionsgate has closed a deal for Johnny Depp and Penélope Cruz to reteam for a fourth time in “Day Drinker,” the studio announced on Monday.
The film will be directed by Marc Webb (“Snow White”). Depp and Cruz previously co-starred in the features “Blow,” “Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides,” and “Murder on the Orient Express.”
In “Day Drinker,” a cruise ship bartender meets a mysterious day drinker—only for both of them to find themselves entangled in a criminal underbelly, and connected in unexpected ways.
Lionsgate is launching international sales at AFM. Chelsea Kujawa is overseeing the project for Lionsgate. Dan Freedman negotiated the deals for the studio.
The film is produced by Thunder Road’s Basil Iwanyk and Erica Lee, who produce the “John Wick” franchise for Lionsgate, and Adam Kolbrenner, producer of “The Tomorrow War,” “Free Guy,” and “Prisoners,” and Zach Dean, who also wrote the original spec screenplay. The film is executive produced by 30WEST. Lionsgate will present “Day Drinker” in association with 30WEST. The film is a Thunder Road / IN.2 production.
“’Day Drinker’ combines a highly commercial concept with wildly outrageous twists and turns all set in an incredible world, and there is no better filmmaker than Marc or two more perfectly cast actors than Johnny and Penélope to bring that world to life,” Adam Fogelson, chair, Lionsgate Motion Picture Group, said in a statement to The Wrap.
The film marks the second recent collaboration between Lionsgate and 30WEST, who are also teaming for “Power Ballad,” directed by John Carney, written by Carney and Peter McDonald, and starring Paul Rudd and Nick Jonas.
Dean previously penned “Fast X,” “The Tomorrow War,” “Deadfall,” and the upcoming film “The Gorge.” Dean is repped by CAA, Adam Kolbrenner of Lit Entertainment Group, and attorney Andrew Hurwitz.
Depp is repped by Range Media Partners and attorney Lisa Nitti. Cruz is repped by CAA, Untitled Entertainment and Kuranda Management. Webb is repped by CAA and Lichter, Grossman, Nichols, Feldman, Rogal, Shikora & Clark.
The Hollywood Reporter first reported the news.