Following the defamation trial where a jury awarded Johnny Depp $10 million in damages and Amber Heard $2 million in damages, Netflix is apparently mutedly excited to get Depp on board with a new film where he’ll play King Louis XV. According to Bloomberg, La Favorite will shoot in France this summer with Maiwenn directing and starring as Jeanne Bécu, aka Jeanne du Barry, who rose from working as a shop assistant to become King Louis XV’s mistress and a maligned-yet-powerful member in his court. Spoiler alert: she did not have a happy time during the Reign of Terror.
Up until this announcement, the working title had been Jeanne du Barry, and the focus is firmly on her life, so it’s unclear how big Depp’s role will be as King. However, Netflix is so thrilled about his involvement that the film will premiere on Netflix France in 2023 with no word on whether it will be available in the United States or any other country at that time. They also declined to comment on the story, even to make the standard anodyne statements about how they’re happy to have a veteran actor on board.
None of that should take away from the potential of the film. Maiwenn is an interesting filmmaker and actress traversing a life story that’s enduring (and filled with hot gossip). Her My King in 2015 was a stirring drama, earning her a Palme d’Or nomination as Best Director as well as a slew of Cesar nominations. This will be the first film that Depp has ever acted in French, and, no matter what, Maiwenn is taking a gamble on a figure who will almost certainly overshadow anything he’s in simply by being in it.
At any rate, Netflix has bought themselves at least a year to see if they want their Depp-starring film to show anywhere else but France.
(via Bloomberg)