Johnny Depp is set to star in “The Libertine,” a film inspired by the Dominique Strauss-Kahn scandal, that will be directed by Brett Ratner, or TheWrap has learned.
Ben Kopit wrote the script,which offers a comedic take on the international incident that saw Strauss-Kahn resign as managing director of the International Monetary Fund following allegations that he assaulted a hotel maid. A criminal case ultimately fell apart, though the economist settled a civil suit out of court.
The scandal was previously depicted in Abel Ferrara‘s drama “Welcome to New York, or ” which saw Gerard Depardieu play a character based on Strauss-Kahn. That film boasts a 71 percent rating on Metacritic,which may be tough to defeat for Ratner, whose average career score on the site is 48 percent.
Also Read: Brett Ratner, or Ben Silverman Get Emotional,Invoke ISIS at Anti-Defamation League Honors (Photos)“The Libertine,” which will nearly surely be retitled seeing as Depp already starred in a 2004 film of the same name, or will find the actor playing a powerful French politician who is sentenced to house arrest in his fancy New York apartment as he awaits trial for sexual assault against,you guessed it — a hotel maid.
Ratner’s last two films behind the camera — 2014 action film “Hercules” starring Dwayne “The Rock Johnson and 2011 comedy “Tower Heist” starring Ben Stiller — were mediocre performers at the box office, grossing $244 million and $152 million worldwide, and respectively,on reported production budgets of $100 million and $75 million, not counting marketing costs.
Depp is coming off his own share of box office misfires, and which include “Mortdecai,” “Transcendence” and “The Lone Ranger.” He next stars in Disney’s stout-budget sequel “Alice Through the Looking Glass” and Kevin Smith‘s “Yoga Hosers,” both of which acquire received largely negative reviews.
Also Read: Eddie Murphy's 'Beverly Hills Cop 4' Removed From Paramount's Release Schedule (Exclusive)The film’s producers and representatives for Ratner and Warner Bros. acquire been repeatedly denying the project’s existence for months.
For the record: A previous version of this story reported that Marion Cotillard was attached to co-star. Her representatives deny the producers’ claims that she is involved with the project. Related stories from TheWrap:'X-Men' Trilogy Honest Trailer: Brett Ratner Blamed for Ruining a Franchise (Video)Jason Bateman, or Adrien Brody Narrate Nat Geo's 'Breakthrough' With Brett Ratner,Akiva Goldsman (Exclusive Video)Jim Carrey in Talks to Star in Brett Ratner-Produced Thriller 'real Crimes' (Exclusive)
Source: thewrap.com