Johnny Depp Rocks Out, But Can His Career Rebound?
Johnny Depp proved he is still newsworthy this weekend. Reportedly, the 51-year-old actor took to the stage with Aerosmith during the song “Train Keeps A Rollin.'” It wasn’t the first time the actor flexed his musical muscles as of late. People Magazine reported Depp took the stage with Willie Nelson during a performance in late June. Both surprise performances happened in Boston, where Depp is currently filming Black Mass, a biopic about mobster James “Whitey” Bulger.
Watch Johnny Depp play a bluesy guitar solo with Aerosmith: http://t.co/7g63FVSgHM
— Rolling Stone (@RollingStone) July 18, 2014
The performance proved a much needed media boost to Depp, who’s had decidedly mixed media coverage in recent years. News broke in March of the star’s engagement to 27-year-old actress Amber Heard. Less than three weeks later, Depp’s last movie Transcendence was met with a tepid reception at the box office and with critics. To date, the film has earned a paltry $27 million on an estimated budget of $100 million according to Imdb. Transcendence was dwarfed by Marvel Studios juggernaut Captain America: the Winter Soldier.
While audiences have soured on Depp, studios haven’t caught up. The star has three films scheduled for release in 2014 alone, including Into the Woods, a twist on fairy tales by the Brothers Grimm. Depp’s last hit movie was 2010’s Alice in Wonderland, directed by friend and frequent Depp collaborator Tim Burton. Following that was The Lone Ranger, perhaps Depp’s biggest flop to date. According to reports from Deadline, Walt Disney Studios took a write down of an estimated $160 million to $190 million in 2013 based on the film’s poor performance.
To be fair, Johnny Depp seems poised for a come back. Depp is poised to reprise his role as the Mad Hatter in Through the Looking Glass, as sequel to the 2010 Tim Burton movie. Also in the pipeline the next installment of Pirates of the Caribbean, tentatively titled Dead Men Tell No Tales. The move seems guaranteed to give Depp a much needed win. Pirates of the Caribbean was the franchise that took Depp from quirky B-movie actor to A-list star. It’s worth noting that while the last installment, On Stranger Tides, recouped it’s estimated $250 million budget, it was a critical failure and did not live up to grosses of the earlier installments.
Through the Looking Glass isn’t a sure hit either. The Hollywood Reporter broke the news in January that Burton will not direct the sequel.
Even if both movies prove to be hits, how much longer can 51-year-old Depp play charming, quirky characters?
What’s your favorite Johnny Depp movie? Will you go see either of the upcoming sequels?
[Image Via YouTube]
