Johnny Depp to Direct First Film in 25 Years

”Modi,“ a biopic of Italian artist Amedeo Modigliani, hopes to begin production in spring 2023.

Johnny Depp is getting back into the director's chair 25 years after his debut. The actor will direct a film about Italian artist Amedeo Modigliani (1884 - 1920), he tells entertainment magazine The Hollywood Reporter.

The film Modigliani, based on the play by Dennis McIntyre, is about the painter and sculptor's life in Paris in 1916. The artist, who has little confidence in his own abilities at the time, experiences 48 hours there that change his life and cause him to eventually become a great man. Filming is scheduled to begin in Europe next spring.

Depp calls it an "honor" to translate Modigliani's life story to the big screen. "It was a life full of great hardships, but ultimately triumphs. That's a universal story that all viewers can identify with."

The actor directed his first feature film, The Brave, in 1997. In it, he starred alongside Marlon Brando. With Modigliani, Depp also gets help from a big star. Al Pacino will co-produce the film.