The 'Lone Ranger' actor refused to take a $10 million pay cut after the Barry Levinson-directed film about the life of notorious Whitey Bulger sold softly at Cannes.
- May 31, 2013
AceShowbiz - Johnny Depp is no longer committed to "Black Mass", Barry Levinson-directed biopic of notorious gangster Whitey Bulger. The 49-year-old actor bowed out of the project after learning that he would be paid half of his usual $20 million fee. The Hollywood Reporter says the pay cut was inevitable after the film failed to attract a large number of bids at Cannes.
Depp was set to headline the feature from Cross Creek and Exclusive Media in last February. It is a tale of Whitey Bulger, a Boston mob kingpin, and his close relationship with FBI agent John Connolly, who was charged with tipping off his childhood friend Bulger when the feds were coming for him, leading Bulger to vanish for many years.
"The Great Gatsby" star Joel Edgerton has recently been on board to portray the disgraced FBI man John Connolly. As of now, it is still unknown who will be approached to take the vacant lead role left by Depp.
Already set to act opposite Meryl Streep in fairytale musical "Into the Woods", Depp will next be seen in director Gore Verbinski's "The Lone Ranger", which is set for a July 3 release. The Western-set film will feature Depp as American Indian spirit warrior Tonto who will join forces with an unlikely hero named John Reid (Armie Hammer) to fight against greed and corruption.
