Johnny Depp & Penelope Cruz to Star in ‘Day Drinker' — Shoots in February [Updated]

UPDATE: Cruz confirms this one shoots in February.

Remember that firestorm Jeff Sneider caused on social media when he reported that Johnny Depp and Sydney Sweeney were set to star in Marc Webb’s “Day Drinker”?

Now, Depp being the toxic figure that he is in certain corners of the internet, teaming up with Sweeney — who has a major fanbase of younger fans — is something that certain folks couldn’t quite grasp. How dare she!

It didn’t take long for backlash to occur, and for Sweeney’s reps to deny Sneider’s report. Here’s what I find utterly strange about this whole thing — Sneider claimed that he had three separate sources, very reliable ones, telling him that the story was, in fact, true.

Today, things got a little clearer. “Day Drinker” has been confirmed, and Depp is in fact going to star, but there’s no Sweeney in the mix. Instead, Penelope Cruz has been cast as Depp’s co-star in the film. It’s quite possible Sweeney dropped out (via THR).

Here’s the synopsis that posted back in March:

The story spans love, friendship, and revenge and is said to revolve around the bond between an enigmatic stranger and a bartender mourning the loss of her lover.

“Day Drinker,” coming to us from Lionsgate, is based on an original story by Zach Dean (“The Tomorrow War”) and unfolds along coastal France, Portugal, and Spain. Webb is best known for “500 Days of Summer,” “The Amazing Spider-Man,” “Gifted” and Disney’s upcoming live-action “Snow White.”

This is a big deal for Depp, and the most high-profile project he’s embarked on since the Amber Heard allegations. Depp was quickly deemed persona non grata in Hollywood because of former wife Heard’s domestic violence accusations. He had to go to court to get his good name back, but, even after his victory, he’s still not been fully welcomed back in many industry circles.

Cruz and Depp have worked together on three films: “Blow” (2001), “Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides” (2011), and “Murder on the Orient Express” (2017). Cruz has also been one of Depp's most famous supporters following his defamation case against Heard.

“Many years have passed and I have not only made 3 movies with him, but I also count on him as a great friend," wrote Cruz on documents submitted to the court. "I’ve always been impressed by his kindness, his brilliant mind, his talent, and his peculiar sense of humor."

Since 2018, Depp has been relegated to starring in low-budget films such as “The Professor,” “City of Lies,” “Waiting for the Barbarians,” and “Minamata.” Depp’s most recent project was “Modi,” which he directed and world premiered at the San Sebastian Film Festival this past September.