He's back, and we don't mean Arnold Schwarzenegger.
That Austrian man-mountain never left.
We're talking about Johnny Depp, the actor who bridged the divide between indie fare and blockbusters with films like "Pirates of the Caribbean" and "The Rum Diary."
The 63-year-old will play the title character in "Ebenezer," the umpteenth take on "A Christmas Carol." Director Ti West's film released its first trailer this week, showcasing the versatile actor in more ways than one.
Yes, he's the star, but it's also the highest-profile title he's made since inching his way back off the cancelled list.
The trailer plays up his "return," both with a choice snippet of dialogue ("It's good to be back") and a list of his classic film characters.
- Jack Sparrow
- Edward Scissorhands
- The Mad Hatter
Will Ebenezer Scrooge join that list? We'll know more on Nov. 13 when the film opens nationwide.
Depp maintained an A-list career for more than two decades, but some troubling domestic abuse allegations slammed the brakes on his Hollywood life. Former wife Amber Heard led the charge, alleging he had gotten physical with her during their marriage. That was in 2016.
For a while, it seemed like we'd seen the last of the mercurial star. MeToo sent plenty of big names to the sidelines, with some never returning to the industry. Think Weinstein, Harvey as the best example.
Two years later, after the MeToo movement exploded, Heard penned a Washington Post op-ed expounding on her allegations. That set off the pop culture fireworks both on the gossip pages and within the legal world.
Their high-profile court battle fueled a limited TV series ("Depp vs. Heard") and endless headlines. And, in the court of public opinion, Depp prevailed.
Mostly.
Some of his personal habits drew scrutiny, like his massive wine budget and staggering monthly expenditures. Some still believed Heard, whose career cratered following the high-profile case.
The evidence against some Hollywood artists, like Weinstein and Bill Cosby, proved too credible and consistent to tsk-tsk away. That's not Cancel Culture, just a scary list of accusations that matter. Others, like the Depp case and the allegations against Aziz Ansari, seemed far less certain.
A sense of reason and proportionality crept back into view for those who likely deserved a second chance. That's led to a number of cancelled stars returning to the limelight. Comedian Louis C.K. admitted to exposing himself to unsuspecting women in 2018. His banishment unofficially ended this year with a new Netflix special, "Ridiculous."
He still lost millions following his admission, had his 2017 film, "I Love You, Daddy" cancelled in perpetuity and likely lost plenty of fans for good.
Actor Armie Hammer faced both disturbing allegations from former partners and rumors of cannibalistic flirtations. He, too, disappeared from the Hollywood radar before starring in this summer's low-budget genre film "Citizen Vigilante."
Two-time Oscar winner Kevin Spacey isn't back-back yet, but his return could be just a matter of time. The number of allegations against the "American Beauty" standout still gives some pause. Even a sympathetic Bill Maher pressed Spacey during their recent chat.
Depp's comeback could be short-lived. Perhaps we've seen enough Scrooge-like stories, thank you. Or, he could revive those old stories with fresh, disturbing headlines.
Either way, it's up to the American public to decide if we're done with Depp or wouldn't mind a pop culture reunion.
